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My first REAL garden attempt

mje

By mje

20 comments


9th June 2009
Fully attacked the old raised bed which was overgrown with Trees so now I have 4 stumps to remove or kill off. don’t fancy the work so may cut to grown level and try what my neighbours says i.e. to cut a cross in the stump and pour in creosote but I thought that was a wood preseve not to encourage rotting? I’ll ask a question on the right question area. in GOY Great to be gaining back ground from over grown area though… I’ll let you know what I decide on this.

7th June 2009
Not much chance to do much due to the rain but aleast this has brought on the plants and opened up the Peonys (See pics)

2nd June 2008
At last!… the last plants are now in albeit a little dodgy on where I put the ultra small Bizzy Lizzies. I doubt if they will grow, not getting much sun to flower on this side of the garden… if they take off at all. Not being negative here but they were very pathetic seedlings that needed bringing on but nowhere to do that… so straight in the bed. Let see eh…

1st June 2009
Sutton plugs arrive really disapointed with the quality and size (Micro plugs petunia geranium and gazania) but if they do catch up and take off should be ok.just need to finish off planting out the 130 very small Bizzy Lizzy’s Impatiens when I decide where they are going. Photo soon of the newly planted bed.

26th/27th May 2009. Finally I am now planning out the 169 plans and the shrubs into the prepared bed. I must keep on top of watering as this is usually my weakness.
Still expecting another 190 plants from Suttons to be delivered but now not 100% sure where I am going to plant them as the prepared ground is nearly full….Looks like I need to move on an prepare a new area to accommodate them…See new pic at bottom of blog. (20 old pics under my pictures)

25th May 2009
Early start took 6 hours today to clean up all my mess re trees. Cut the lawns and just chilling out now ready for the big planning session tomorrow and Wednesday.

24th May 2009
Collected all the branches and bits to make a 6 foot by 5 foot pile of cuttings. The back lawn is covered in tree bits and branches.

23rd My 2009
decided to claim even more space back from an overgrown raised bed area. This meant chopping 4 trees in half and taking 2 others to grown level… I’ve left the roots and stump so far. I took a good 10 foot of holly and conifers as well as attacking the conifer hedge at the front taking them down to 10 feet high. Meanwhile Julie my wife treated all the back fence with wood preserve… and a good job of it she made too..

19th May 2009
Thanks for the kind comments re starting points for the garden you are all very kind. However you can see that appart from the roses the garden does not have any plants… oh except the Peony mix with the roses. It grows well there. I will take on board all your comments which are great and start the work… No garden work today got a new set of ladders deliveried and cleaned out sandy moss from the gutters… that went in the council green bin not my compost bin.

18th May 2009
Just added 10 pics of diferrent views for the rear garden… yes bad, I plain and need to go forward to be “A Garden” You all asked for the start pics so here they are… Lets hope in 1 year we see a big difference. Thanks to all M.

17th May 2009
Re pix they will come as soon as it’s possible re Garden and plans to nameI only joined GoY a few hours ago…. Not doing bad 2 questions and a blog… I will gets pixs ;>)

17th May 2009
OK folks here we go… I’m going for it this year.. I’m trying to have a garden not just a lawn and a rose bush or two. I have grandiose ideas for a garden for years in my head but NEVER did anything about it. I lve in Cheadle Hulme Cheshire.

Basically The square lawn image is really a true picture. The lawn has bad slope to the left rear mainly due to a tree that was removed before we move in and a dip to a pub car park being lower then our house.

The garden unforntunatly faces east looking out of the back windows and is appox 42ft X 45 foot with wooden overlap fence at the end, Ivy hedge on the south side, a mixed hedge of beech and then conifer on the north side. A little crazy path to the south side where there is a boarder to next door with five rose bushes. And thats it !! (West side is the rear of the house patio brick and table/chairs plus BBQ).

I have an apple tree quite small and manageable gives about 80 or so apples (Red eating) and a another Russset. I did a hard prune to both Red is fine so far re flowers Russet 1 flower this year now but usally again about 70 or so.. I’m sure it will come back.

The front garden is just a square lawn with a little raised bed to the Noth side. A brick drive. Both front and rear has very large oak and line and poular trees and I mean large !

As you can see no flowers realy and that MUST change as I love colourfull Gardens. I NEED HELP from you guys…

So here we go charge/make my garden!!!
I want some shape and perhaps feature or two in the garden. The lawns are in pretty good condidtion as a man comes 4 times a year to feed and weed and when I have money I have him scarrify early in the year. I do keep on top of cutting and now I have had this mad surge of ‘Doing the garden’ it looks clean but empty.
Date now May 17th 2009 Just bough a few plans from the local church the names of which i will add when I find them out.

