So, any ideas?

Before we start with pics, it's probably important to mention I have no tools (not even a spade) and no lawn mower lol and most frustratingly, I am currently unemployed so.. no money either. Great start, right? :hehe: I'm not put off though, must be able to get something done.. somehow.

I basically have a large shared garden doing nothing, no one has bothered with it for what appears to be years and I hate looking out my windows onto nothing but overgrown grass and litter. I spent today out there just milling about, picked up a few carrier bags of rubbish and spotted a few good healthy rose bushes at the back of the garden (the back being the big metal fencing), daffies doing their thing along the right side and under the grass there appears to be some old walls or walkways or some such.

My question is this, what am I going to do with it? I have various flowers potted up and doing well inside on window ledges but that is as far as I have got. The garden gets sun from morning til about 5 or 6pm, when it goes behind the hedges and out into the front gardens (not ours and sadly also left to do absolutely nothing too).

I know what I'd love to do, if money was no object. Borders with beautiful flowers, veg patches (keeping a fair amount of lawn for the dog) and compost areas, however, money is a problem and so is lack of our own transport. We are on freecycle but it is of course that time of year when no one is passing on anything to do with the garden and when they are, we simply can't get to them to pick things up.

Any ideas? :hehe:

 

Its a bit daunting I must admit.

The grass needs cutting properly, and that would make a real impact.
You need a hover mower or even a strimmer to get started.
I know money is a problem, but unless your prepared to spend hours with shears or a scythe, its not going to look tidy.

Can you burn any rubbish, such as the old door etc?

You seem to have quite a good area there, its just a pity no one else is interested.

 

Hi Pete. Yep. daunting is definitely the word lol.

Yep, I can have a good burning session, may even do that this weekend, weather depending, good idea :D
That is a start I suppose. I guess all I can really do is try and get some cash together, it's a shame everything is all about money.

It is a good area and the soil is fantastic underneath all of that grass. With sun out there pretty much all day and the good soil, it's a fab place to have and I'm very lucky, just dying to get it sorted lol.

 

Hmmm, just a bit daunting eh!

Could you do it bit by bit, a small area at a time? Not so expensive that way, especially if you can clear some of the grass and get some of those flowers you have in pots planted out and flowering.

That 'grass' does need sorting out though. Could you beg/borrow a lawn mover, strimmer, some tools from someone?

 

Well I hope if others see you making an effort, they will join in.

But dont hold your breathe

 

Thanks guys. I hope so too Pete.

borrowing isn't really an option, given that we don't know anyone in our area. This'll sound like a bit of a moan but it's unintended that way.. I basically moved up here because I was made homeless. Since moving up this time last year I've not had the money or means to go out.. anywhere. From the day we moved in, we've only ever been on the bus to town and back. So we know no one and probably won't meet anyone any time soon. It's kind of why I'd like the garden done. I hate just sitting inside the flat, no social life and currently no life outside the flat - that is my motivation to do the garden

 

Right so the approach must be as Aaron suggests, a small area at a time, and just hope it gets you outside more.

 

Check out Poundshops for a small handtrowel, which will at least help you make a start.

 

Why don't you try and find out if there any gardening clubs locally (i.e. within bus or walking distance), then you could go along and meet people face to face and ask if you could borrow tools / lawnmower? I wouldn't mind lending someone my stuff if I had met them in person. I can't see how you could do much without any tools at all.

Or wait until you hear a law mower being used nearby, by one of your neighbours (whom you don't know yet), then you could pop out and ask if you could borrow it for a couple of hours? That's what I'd do.

 

Hi Maddie,

My thoughts on this are as follows.

Firstly, what a fantastic size garden area. judging by the hedges, it has up until perhaps just a few years ago been maintained and looked after.

Even with all of the right tools, the task for you to do all of this by yourself is pretty much impossible. You will just become daunted and overwhelmed by it.

You have the first key ingredient though.. Motivation.

Use this motivation behind the scenes first and find out if their is a residents association, and what role that they have been playing in all of this.
Failing the above, contact your local council/housing association to establish what exactly is and isn't their responsibility. I would imagine that they must have a duty of care to maintain the grounds to an acceptable standard. Clearly this hasn't been happening. Insist also that they clear the rubbish that has been accumulated.

I'm a firm believer that clean and tidy surroundings play a vital part in uplifting the spirits of those around. If you can get people on side to help push for change, then it will happen and those around you that may currently be negative will eventually follow along.

Place an advert in your local free ads for tools, or contact local neighbours and charity shops to see what they may have. Local amenity tips could also be another source, as people are very quick to throw old rusty but good tools away. Also why not again hassle your local council for them. I realise that the office staff generally take turns in sharing the brain cell and don't see sense, but even they must see that something like this could be could for the community 'and their public relations' as a whole.

A garden share scheme could also work, and it may be worth going down that route.

If all else fails, try the media route to get things moving. Councils don't like bad publicitity, especially when a community is trying to raise the standard of an area. Also contact your local MP and push them into action.

Finally for now.. Remain positive.

 

Thanks all, you've been a huge help.

The local MP idea is great. I'm in contact with a couple for other reasons at the moment, so I've gone ahead and e-mailed a couple to see if they can get any help on it or if they can give any advice.

I've checked the local papers and online a few times for local gardening clubs and such but so far I've not found anything, will keep searching though.

Funnily enough, despite the lack of tools and money and the size of the garden (it's bigger than the pictures make out), I'm still not as daunted as some might be. When I was younger, we lived and worked on a nursery. Growing and supplying fruit and veg and various trees, with ostriches and horses, chickens and all that jazz. Most of the year was spent just on keeping the place weed free, clean and tidy, safe to work in and so on. It's amazing how a thistle can go from just a root to a 25ft hedge row in a matter of months with the help of a greenhouse and that is the kind of thing we had to deal with every day, so getting my hands dirty and putting in some hard work doesn't put me off.

Will try going down the paths suggested and hope something comes from them.

If I got something sorted, what would you guys actually do with it? Where would you have what and such?

Thanks again everyone x

 

Get your pen and paper out and make a plan of what you want, based on what areas get sun, what areas are in shade and what areas are protected from those Scottish winds I remember so well! It might sound a bit daft to be doing that now, when it's still a wilderness, but it will make you feel positive and something to work towards, even if it's just a little bit at a time. You can always change or move stuff as you go...that's the fun bit of gardening

Maybe start on the area closest to the house or where it will be visible either as you come into the garden or can be viewed from inside.

Decide on what you want - borders, flowers, vgetables, fruit trees.

Big project, but loads of fun

 

Will do! Sounds like a giggle, getting out the pencil and drawing up an "I wish" garden hehe

 

Hello,

I agree with what other people have said and try and get some help with tools, money and more people to help.

Do you have an agricultural college near by too? It might be they need such a project for students to work on for design etc. Worth a try anyway.