b'The ideal garden is happy, healthy, and weed and bug free. All it really takes to keep it that way is a keen eye for detail, says broadcaster and gardening enthusiast Maggie Barry.neat, compact, and only need pruning twice a year.And they keep us in touch, says Maggie. They give us a sense of season and let thend le hed invigorating winds blow through.One garden element that is currently fashionablein a trend that has positive eco-spin-offsis our fascination with water features. Not only do they look good and sound restful, but the birds s love them, both for bathing and drinking.You know, I once heard that birds are like the Frenchthey need a good drink to wash down n the snails, she laughs.Shes also an advocate of indicator plantsthink of the rose bushes at the end of the grape e rows in a vineyard, traditionally used to show when disease was on the way. It depends, though, on what your garden suffers from.Aucklands humidity tends to promote the growth of powdery mildew, and therst to feel it will be violas and pansies. Just make sure you dispose of the sick plants in the rubbish, rather than contaminating the compost heap. In Wellington, on the other hand, my problem is the e wind, and hellebores are great for showing when theyre reaching the end of their tolerance.She also uses plant indicators inside.Im a great believer in houseplants, she explains. They take up the carbon dioxide and chemicals such as formaldehyde,and enriching the air. They dont ask for much. Iltering spend 10 minutes a week on mine and I have more than 30 plants. Impatiens are great for r showing when theyre thirsty, so the moment I see them drooping, I know that everything needs the watering can. Cyclamen are a bug magnet and are therst to show it when the bugs come out. At that stage, I plant them indoors.The trick, she says, is to make sure you keep tabs on what you planted and when, and when pests and disease have cropped up in the past. To that end, shes just released Maggies Garden n Diary 2008. Along with helping you keep life organised, it also encourages you to note garden events, and has offers lots of pointers on when and what to prune, plant, mulch and maintain.Keep your garden diariedwhen did plantsower, when did they get infested, what do you need to look out for next year, so you can get on top of it without having to resort to the spray pack, she says. So take a moment as often as you can to enjoy your outdoor spaces. Theyll more than reward you for it!Resene Generva'