Help me if you can rre garden. I look forward to out journey together..
Michael

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Comments

 

Mje... sorry lad what happened to the pix?

17 May, 2009

 

Welcome to GOY mje. Ooooh a new project how exciting:) first of all you could look at Garden ideas on GOY. Bottom of page, Big Black Box, Click on Ideas.. Theres loads of design/plant ideas and then make a plan, what sort of plants are you wanting, Evergreen, Low maintinence, Cottage, Tropical, What hard landscaping are you after, Decking, Patio, paths, what shape Lawn do you want and are prepared to lose :) So you need to write a list and Draw a rough Plan, Theres a start, Easy hehe.. Good luck and ask away were allways happy to help.. Dee..

17 May, 2009

mje
Mje
 

Thanks Moon and Dee boy is this site active !!!

17 May, 2009

 

Welcome to GOY Mje im sure ul enjoy every step u take & Make getting your garden to look how u want it 2 :) ul find many ideas here if u get stuck @ any time :) Do take b4 pics as ul see the Big difference u make over time "Believe Me" :)

17 May, 2009

mje
Mje
 

Thanks Jacque :>) I will and don't worry I will be asking a lot ! I LIKE THIS SITE it so active. Michael

17 May, 2009

 

Hi Michael, welcome to GOY, look forward to seeing pictures of your garden. This is a great site, I hope you will enjoy it here.

17 May, 2009

 

O yes & ul soon find ul be addicted & Burning your Tea/Lunch along with the rest of us lol :)

17 May, 2009

 

All the best with your plans, look forward to seeing some pictures too. For quick colour this Spring/Summer, plant some mixed sweet pea seeds right now straight into the ground. There are loads of varieties. I had "cupani" but take yr pick really (scent is also gd, and keep picking them and giving them away, they'll flower all the more). They just need some TALL bamboo canes wrapped around with some string or twine for support. Canes can either be in a roundish wigwam kind of shape, or more sort of ridgepole-tenty type like people use for runner beans. Or of course sth else wacky - use yr imagination. Just thought it might be a good thing to brighten up a dull patch if you have one, as long as it gets some sun.

Do you plan to grow anything edible too?

Do you know the names of the plants you bought at the church? If not, just post some pictures on here, someone is bound to identify them for you. And in case posting pics is a problem, ask away too. Someone will come and rescue you!

17 May, 2009

 

Hiya, Mje. A big welcome to you.

I've not been here too long myself and had loads of help. My garden or 'concrete heaven' as I've named it was also somewhat of a project (understatement) so I'm really looking forward to seeing what you do with yours.

Looking forward to seeing some pics soon. :o)

17 May, 2009

 

welcome and best of luck with your project

18 May, 2009

 

Hello Michael, welcome to GoY. I'm looking forward to seeing your pics (when you get around to it) and to watching your progress.
My best tip would be to do your garden a section at a time if it is a big garden. That's what I'm having to do with mine. That way it is not too overwhelming. :o)

18 May, 2009

 

Hi Michael and welcome from me too :)
It sounds like an interesting project...really looking forward to seeing your pics! You'll find lots of inspiration and ideas on here.
Happy Gardening :)

18 May, 2009

 

I would suggest that you visit a few botanical gardens eg Ness on Mersyside, watch out for local flowers shows with demonstration gardens and also people who open their private garden to the public. Get an idfea of what you like then scale that idea down in size and grandure to fit your own garden and ability.
These visits could take all summer and you then spend the winter doing the landscaping ready for planting up in spring.
Good luck with the project.

18 May, 2009

 

ooh this sounds great,I started on here after having no ideas now Im addicted to gardening aswel as this site. Im sure you will love it and have a garden full of wonders and amazements

best of luck and look forward to future blogs and pics

x x x

18 May, 2009

 

welcome Michael. Get a hold of the yellow book for your area. This gives details of private gardens opened for charity that you can visit and get ideas from, remember to take your camera! Usually your local garden centre sells the book but you can buy the entire uk addition from any bookshop

18 May, 2009

 

Good suggestion there from Mageth - make sure u visit mainly gardens serving teas! : ))

18 May, 2009

 

oh yes, some do lovely cakes! and they often sell plants, some unusual ones, cheaper than garden centres

18 May, 2009

 

hi mick im sure you will pick up loads of ideas on here,, i found this site when starting my garden and now i love my garden and being on here with all my new friends,, well hope they are my friends, lol, joking,, except when their poppys open before mine lol,, anyway hope you and your wife have lots of fun planing your lovely garden :o))

7 Jun, 2009

mje
Mje
 

Thanks for the info San :>)

7 Jun, 2009

 

your welcome,,, :o)

7 Jun, 2009

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