Gardening tips and ideas

[Diane65]

Well as summer is approaching and both myself and Chelle1973 are starting our gardens from scratch I thought that it would be a good idea to get tips and ideas from everyone. Chelle1973 has just moved house and mine is due to OH being a muppet and unbeknown to myself while I was at work not only did he have the Leylandii removed - we had no choice as it was lifting the neighbour's drive along with mine he also had everything chopped back including killing my 20 year clematis, miniature cherry and apple tree, a lavender bush and every single shrub in my front garden plus an 80 year old stunning rambling rose luckily one branch was left so I am doing my utmost to resurrect that. He genuinely thought for some reason that I would be happy I even had to personally p*y for it

I have spent a couple of weekends now digging up old roots and planted a few perennials that I have been given by a friend from her garden plus a few that I have b*ght. I now have a miniature Kilmarnock willow in my front garden - it is only a small plot surrounded by hawthorn plus a half standard lavender in a pot by my front door.

Now after ideas as to what shrubs and plants to use in a North facing garden in semi shade. I only want pink, purple or white flowers and I want a traditional English garden plus tips on pretty bird baths and good solar lighting. I live on a corner house so ideas for privacy etc and how to hide wheelie bins. I'm not scared of a bit of hard work but as I'm not a gardener I will need tips on pruning, cutting back etc. I did all my timber care and metal work painting last year so it is the year of the garden.

I know that a few people live in flats so ideas for container gardening and window boxes will be good.

[Beate]

Wow - and you didn't divorce him?

[Diane65]

Wow - and you didn't divorce him?

Almost murdered him - I couldn't speak to him for a week

[Sunny Saver]

He meant well.

[Ms Thrifty]

Is there no end to your talents and diligence, Diane65? Another thread where your drive and determination put me to shame! And what great exercise, too, even though you are not gardening for that reason.

Tbh, on seeing the topic titile I was tempted to post something facetious such as "Yes - get someone else to do it!" but seriously, I do love visiting gardens (and, of course, garden centres, for obvious reasons); I just have no interest in tackling our own. My mother was a keen gardener and my sister is the same, but I somehow didn't share the inheritance.

I used to be more enthusiastic and was always b*ying plants, but we left a lot behind at our last house and OH has banned me from b*ying any more now, as he has his own ideas, though these have yet to come to fruition and our minuscule back garden is in such a state that it's a wonder the neighbours don't complain. I am not even allowed to b*y the least thing, however much I hanker after it: I'd love one of those glazed pots overflowing with lavender in purple or pink (or both!) and was admiring some at a garden centre with OH only on Friday, but OH kept me under strict surveillance and b*ght a packet to grow from seed instead. Sigh...

I often visit gardens with my sister, but it takes her ages to go round since, as a proper gardener, she likes to take notes and photos, whereas I just look at the overall view, then sit down somewhere with a paper to wait for her!

[ejwrank]

Well Diane I really am the last person to give gardening advice but here goes my contribution. We have a large area in front but a portion is gravel and York stone with some beds which my neighbour (a real gardener) advised I plant shrub roses, plants with silver leaves and of course lavender as it is south facing and we don't have a tap in the front. She was spot on and it flourishes with neglect and doesn't need watering. Our back garden is north facing (like your front garden) and we have lots of fruit trees (apple and pear) so a good deal of shade. We do have a good sized raised bed that gets the sun so we have a selection of herbs and sun lovers there. The rest is pretty full of perennials-- many of which have been pruned back (not as severely your husband saw fit) and are now a better size so gives us a bit more room for other stuff (I'm talking a huge lace cap hydrangea which is now a normal size -- that does well in my north facing garden and I know some people think hydrangeas are boring but the lace cap ones are rather nice, I think). I also once b*ght a small (I'm talking a few inches tall) Japanese maple which is now massive but I felt so proud that it grew I cannot bear to move it so I prune it back each year. So you see I am not a gardener at all as someone with any knowledge would have moved it or chopped it down ages ago!

