Help! house move , & a boring garden.

Hi, Just registered today,& need some advice.
In a few weeks we shall be moving house,& the back garden is a disapointment.
Right at the back against the fence is a double shed, which is the whole width of the garden.
Butting up to it is some decking, big enough for seating, table & parasol, & then some.
Then just patio which comes right up to the house wall, & back door.
No grass , not worried about that,& no visible earth.
We are both retired so it will be easier to maintain, BUT, I shall miss my flowers.
I need to pretty it up somehow, maybe lots of pots or raised beds?
Any advice will be so helpful as we are stumped at the mo'
Thank you for your time.
Jackie & Bob

 

Hello!Welcome to GC.
Is the patio concrete or flags? If flags then you could raise a few to make planting holes. I love hiding fences with climbers, roses clematis etc. Not so good with containers though as I'm forgetful when it comes to watering them, just ask my house plants! I'm sure some one will come up with some brilliant ideas.

 

Hi Celia
Thank you for your welcome.
Yes the patio is flags, so your good idea to lift one or two up would be great , thank you.
I also thought maybe hanging baskets on the shed, as it is not very pretty.
Thanks again.
Jackie & Bob.

 

Hi Jackie and Bob and most welcome to G.C. forum!
I really liked your message heading... "new house and a boring garden". Seems to me that many peoples gardens are relatively boring (not, of course the members of G.C. - no!!) so I wouldn't be too worried.

However, have you any or would you consider investing in... landscaping books (or check out the library)? They are generally full of lovely glossy pics and ideas as to how to create a home from home within the garden!

If you would prefer not to invest, you could check out the free catalogues from the local builders suppliers. These catalogues, as I have mentioned before on a different thread, are great for gaining inspirational ideas, particularly with regards to planting/pots etc in a hard-landscaped biased garden.

Hope this may have been of a little help.

Kind regards
Roy

 

Welcome Jackie and Bob! You seem like you have a nice blank canvas ... what most of us like, I believe!

Celia's idea of taking up a few flags is exactly what I would suggest, not just around the sides to put in climbers, but perhaps a few dotted around to put specimen trees such as a flowering cherry, acer or mountain ash, something with some colour. In saying that, they are all deciduous so you need something everygreen as well.

Maybe that could be on that good-sized deck ... as you are in a mild area you could choose palms, banana plants or other exotics to give interest and year-round greenery.

Hanging baskets or troughs on the shed is an excellent idea as you can have summer bedding and winter flowering.

Good luck and keep us informed.

PS As Royster said, it may be a good idea to leaf (ha, no pun intended!) through some glossy books for inspiration!

 

Oh shucks! And many apologies!
In addition to Celia's and Lady of Leisures great ideas, I should also have said to check out some of the other topics on G.C. as there are lots and lots of fantastic pics of G.C. members gardens! You just cannot go wrong with this sort of info at your fingertips!!

Kind regards
Roy

 

Thank you to all who have answered my plea.
your ideas have been duly noted.
I should have said I am moving away from Devon, to East Sussex, but no doubt will get some feed back on local weather conditions there.
You are right, a blank canvas is probably every gardeners delight, I just got a bit depressed after I sat & thought about how bare it all looked, but you have all cheered me up & now I cant wait to start planning for the Spring , thats after all the decorating!
Thanks again , what a great bunch you are.
Cheers Jackie.

 

A pleasure, Jackie (and Bob) and keep in touch!

Ah, I have this thing about "infrastructure". You say you're moving in a few weeks, but it could be good to get some things in firsthand before the Spring, if possible, so you can appreciate them in the Spring! It doesn't take that long to put a few trees, plants in ... one can decorate, one can plant! :D

[ 05. October 2006, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: Lady of Leisure ]

 

If you're going to East Sussex from Devon, there could be quite a difference in what you can grow. The main thing though, is to get some stuff into containers to be bright and cheerful! I'd be putting lots of bulbs in those containers first, then seeing about planting things in the ground where you lift the flags - I think everyone who's already said things is absolutely right! :D

But take your time to get to know what grows well in the new place - that's why I'd say do the containers first.

You can draw up plans, investigate what people have in their front gardens as you walk round the area, have a look in local garden centres, and then be ready to go for it next spring!!

 

East Sussex is lovely, and I hope you will be very happy in your new home. For my two pennyworth, yes plant up some garden containers for spring colour - but then wait til you've moved in, before dreaming of what you will do in the spring.

I would agree with a previous posts, the winter is a great time to browse the gardening books, so that by spring you have a clear idea of what kind of garden you want.

There is no reason why you can't change the shed , decking, patio etc, and it needn't cost a lot, as you would the internal decorations - but it would be easier if you had your vision first.

 

Hi All,
Thanks again for your great views & advice, much appreciated.
I shall do as you say, browse the books, make plans & pot up the containers with some Spring bulbs for now.
You are all right , I can change the shed, deck, patio, later on when I have had the feel of the place.
Looking around other gardens in the area would be a great idea.
Thank you one & all.
Cheers Jackie and Bob,[ bless him ,he cant garden now, but always helping me with encouragement & sometimes great ideas.]

 

Therre are plenty of good Garden Centres/Nurseries in E Sussex so you should have plenty to visit.

I'm sure that you have enough information for now - best of luck in your new home.............

 

Good luck Jackie&Bob.

 

East Sussex is lovely for gardening! And there are some great gardens for inspiration: Sarah Raven's garden at Perchhill is in Burwash, near Heathfield, just two miles from Bateman's (Kipling's former home). Scotney castle is close by, and Nyman's is just over near East Grinstead/Haywards Heath. Marchands near Lewes is one of the finest private garden and nurseries I know of. Owned by Graham Gough, he does beautiful hardy plant combinations which are really inspirational - and although he is gardening on a large scale, his ideas are very transferrable to containers and smaller areas.

By all means pot up some things for spring - but then get out and enjoy the landscape of East Sussex - there is a lot to see and be inspired by in this county. Hope you enjoy it, and welcome to the area.

 

thanks Rumple, looking forward to it now.
cheers Jackie&Bob.
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