Call for ideas

Hi everyone,

I'm quite new to this, and so I was hoping for a bit of help...

I've moved into a rental property with a garden. However, it's been kept in pretty bad nick - see attached photo.

I've been told by a gardener that to turn this into a lawn/flower beds will be a lot of work. The ground is uneven, there are tree stumps, the soil will need to be dug, etc. It's not the sort of thing I can fund as a tenant, and as a newbie I think I'd struggle to do it properly myself.

Does anyone have any ideas for how to make this look like less of a bombsite, but which will be relatively straightforward? Very grateful for any contributions!

 

Hi,
as it's rented property I would go with different annuals and biennials it the season number one to fill the space. Foxgloves, cosmos, matthiolas come to my mind.
And some veg if you are keen. Marrows, peas, cucumbers. I would just dig well and add fertilizer to planting zones. Can plant dahlias and gladioli too. You can dig those out if/when moving.
Just to understand how that garden will behave as you've got a tree casting shade and probably taking the water from the plot with it's roots.

 

How long are you expecting to be in the property @Oliver Poliver? It would be helpful to know your approximate location (county will do), which direction the garden faces and the type of soil you have (ie is it sandy, drains easily, or clay, gets muddy). Also do you have pets or children who will be using the garden? These details will help to give suitable suggestions.

Welcome to the forum .

 

The first step is to have a sort out of 'stuff'......pots, stones, slabs, wood. Decide whether you want to keep and re-use any of it. Do you want to keep the raised bed on the left? If not, dismantle the wood and rake the soil over to fill hollows. Once it's cleared you have more of a blank canvas to decide whether you want grass and possibly shrub/perennial borders or a 'wildflower meadow'. Usual essentials are a paved seating area in the sunniest spot, whether that's next to the house or not with a path for access to the other end. It needn't cost a fortune with astute recycling! Lots of members on here can give you tips on that and where to find basic second-hand tools, cheap plants / swaps etc. Good luck!

 

I've been having another think about this.... Being practical, how will you get rid of materials and rubbish? Do you have a green waste collection service? Are you able to get to your local tip? Does the garden have access at the side of the house or will everything need to go through it? Will you have any input from the landlord at all? Sorry for so many questions but better to sort out the basics before planning your little bit of heaven

 

A lot could be done with just a general tidy up, put all the rubbish in one place, maybe just scatter some grass seed to create a bit of a lawn after some initial preparation.

If it was me it would be an ongoing project, nothing fancy or spending lots of money, gardens are not a one hit wonder they evolve.

 

Is your landlord willing to pay for your osteopath?

 

Thank you very all much for your suggestions! So sorry for the late reply, I missed the comments being made.

The garden faces southwest. It's in Wandsworth, London. Quite near the river. I am not 100% sure what the soil is, as I don't have the eye for it. I've performed a test I found on the internet (make a paste with water, roll into a ball and compress with your hand). This site won't let me upload or link to a video, and I can't quite work it out myself. It squidged apart quite easily when compressed. I have uploaded some photos.

Getting the rubbish out won't be a major problem, there's good access to the road.

I quite like the idea of a wildflower meadow. I don't really need the garden to be a space for running around in, it's just me in the flat, and it's really about making the view from the patio a bit prettier.

 

I think if a few people like my post, I will be able to link to a video of the soil test. Something about the rules of the forum

 

Get rid of all the bins/boxes/stonework which you cannot reuse. Discuss with your landlord, if possible, and see what he/she would be happy for you to do and how much he/she would be prepared to help financially to improve the garden - both for you and any future tenant.
A SW site gives you quite a lot of choice but how much money and time you are prepared to spend comes into the equation. If you are interested in a natural space, your idea of a wild flower area ( once the ground is suitable ) sounds good. A small pond ( either preformed or using liner ) might add to the area as would contaners of annual/perennial plants/shrubs.
Whatever you do, you have quite a job on your hands so the very best of luck

 

Just my take on it, but from what I've seen of friends' wildflower gardens or meadows they're pretty in spring and a deadly mess the rest of the year. Perhaps better to invest in a few packets of hardy annual seeds, like Cosmos, Marigolds, Nigella, Poppies...too many to name! By a process of natural selection some will come back in following years, some won't. Bear in mind that it will look dead and dreary in the winter, though.

 

Thanks both for the further advice. I think that's a good point about the flowers being seasonal - I shall have a think about something more durable.

I can now post that video link it seems:

MOV_0329.mp4

 

That's a very nice garden, not overlooked and a decent size in particular in London.

It's important to talk with your landlord to align what he/ she is happy with, usually changes that improve things are ok. With any luck the landlord might even chip in if you have a reasonable cost such as hiring a skip.

After a good clear out the fun starts.

Personally I'd invest in good compost and some manure to dig in for the planting. Then I'd suggest to buy Cosmos seeds (available in all supermarkets), plant them in trays or small pots on a windowsill and start to drink a lot of milk- when the seedlings are about 5cm tall you will have to pot them up individually and quite deep to make them strong. Milk cartons with holes punched for the drainage work very well.

50 Cosmos plants will make a stunning display and flower all the way until frosts. They sway nicely in the breeze and attract wildlife.

A small pond is wonderful, it doesn't have to be anything fancier than a black planter or bucket buried in the soil plus some rocks. Amazon sells tiny solar fountains too.

And lastly, a comfy chair and a table to hold your glass of milk when you relax in your new haven.

The garden will not be "finished" this summer but focusing on a nice spot where to sit and relax is definitely achievable.

Perhaps you could also start a thread here to share your progress?

 

I recently bought a tiny solar fountain from ebay for £6.50.

 

Not just milk cartons ..... I often use those deep Natural Yogurt pots for my Beans and anything else which has deep roots. Easy enough to pierce the base with a metal skewer.