How about some pots with herbs which look great and are very useful (and if you let the chives go to flower they are purple, thyme goes to pink/mauve so would fit in with your colour scheme!) and of course would tie in with the weight watchers/recipe thread. I have to say that picking fresh herbs gives me a lot of pleasure (OK, so I am easily pleased!) so I can imagine the joy the picking my own vegetables would give! If it doesn't hurt too much, I would suggest replacing some of the plants that your hubby so rudely disrupted/destroyed (at his expense!!!) When they flourish the pain might be eased and if they were happy there in the first place they might be meant to be restored.

Last year my proudest b*y was a rather dilipated looking trailing begonia that Homebase had neglected and marked down to £1. I repotted it and it looked fantastic hanging over the stairs in our back garden and was a striking colour (orange -- not suiting your colour scheme but it became a focal point in the garden). I often try to rescue those forlorn specimens and when (if!) they thrive I feel like I am almost a real gardener--not quite but almost. And of course it ties it with my money saving ethic too! Good Luck!

[Sunny Saver]

Ejwrank: I should have asked you what to grow in the beds at the back when you were around yesterday.

[Diane65]

Thank you so much ladies for your advice and you have certainly got me inspired. I adore lavender plants and the idea of growing from seeds along with other plants really does appeal to me especially as it would save a fortune plus give me the satisfaction of knowing that I had grown them myself. Now also thinking of sweet peas for next year along with some bulbs to go into my 3 terracotta pots that steve has kindly given to me.

Shrub roses sound perfect for my tiny border at the front (other side of my gate) which is about 12inches wide and 6 feet long behind my garden wall - just been looking it up and the white ones look really pretty. Would it look rubbish if I just put white roses there or do you suggest something else for a bit of interest? Now you've got me thinking of doing herbs in a few pots or maybe something trough like to grow them in outside the kitchen door as you know I love my cooking

If we all keep this thread going we will have stunning gardens/balconies/window boxes/hanging baskets or whatever you have by the end of summer.

My friend is giving me a 4 arm hanging basket stand that was destined for the tip so with a bit of TLC I should be able to paint it and make use of it. Hanging basket tips will be required as I haven't made one myself for ages.

[Preston1990]

Seeing that you ladies had set this new gardening thread up yesterday shamed me into actually venturing outside and cutting my front and back lawns, so thanks for that.

Couldn't help but notice the massive amount of moss this year in the lawn, presumably due at least in part to the very wet weather that we had last year. I've tried to get rid of it in the past by raking it out with a spring tine lawn rake, but it's very hard work. It's remarkably good exercise though, and I find that the pile of moss that quickly accumulates makes a very good water retentive lining for hanging baskets. Being free, it's much cheaper than the sphagnum moss that garden centres sell for the purpose. I line my hanging baskets with cut up black plastic sacks first, then add a layer of the moss pushed right up the sides, then lastly I add the potting compost. Your plants can be be put in from the top of the basket, obviously, but also poked in through the sides by punching holes through the plastic. In the past I've b*ght a variety of cheapish trays of bedding plants that Aldi sell to fill my baskets, but it's even cheaper to start early and grow your own from seed.

I grow an assortment of herbs in a very old Belfast sink that is in the garden just outside my kitchen door. I pass it on my blazing wok journeys. The sink originally came out of our utility room when we upgraded our plumbing some years ago. My local supermarket sells off herb plants cheap when they are coming up to their sell by date. They start off at a couple of pounds each but when they get reduced to 20 or 30p I b*y them, plant them in my sink and snip bits off them as we need them.

This is a great time of year in the garden when everything seems to come back to life and starts growing with renewed vigour, especially the weeds. There's always plenty of work to do to get it looking nice but it's also great exercise.

[Diane65]

Thank you Preston1990 I never even thought of using the moss from my lawn for my hanging baskets - I have plenty as we live near to Moss Park and Moss Road hence lots of moss. I have also been reading about adding a layer of moss around newly planted plants can I just use the moss from the lawn?

I love the b*ying of the cheap herbs as that too would make things a lot less expensive. I know this is a stupid question but as I have just planted my willow tree and it looks like I need some more soil on the top as now after removing all the roots from various trees and plants it is quite shallow. Do I need top soil or compost? Sorry for all the questions but I am new to proper gardening as before I just put in what I liked and nothing really went as such (well a few bits did then I added grasses which didn't work at all).