Ollie The Newbie

Hello on this rather soggy bank holiday Monday here in Leeds, so a little bit of info, I'm 26 names Ollie, never had a garden in my life, up until about a month ago, 3rd house move since vacating the parents, and finally got a garden, I'm lost now! My knowledge of gardening extends to "the grass is green" so basic, when I say basic I mean basic, I'm gunna need serious help.

But yeah! HI!!!

 

Welcome Ollie. Does your garden already have plants and any sort of structure or are you starting completely from scratch?

If it's an existing garden the general advice is to start a diary/photo log and see what comes up in the first year and put your photos on here if you don't know what's growing and someone will come along and tell you what it is. Keep an eye on your neighbours' gardens and see what seems to grow well.

You'll want to think about how you want to use the garden and also how much time you can give it. Not knowing anything is the best way to start - everyone begins that way. I've been in my house for over 30 years and the odd thing which I didn't plant still pops up, courtesy of birds, the wind etc and a rose which gave me about 6 flowers a year (just enough for me to think it was worth keeping) suddenly flowered all summer this year and grew many feet higher than it's ever done before. The wonder of nature!

Enjoy.

 

Hi there Ollie,
yep - to a soggy Gardeners Corner. Hope you enjoy having a wander around and that you will be inspired by what you see. Plenty of help and advice from a great bunch of Members.
Jenny namaste

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner

 

Thank you everyone

 

Welcome to GC Ollie! Don't be daunted by your new garden and I'm sure your gardening knowledge extends to more than 'the grass is green'. I bet you know how to use a lawnmower! So that's the first hurdle dealt with.

 

I'm liking the avatar

Take photos every couple of weeks or so (stand in about the same place, and take some hanging out of an upstairs window). They will serve as both a reminder of what-flowered-when and also for you to look back on and pat yourself on the pat when you see what you have changed and how it has become so much better (delete the ones of your failures!!). Also means that you can post them here from time to time, and folk can give encouragement (or advice if you need any )

In a new house they say not to do anything in the garden for a year - that doesnt', sadly, mean "nothing" - you still have to weed the beds and mow the lawn - but give time for everything that is planted to flower and show you what they can do. You may have bulbs in the beds, or even the lawn, that will be dormant now and if you go digging about too much you'll disturb them, or even slice them in two!

I'm hoping that your new house is not a New Build? They tend to be a nightmare with the builders just burying all their rubble in the garden, and it all has to be dug out before the garden works otherwise the drainage is completely shot and nothing grows properly.

So:

Pictures please

and perhaps a list of things you want the garden to be : Kids' football pitch? Party terrace? A collection of plants that will amaze your mates (and the Mother in Law!!!)

 

Welcome Ollie

 

Haha yes the lawnmower has been used, so your right in that respect Sheal,

Thanks Fat, I've got a few tools in the shed, but I do need to invest in a few things, I think that's everyone's fear asking the silly questions, thanks for the reassurance,

Why thank you Kristen, I do scrub up well at times I will be sorting some photos and posting them later on, (any recommendation as to which category to put them in? I can't see me doing a lot planting wise till after winter, as there is lot to do in the garden to get it the standard and layout I want, you'll from the pictures when I post them, no it's not a new build it's been stood rather along time now,


You mention the mother in law, do you know me???? She's very proud of her garden, so she is one to impress,

Thank you Ellen.

 

One suggestion would be to start a thread in the style of a blog and add photos over time as you change things

 

ive highlighted the word rose, because as i was taking photos for the start of my new post, i noticed what i think is a rose, ill put the photo up in a post shortly, you may be able to tell me more

 

ill be doing this shortly,

sorry for double postiong, i know it can be frowned upon on some forums