Where to start???

That looks great. Do you get much sunshine in there?

 

Thank you, Cacadores.

Very little: it is north facing Hence, three seating areas! This means, during the hotter weather (will we still get that? This autumn/winter I have my doubts!) I have three seating areas where I can choose between, morning sun, afternoon sun and ... resplendant shade! Nonetheless it is a cosy nook, whatever the weather (cue, chimnea!)

The very darkest area is that where I have the "Crescent Avenue" sign. But, that is not insurmountable.

If Stephen was of a mind to add a "darlek" composter, the most useful place, I'm guessing, would be where I have a pittosporum (behind the wooden wheelbarrow, final pic.) to get the morning/midday sun; or, maybe, and better still, opposite to get the midday/afternoon/early evening sun = higher temps).

Of course, with Stephen's 'manhole', my instinct veres towards putting a lovely big pot on it with climbing flowers (and then "hiding" it with trellis). But, I'm a gardening novice so I could be mistaken ,

 

I suppose you've got other places to sit if you want to tan! If I had a little shadey nook like that I'd be tempted to hang a piece of glass in a frame (or even a mirror) to get some reflected sunshine in there to bask in on winter's day.

I used to canoe to a local pub in the winter and sit outside in a T-shirt to bask in the refelcted light from the river. Lovely.

 

Totally agree! That garage wall (on the left as you enter) is ear marked for a garden mirror

Actually, my neighbour went abroad last summer and was completely surprised at my "tan"; I admitted it was due to 'gardening' (aka much time spent in my secret garden); but, yes, you are quite correct, I do have a little bit of garden where I can spread myself around for tanning purposes (although I'm anti-tan per se )

 

Thinking of turning all the 'grass' over next week and taking the top off, would this be beneficial do you think?

 

Also unsure what to make the raised beds from, in my head they're around knee height so sleepers or blocks seems the logical materials unless anyone has any other (better) suggestions?

When built what do you fill raised beds with? Sorry if this is a very silly question but I presume it's hardcore in the bottom then topped up with soil etc?

 

There is no reason why you shouldn't turn the grass over, but if you're thinking of reseeding the lawn I'd wait a few more weeks as it won't germinate at the moment.

I have only one raised bed for flowers which is two tier, round it I have railway sleepers. I presume you want to grow veg? I don't think I'd be inclined to use hardcore in the bottom, this will prevent worms doing 'their work' and will take away depth for roots. I'd probably use a mixture of either garden soil or topsoil with compost to get them off to a good start.

This was taken last summer.

 

Sheal I'm not entirely sure what I'd like to grow yet but there will definitely be some veg in there. Appreciate the advice, sorry if some of what I'm asking is obvious but I am a total newbie. Lol.

 

It's not a problem Stephen, we all had to start somewhere and learning any subject can be difficult at the start. Fire away with your questions, knowledge is always best shared to help others. Enjoy your gardening!

 

Sorry stephen,i thought most of it was on the other side of the fence
Maybe using it as a cold frame patch,build round but so the council have access.
From what i seen on our street & my garden it is a warmer patch for that use

 

Made 2 of these today, one for the front of the flat and one for the rear. Small start but will get a bit of colour in.

 

Great Stephen! Look forward to seeing what you plant in there
Jenny

 

Well I'm back. The boxes work perfectly and looked really good until I failed to keep the plants alive during the 'heatwave'.

I'm back now as I really am getting depressed at looking out the back of the flat into a wasted space full of weeds. Since the last update I've added some trellis on the top of the 4ft fences which will hopefully take some climbers soon to create a bit more privacy.

 

Don't be put off. Just put it down to experience. I bet everyone one of us has at some point lost a load of plants the same way. You know where you went wrong, so if you try again, you know how to avoid the same happening again.

Don't let it get you down. When I first bought my house, I wasn't quite at the bottom of the gardening learning curve, and I looked at the awful wasteland/dumping ground that was my back garden, and decided I'd have it nice by that summer (we moved in in May). I got quite down about the fact that summer came and went and I still had no garden, and a few times I've been down in the dumps about the fact that even 3 years on, it still isn't finished, but quite suddenly, I realised that the main section was actually a pleasant place to be, and quite separately to that, a few times in casual conversation with much more experienced people, I've heard little remarks like "it takes years to get it how you want it".

I think you're on the case. You will have an ongoing fight on your hands to keep on top of the weeds if the ground hasn't been looked after for a while, but you will get it under control and it gets easier to maintain once you're on top of it, as the number of weed seeds in the ground gradually diminishes.