For the DIY people, some good advice to remember is if you make the roots of the plant happy it will flourish. The most common mistake we see when planting is the use of poor draining loam in the flower beds and not loosening the roots of plants. This causes the roots to keep growing in circles and often will cause root girdling. This can actually kill a plant or tree eventually.
Using loam in the beds creates a situation with poor drainage and limits the amount of oxygen that can get to the roots of material. This tends to cause stress which can lead to insect issues and a downward spiral where the plant’s longevity suffers.