Garden Work Ideas

K09

Hi,

I want to start doing some work to my back garden. It is not in great shape at the moment. The lawn is poor quality - lots of weeds and patchy. Dull grey pebble stone; and waste soil/rubble dumped to the side.

I am looking for recommendations/suggestions on what to do. I have a budget of €800 max and will likely be doing the work myself at weekends. I may have some help.

Would greatly appreciate any advice and ideas.

Thanks!

cotton

Hi,

I don't know if it's of any use to you but Monty Don has a new series on renovating small gardens starting next week. You might get some inspiration there!
It's called Big Dreams, Small Spaces, 20-24 October, 7pm, BBC2.

evolving_doors

depends on yerself OP!

Do you want...

Food
Flowers
something to look at but never maintain.
Something to potter around in.
Crazy architectural concepts.
Are you going to rent/sell the property possibly any time soon
Pets
Kids.

K09

Armelodie wrote: »

depends on yerself OP!

Do you want...

Food
Flowers
something to look at but never maintain.
Something to potter around in.
Crazy architectural concepts.
Are you going to rent/sell the property possibly any time soon
Pets
Kids.

Hi, no plan to rent/sell the property and no pets or kids. I'd like something to potter around in but not require a huge amount of maintenance.

My thoughts are to start off I should get a skip for the soil/rubble dumped to the side. Also get rid of remaining grey pebble stone.
Would the lawn need to be reseeded or have the soil replaced with good quality top soil?

Thanks

lazybones32

Go to the library and look for Dr. Hessayon's books "The Lawn Expert" and a garden design book.
Your lawn doesn't need to be laid anew but it could definitely do with some attention.
The shrubs by the wall (were they box hedges?) are kaput and will have to go.
I wouldn't go hiring a skip just yet - the soil and stone from the raised bed may be used elsewhere and it's horrible to have to buy something you dumped.

I think a circular bed with roses or a Jap. maple would look nice in the centre of the lawn: in the last pic, come across from the dandelions in the path to the centre of the shed window and that's where I'd have the centre of the bed.

The Garden Shop

Hello K09

I think there are many qualities to your garden

You can achieve a lot with your budget

The gravel may be a bit dull, but if this area is planted but with architectural plants it could look good.

It hard to see the condition of your lawn, but with good practice you can improve it over the years:
1. starting in spring - apply moss killer - Scarifiy 2 weeks later
2. Aerate with a garden fork & then topdress with lawn seed
3. feed & weed over the entire summer
4. Reshape the lawn for a good pleasing look & edge using timber, rubber or brick

Your boundaries are good to. But maybe some tall plants like Bamboo & trellis along the side & back shed would soften the look of the garden,.
The hedge of box looks a bit sad and maybe should come out.

This is a good time of year to start getting bare root plants so you can get good deals and good prices

The sloping bed to the left would be a concern. Maybe you could build up the side with sleepers and replant this entirely.

K09

Thank you. Very helpful posts. I think it is a good idea to build up the bed to the left. Any suggestions on what to plant on the bed to the left? Should I dig up the concrete pathway and extend the lawn/plant area to cover that? (down as far as shed)

I will remove the hedge box and put plants in place (bamboo?). Also put plants in front of shed. Is this too much with plants on each side? I have a number of wall trellises in the shed that could be put to good use as well.

The Garden Shop

Here are a few Plants along the left bed:
Low maintenance plants: Back of bed to front
pittosporum silver queen
Weigela purpurea
carex tennussima
phormium tenax
box balls
Astilbes - need moist soil - place a layer off polythene undernath each plant to hold water
lavender hidcote
Heuchera

It is very important to prepare the soil well here. Currently the soil dosn't look great. Add farm yard manure and mix through your soil


I would keep the path to access the gate beyond
The bed is wide enough already - if you make bigger you will have more work to do and top soil to import (lots of work)

Yes. I Think Bamboo would be a good choice, other plants that work with bamboo :
Callistemon
Nandina Domestica
Miscanthus

I think you should plant infront of the shed, but only to half cover it. A balance between the plants & the building is important

The trellis would work well here.