New Place with New Gardens:)

So we've finally been offered a Bungalow by the local housing association and this property (no matter what my mother thinks! she's like a gypsy) is going to be her forever home and mine for the foreseeable future.

I can't wait to get started on the garden the previous occupants had numerous concrete follies old shed basses scattered around the garden which were kindly removed by the housing association but there's loads of gravel to remove (covered with dog mess when we first viewed) but overall its a lovely blank canvas to fit my Greenhouse in and Cacti, I've got plans for lots of annuals for colour this year and have begun accumulating lots of seeds and put together a sowing calendar for myself https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JDfhYXgR71yjQ5jNm3tMxd3Cdq9DthN0z2e9Erv3lc4/edit?usp=sharing

Does anyone have any recommendations for easily propagated shrubs and herbaceous perennials? there's a local garden centre which isn't too overpriced (because none of them are cheap!) but I thought I could save a pretty penny by investing in one or two large plants and then raiding them for cuttings or divisions.

Now we just need to move in! Also sorry the photo's are a bit blurryin places I'm between smartphones at the moment and I have this horrible thing which can't take a semi decent photo if it tried...

The back garden (it was a very dull day)



Better view (less blurry) note all the horrible faeces covered pebbles


Front Garden there's a grassed bit to the right as well.


and there's a huge side piece with much potential which we are told is also ours but we need to check land registry and also local by laws as we noticed that nobody has a fence surrounding their front gardens?

 

Lots of potential there. Morrisons do a range of cheap shrubs, also poundland have some right now. The spirea I bought from there last year is already over 3ft tall.

 

Good luck in your new abode IceColdRum! You'll soon have the gardens knocked into shape despite the mess at the moment. The soil at the front looks solid, is it clay?

That's a good list of plants you have there and I bet you're itching to get underway. Any hedging type of shrubs are usually easy from cuttings, I've grown Hebe's and Escallonia. I also discovered Weigela is easy late last summer, I pushed a broken off stem into an empty pot in passing, it took very quickly and is now about nine inches high.

Geraniums (Cranesbill) are herbaceous and good for splitting, also Irises once they get under way are easy to split too.

If you have the cheek you could knock on neighbours doors and ask them for cuttings if there's anything in their gardens you like the look of.

 

Lots to keep you busy there ICR. Hope you enjoy your new home and garden.

Don't forget that Aldi has lots of cheap bits and bobs including plants.

Keep us posted with your progress. It's always nice to see an unloved garden turned into an oasis!

 

Nice one me old Chestnut

 

when you gather you list of shrubs and plants focus on natural to your area, that way your success will be better. Looks like lots of work. Good luck

 

Thanks everyone @JWK my greenhouse is going in the back garden there's a side piece which wraps round and a nice bit of room in the corner for it.

My current working list of trees/shrubs is thus:

• Cercidiphyllum japonicum
• Leptospermum scoparium
• Chimonanthus praecox
• Viburnum opulus 'Roseum'
• Tree Peony
• Eucrythia sp.
• Hamamelis sp.
• Buddleja x weyeriana

There will be some infill as well but these are a few of the ones I've always thought I'd like in my garden, there not all going together but dotted around the property.

 

Hey @wiseowl

I'm considering growing a nice rose up the tree in the bottom picture (I circled it for you) it's an Ash and so could do with a bit of bling, I think it would require something quite vigorous... I did contemplate 'KiftsGate' but I have since been informed that, that one is best given to enemies only I do also quite like 'Gertrude Jekyll' but I wan't something which can get by on minimal care...

also I would love to have these roses in the garden but I've no idea what either of them are? the photo was taken a few years ago at Nunwell house on the Isle of Wight and they were growing up and round a lovely door. I am sorry there's nothing for scale but each flower was about the size of a 2 pence piece from memory and they had a lovely scent.

 

As you are looking for shrubs have you seen this collection on yougarden

http://www.yougarden.com/item-p-500...mate-winter-hardy-shrub-collection-12-bushes/

Dont know if they would be of interest at all

 

Banksiae are very popular here. I have the single yellow, and I believe they come in that, double yellow (that unusual buffy yellow), single white and double white. They are quite capable of covering a house front (or an ash tree) but like a sheltered sunny position in the uk. They are covered in flowers in spring, one of the first roses to flower, but it's just the one show unless they really like the spot, when they may have a few stragglers later in the year. They have a gentle scent, not strong, and very few thorns. They make a fantastic show here each spring, but do need a bit of tlc in the uk.
Good luck in your new house and garden, it has huge potential. Your list of shrubs looks fab, but do find out if you have the soil they like. Again, Chimonanthus likes sunny ans sheltered in the uk. A great plant when it's happy.
Happy growing

 

Thanks Woo that's brilliant I'll have to get a couple of small plants later in the year

 

It might be worth investing in a soil test kit, ICR? The Eucryphia and Hamamelis both prefer loose, acid woodlandy soil. If yours is neutral you might be able to swing it with lots of acid soil improver. Another thought.....all the shrubs that you list are deciduous, so what about adding a few evergreens (e.g. Sheal's suggestions of Hebe and Escallonia)? I'd add Ceanothus, Mahonia, Phormium, Eleagnus, Pittosporum and Cistus And go for perennials with good foliage as well as pretty flowers.....