My first large project

We moved into this house last December. The garden hasn't been well looked after by the tenants of the previous owner and the back of the garden in particular was very overgrown with laurel, brambles & nettles.

We had the laurel & brambles hacked back when we had some trees felled. The large area of chippings behind the greenhouse is the result, as are the logs in our woodshed!

I'd covered part of the raised bed area with plastic to suppress the weeds but the little buggers still found some gaps do I've covered the area with ground clear today and I'll dig it over in the Spring.

The area the other side of the trellis is mainly lawn. I'm putting raised beds down the one side for plants. I also need to fill in areas if the lawn where the last peoples dogs have dug great holes!

I've no idea what to do with the area behind the shed covered in rubble / slabs / carpet. Thought about keeping chickens but not sure.

Looking forward to posting more photos as I progress!

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner fat_taff.

We always like to see pictures, so if you'd like to post some we'll be able to give you ideas on how to develop your garden.

 

Good evening fat_taff,
looking forward to seeing your garden photos. It all sounds very intriguing. Envy you the chooks notion. No near neighbours to object to the early morning alarm calls ?
hope you enjoy it here in the Garden,

 

Here are the photos. Was having a bit of a problem with photobucket on my phone.

 

My mother in law has chickens and they're very quiet unless you get a cockerel.

 

Welcome Taff
Thank you for posting pix (always fab to see other's gardens).

I keep chooks (and ducks) and the area, which you call "behind" your shed, but to me looks like "beside" your shed ( ) could be a great place for chickens! But, obviously, it would need to be cleared of anything which could cut their feet.

The plastic "weed suppressant" works, up to a point! You may like to consider covering the area with wetted newspaper/cardboard: neither will *totally* suppress weed growth, but is a good alternative to paying for the plastic.

Having said that, if you are serious about getting hens, you could get some now, let them roam free over those raised beds and allow them to dig, poop, forage ... they could do quite a lot of good in the weed suppressing, fertilising, ground turning over department between now and Spring (and save your back in the process); in addition, they will eat any slugs/snails/eggs which will give you grief in the Springtime; (can you tell I'm a chook advocate? ) If you get hybrid hens, they will still lay over winter; if you get pure breeds, they will rest over winter on the egg laying front.

You've got a fab apple tree there! Do you know if they are eaters, or cookers?

Seems you don't have too, too much work to do in your garden as someone has clearly thought about space and usage.

 

Welcome Taff. I tell you one thing for nowt. If we could use the GCTTH to rewind a couple of years and swap gardens, I'd be a happy chappy.

You've got everything you need there for a lovely garden. From the pics, it looks to me like there's nothing a you can't sort out with a hoe and a pair of loppers.

 

What a superb garden you have acquired there. It has been tended with love and care and will be a great pleasure to you in 2013. A readymade GH and a lot of sunshine. Get some hens in there like Mum says. They will think they are in Paradise! And get the GH sorted ready for seed sowing in early Spring,

 

Thanks for all your comments! It's that bare because I've covered it since Feb. the rest of it was 7ft high with brambles & nettles apart from the area behind the greenhouse & shed which was thick with laurel 12ft high! I've treated much of the bed area with ground clear so will be able to leave it 6 months while everything rots away for a fresh start.

I'm going to have fun growing veg & bedding plants in there. Once I've put the raised beds in the lawn side of the garden I'll post some more pics. Would appreciate some plant advice too. Am looking for attractive perrenials which flower and also don't require much work. Between a 19 month old daughter, a newborn due end of Dec and the veg plot I'm going to be pushed for time!

 

Yea the greenhouse is a real bonus. I want to grow as much from seed as possible, veg & bedding plants.

 

Hi Taff!
Nice size garden, lots of possibilities!!
You might want to buy a few bulbs and plants for early spring to have sth to enjoy then, it doesnt have to be a big spot and you can move those plants later easily. You are pushed for time, so just start sth small instead facing to dig the whole garden..
Tulips (most are april/may flowering, but there are some for march too) for the sunny spots. Crocus loves some sunshine too (in shade they don't open up unless its quite warm, but snowdrops even open up in the shade.Lungworth/pulmonaria "Blue ensign", that's a really, really early lovely blue perennial for shade. Well, there are so many more...

 

Love threads like this FTLooks a great project...i'd definatley go down the chook routeKeep us posted

 

She's unbiased FT