Our Blank Canvas....What to do???
By choufleurie
12 comments
Wednesday 16th January 2013
Initial plans are drawn…
Measurements taken….
If anyone has any other ideas that may work they will be gratefully accepted!
Sunday 13th January 2013
The sun shone through the curtains as we woke and as we lay in our bed, it slowly dawned on us that we had to go out into the garden to face the pampas grass. We had no more excuses.
Armed with thermals and fortified with a full english complete with fried bread, we prepared the tools ready for the battle ahead.
Bearing in mind it had taken 2 of us with items of mass destruction ranging from hand forks, shears, electric drill with huge masonry bit (to drill holes in the root – it made sense at the time), pickaxe, forks (1 broke) and shovels 2 days to remove the pampas grass from the other side of the garden – we were expecting a difficult day.
However, we tried a different tact, and it seemed to work well. Our top tip for removing pampass grass is to start at the edge and twist the individual large strands of grass that grow as a clump and they will usually twist out at the root.
Within 45 minutes, we had all of the grass removed and down to the tip without a tool being used. That just left the root and the pickaxe got through that in no time at all.
So as we had time for a few tips to the recycling centre, we decided to give the remaining bushes a bit of a trim and a general tidy and ended up with a rather bare looking garden!
The new plants are put away in the back of the garage to protect them from the cold spell that’s on it’s way but hopefully it won’t last and we can resume digging shortly!
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Saturday 12th January 2013
And rain stopped play……
Friday 11th January 2013
I doubt anyone will be interested in our tiny, flint riddled, overgrown sloping garden; but I hope to keep this as a record for us, to show what we have achieved… when we’ve achieved it!
This is our garden now.
You can see there’s lots to do….
We’ve already taken out a huge pampas grass from the top left, and cut back the Buddleia that overhung half of the garden from the bottom left (I know it was a bit early for it but it had to go!). This weekend will see the demise of the pampas grass on the right hand side and then we will see what we have to play with.
I’ve scoured the net for ideas – I like what Annella has done with her sloping garden from the photo’s she’s posted on this site and I’d like to replicate some of her ideas if I can, even if it will be on a smaller scale. But it may not work when I start playing with dimensions.
What we want to achieve is a useable space with beautiful plants. I just have to work out how to do it!
11 Jan, 2013
5 likes
Comments
Thank you!
11 Jan, 2013
Looking forward to seeing your efforts and plans i am sure it will look great ! And welcome to Goy
11 Jan, 2013
Annella's garden is certainly inspirational!! Good luck with your plans. Take a look in the gardens round you and see what grows well.
11 Jan, 2013
I would put some shallow raised beds in to give your precious plant purchases decent soil to grow in.
Pallets get damaged by fork lift trucks. They get thrown out by builders merchants free of charge. Good source of wood for raised beds.
I set up lots of Container Plants, bark chippings on the surface stops them drying out.
Paths are made easily with bark chippings. Saves mowing.
Clematis in large pots do well. Put large pebbles over the roots as they like to be cool. Always get the best compost for your plants.
Good luck and enjoy.
11 Jan, 2013
We are interested in others gardens, even more so when starting over as you are doing, we all get ideas from browsing the Goy pages, enjoy your garden and good luck ..
11 Jan, 2013
Welcome to Goy, its always good to see the start of a garden, ask away if you need help, there is lots of help and advice to be found here
11 Jan, 2013
very interested in your garden. I will look forward to watching your progress.
11 Jan, 2013
It looks like a plot with lots of potential - looking forward to seeing what you do with it. I guess you know that buddleia is usually cut back in early spring, and will shoot up to its original height in the course of the summer? So you will need to plan for that or take it out. You can get small ones now, if that's of any interest.
11 Jan, 2013
It's interesting to watch how others develop their gardens. I'll look forward to seeing how you progress :o)
11 Jan, 2013
On second thoughts it seems to me that as its a small garden you need to make a list of small plants to fit your plan, then work out how to plant them. I would avoid Buddleias. Clematis give a good show, but take up smaller root space against the fence.
12 Jan, 2013
There are lots of ideas on here with photos of what members have done to their gardens. But take your time and think about what you want from your garden! Its a great shape and will be fun to make it your own. I look forward to watching your progress. I think without the fence dividing the patio/lawn it would seem much bigger and friendlier.
13 Jan, 2013
Nince size
11 Jan, 2013