Kinda newbie garden help

Hello guys this is my first post so please go easy on me.

Let me paint a picture so you know where I'm at. I moved into my house just over 3 years ago, and from the offset was challenged with a multitude of tasks that required attention ASAP. One of these tasks included trying to stop some local jackass using my garden as a short cut.

Being a young lad of 25 and to quote my dad "an idiot", my answer was simple. I decided to cut everything down that looked like it was dead and use it to block the back part of my garden. Out come the chains saw and away I went. The good news was my trespassers have since stopped but I was now faced with a completely empty garden. Just out of interest I realise this was my first major mistake.

Lets fast forward a year or two and I have since built / extended an old boarder, built a successful pond which has brought frogs, newts, fish and god knows what else. I have planed a few things that but nothing that seems to be really successful. My present problem is trying to keep everything under control.

I was thinking about filling my boarders with wood chip to first control the weeds within the boarder then try to fill them out more but everything seems to be a nightmare. What do you guys think? I've tried to post some photos but it wont let me any idea?

Just for you info I'm from Northampton with south facing garden.

Please help...

 

Just out of interest this is the message I get when I try to upload a picture

The uploaded file is too large for the server to process.

 

Can you re-size it? I've had to shrink a couple of mine

 

Well sounds like you've got your hands full

So what's in the border now ? If nothing or nearly nothing ... Some weed control and chipped bark is a great place to start,,, one area at a time ....what are you after ?flowers evergreen ? Do you no what type of soil and ph level ? Just an idea ... Pop round both your neighbours ask them the names of plant. In their garden that you like ....... It's a good place to start

 

And welcome to GC Matthew

 

Hi MP, welcome to GC

I also moved into my present home, 3yrs ago. One area was an overgrown nightmare! But, I am gradually getting control over it, as opposed to it controlling me

Ok, strategy wise, you have achieved your first objective: trespasses prohibited! Well done on that front, it is no mean feat!

Congrats on your pond (and such an early response from nature too! That is remarkable, indeed!)

Ok, now to the woodchip: it does have a 'stabilising' effect on weeds, but, it is not a cure-all

I've recently dug some new borders. I have removed the top few inches of "lawn" (aka weed infested grassy stuff); I then spritzed the areas with "Roundup". Then, I covered the whole area with cardboard (to exclude light), topped it up with compost, and then topped that off with 'bark chippings'; finally, I have planted ... plants!

You must de-weed an area first and foremost.

Then, you need to restrict the weeds growth (hence my mat of cardboard, thoroughly soaked).
The plants need some sustenance to grow (hence, planting compost)
Then, finally, a layer of bark chippings to
a) make it look pretty (girly trait!)
b) to prevent weeds readily rooting (although they will still try and make a foot hold - but, it is easier to pinch any recalcitrant weeds out) and
c) to retain moisture in the soil so my plants will grow!

That is a simplified version of how to get started

Reality check: despite all of the above, there are still some weeds which are determined to take up occupancy. So, a daily check/hoe/yank and they are being eliminated. It is only to be expected after all. Simply don't fall into the trap of assuming that a layer of bark will be the end all of your weed issues! It won't.

 

Right sorted the photos.

 

Welcome to GC

I'm not sure your boarders would appreciate being filled with woodchip. They'd probably prefer a full English, or continental breakfast. Maybe some cereal or yoghurt or a piece of fruit or jam and toast if they don't have much appetite at the start of the day

In the garden though, woodchip is a good mulch to put on the borders. It keeps moisture in, keeps roots warm in winter, and is said to slow down weeds but my own experience on that point suggests otherwise.

As for your pics, if you can resize them that would do it. I use this:

http://imageresizer.codeplex.com/

Alternatively, if you use something like Photobucket, you can just post a link to your pics hosted there.

 

Hello guys, Managed to post some photos and if honest I'm pretty ashamed of them, I do enjoy bits in the garden but only when I get the time then before you know it boom, jungle again. M I think this where I may have gone wrong, as I never treated the old lawn parts before planting the plants, hence it you look at picture 3 my Fucia and clamatis (Excuse the spelling are now engulfed).

So with my present state now you have seen some photos how do I attack it with out damaging the plants that are already planted but tried to get rid calm the weeds?

 

The pond looks great MP

 

Aw, it's lovely. Just needs a bit of a weed and a tidy-up and it'll be perfectly respectable. I was expecting a cross between the Amazon rain forest after the loggers have been in and the Somme battlefield.

Having said that, what's your blue sky dream for this garden? Cos I'm guessing you haven't achieved it yet?

 

Thank you cluessless, they definitely need something to kick them into shape! Managed to sort the pictures out in the end.

 

My blue sky dream... Ummm not really thought about it really. Without sounding too girly some nice colourful boarders which have some structure but nothing that requires me to spend 4 hours a day to look after. The back of my garden where the new fence is quite shady so tried putting some evergreen climbers to start to cover the fence but one died, I've got a few other things as well but cant remember. Then my boarders are in the sun all day long so tried a few things but just doesn't look right. My plan was to tidy up the boards even if there are a little bare then add to them later on.

I'm very handy when it comes to building / fixing things but garden design and layout.. not a clue. Oh and it did look like that when I first moved in just everything got removed lol

 

Thank you fern, got a blanket weed issue at the mo but just treated it today so a few days should be looking better, needs a top up aswell but thats down to the blanket weed raising the water level in the upper pond bit. Its lovely when the lillys flower I must admit, even my cat likes it lol

 

Love the pond. The whole thing looks ok to me. At this time of year everything is growing at full speed, so it will be hard to keep on top of it. As you say, you turn your back for a minute and everything grows like mad again.

I wouldn't be put off though. Just work out what you want from your garden, spend the rest of the summer planning it and generally keeping on top of it, and then when everything packs in at the end of the year, that's a good time (in my opinion) to make sweeping changes, as there's less foliage getting in your way as you work, and you don't have the problem of every time you clear one square inch of surface, a weed immediately claims it