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Although their clients were very pleased

6 comments


with the £5,000 overall effect of their derelict garden makeover……

I was not happy about the 4 Tree Ferns used in the ‘Garden Rescue’ programme (Monday). What did other
Goyers decide ?

I think these attractive trees are fine as a focal point in a mixed foliage border and one is quite enough.

In a space 7 metres x 5 metres of derelict poor quality soil the thinking should have been to improve the basics first, put in raised beds of better quality ground to feed herbaceous plants rather than these 4 trees that would provide a canopy to exclude the light from the plants put in underneath.

The eventual effect spoilt the overall view of the row of
low walled back gardens in a row of Victorian terrace houses. What would you have done chum ? We can all learn from this programme and improve our own gardens.

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Comments

 

I didn't see the programme but can understand your concerns. I often wonder whether some of the larger shrubs and trees that are planted in similar programmes, survive.

26 Sep, 2017

 

Hi Diane, I didn't see the programme either, but I agree with you, in a plot that size 4 is too many, I think 2 at the most would have been sufficient, plus a few shrubs added, and perennials, etc, plus if the garden was in a cooler part of the country, they would need a lot of coddling in winter, and they prefer a shady position, but I don't know what aspect they have, so can't really comment on that, it would certainly be no good trying to grow them in my garden, it's far too exposed, Derek.

26 Sep, 2017

 

Mine too. I also wonder what happens when these expensive plants put in for the programme die ?
It encourages people to buy them, then the growing conditions are not suitable. All the flourishing tropical plant gardens I have seen are sheltered by high walls.
Plus all the stately home and Monty gardens !

27 Sep, 2017

 

I did watch the programme Dianne and agree with you that they didn't seem very sensible. I watch these make-overs a lot and sometime they are good and others I feel they don't take into account the soil, aspect, owners capabilities and it's all a set dressing.
Come the winter those tree ferns are going to need swathing in fleece to help them through the winter and even then they might not make it! It will make a poor show of the garden for a few months of the year then. Do the owners realise that there is that requirement? What a waste of such expensive plants.
Moan over, I did like Charley's make-over of a front garden I watched, not sure about the seating looking out over the road, but perhaps they like watching people. Then people don't stop to think that pretty gravel gets grubby, algae and weeds!

27 Sep, 2017

 

I haven't seen the programme at all, I'm afraid the makeover ones wind me up for the very reasons you have stated above, so unrealistic and no good whatsoever to a person interested in actual gardening...

27 Sep, 2017

 

I didnt know that decking is very slippery in wet weather.
Surely its not beyond the bounds of possibility that some kind of gripping surface can be applied to this wood ?
More comments welcome, its how we learn.

28 Sep, 2017

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