Gardening basics

manic111

manic111

manic111

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HI everyone

I moved into my flat, with a reasonably sized garden (for a flat) about a year ago. Photo below - the camera in that image is pointing north, so it gets a lot of sun in the morning from the west, and a little less in the afternoon as the buildings are slightly closer to it on the east side, but it's still bright until the sun gets pretty low.

I've left it for a year to see how it all developed, and am now keen to do a bit of gardening. Which is not something I've done much of before, so I have basically got no idea what I'm doing! There's a nice big bay tree, and a huge rosemary bush. In the sink next to the rosemary bush there's a load of mint which grows in the summer as well.

My thinking is to create more of a herb garden on the near side of the rosemary busy, and from the rosemary bush to the far fence have a few nice shrubs etc. Then some tomatoes and lettuce in the planter just beyond the bay tree.

So, firstly is that a good idea? Is there anything wrong in principle with trying to do that? Secondly, in terms of the shrubs etc in particular, how do you choose what to plant? Any recommendations for reasonably easy to grow shrubs for that area? And finally, are there any good resources online for getting started? Thanks!

Whats-App-Image-2024-02-25-at-19-41-35.jpg
 
Walk around a garden centre and see what catches your eye, and then do some research into them and see what growing conditions they like ect
 
I think the most important thing is to determine what soil type you have. I remember the first garden I had, I spent an absolute fortune on plants, and two years later they were all dead.
As a simple guide, look at what's growing well in your neighbourhood.
 
Make sure you also go for hardy shrubs. Our winters are now seeing occasional cold spells down to -10, so if you buy something that's only good down to -5 then it'll need protecting over winter.
 
Nice garden there for a flat!

Your plan sounds good, find out what soil type you have ie is it clay or whatever. You can also buy a soil acidity meter thing off ebay for a few quid to see what its like. Then have a day out to the garden centre, they'll all have what they like on the labels like full sun or shade and how wet or dry it likes it.

If you fancy growing any food i'd highly recommend making a raised bed as its a lot easier to keep on top off with weeding and harvesting than having to do it in the ground.
 
For tomatoes you really need a glasshouse in the UK, they absolutely hate cold.

Personally I would make a huge raised bed in the middle of that garden, buy a load of small strawberry plants in the garden centre in the spring and put plastic water pipes in loops in the bed and cover the lot with nets to keep the birds from stealing all my strawberrys.
 
dave28 said:
For tomatoes you really need a glasshouse in the UK, they absolutely hate cold.
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You just need to pick the right variety, I grow tomatoes outside every year. I guarantee you success with something like red alert actually grows like a weed. Plenty of others out there as well. Usually able to plant out mid may down here, same for courgettes and squashes etc.
 
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200sols said:
You just need to pick the right variety, I grow tomatoes outside every year. I guarantee you success with something like red alert actually grows like a weed. Plenty of others out there as well. Usually able to plant out mid may down here, same for courgettes and squashes etc.
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will have to look into that one, i usually just grow cherry ones in a glasshouse every year
 
dave28 said:
will have to look into that one, i usually just grow cherry ones in a glasshouse every year
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In my experience they grow fast and not very pretty if as they say you dont remove some side shoots. Also the fruit is very heavy for the plant size and it needs supporting. Easier on the allotment where aesthetics dont matter so much.
 
Thanks everyone! I'll read through properly later, but this all sounds like useful stuff. I'd better have a look into how to analyse my soil!
 
I built a raised bed last year in my parents garden and put on top two of these: https://www.diy.com/departments/wooden-framed-polycarbonate-coldframe/5060266599064_BQ.prd

It works great and we started off all our peppers, tomatoes and leaks in them. When they are big enough we just planted them out in the ground (well dug over, plenty of peat free compost). They grew like crazy.

Something like the above (evne just one), just put on some stones over dug over ground makes a massive difference to kick starting things.

I'd certainly go for a mix of veg (it's so much better than store bought) and good looking plants for effect. Foxgloves (if you don't have dogs) do well in most areas and will self seed (put them against the fences). You can plant in some bulbs in a pot for next year (e.g daffs) and snowdrops look lovely in the Spring. Plenty of ornamental grasses that are fine in full sun and have no issues over the winter. Just cut them back in the spring and they'll grow up again.
 
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Things I would do. Stain the fences all one colour (repair the post and panel on the right). String some catenary cables on the right fence to support some climbers or maybe peas near the rosemary . Put a small seating area for a bistro set in the bottom corner, its nice to have a seating area away from the house. Get some height with a pergola over the new seating area and grow climbers up it (clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle). Make a raised bed in front of the deck from sleepers, if you make it high enough it can be used as a bench, it also acts as separation areas. The step down from the deck is too high. replace that sleeper. Put a cold frame infront of the shed, get some miniline guttering into a couple of water butts from the shed roof. If you want to grow some veg use some small raised bed (scaffold boards) You may be able to get 6 (900mm2) left hand side with narrow paths between. Id probably make the bed on the right wider. How about a path to the bottom corner? Bonded gravel or reclaimed bricks.
Sorry about the punctuation in a mini bus on the way home from the airport, with a couple of beers under my belt.
 
Lean said:
Things I would do. Stain the fences all one colour (repair the post and panel on the right). String some catenary cables on the right fence to support some climbers or maybe peas near the rosemary . Put a small seating area for a bistro set in the bottom corner, its nice to have a seating area away from the house. Get some height with a pergola over the new seating area and grow climbers up it (clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle). Make a raised bed in front of the deck from sleepers, if you make it high enough it can be used as a bench, it also acts as separation areas. The step down from the deck is too high. replace that sleeper. Put a cold frame infront of the shed, get some miniline guttering into a couple of water butts from the shed roof. If you want to grow some veg use some small raised bed (scaffold boards) You may be able to get 6 (900mm2) left hand side with narrow paths between. Id probably make the bed on the right wider. How about a path to the bottom corner? Bonded gravel or reclaimed bricks.
Sorry about the punctuation in a mini bus on the way home from the airport, with a couple of beers under my belt.
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This is all useful stuff (as all of the posts here have been)! I'll have a read and a think when not commuting to work! Thanks!

Edit: and I got the fence repaired a month or so ago - slightly old photo!
 
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I did not stain mine as I want them to turn silver/gray, but did treat them with a clear product to protect them
 
best thing i found after struggling with age and bad back was raised beds , i bought a load of pallet collars they are cheap and easy to use just line them with plastic and if extra height put another on top. even if they rot after a few years still cheap to replace.
ive had some for about 5 years ,that are still going strong.
similar to these although i got mine from local facebook groups at 4 quid each delivered.
www.ebay.co.uk

pallet collars | eBay

<p>1200x800</p>
www.ebay.co.uk

had some delivered to my daughters about 12 months ago plus some topsoil .
 
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