Weeding

don't give up. Many of us don't have a free fall of cash. I often buy plants from garden centres, supermarkets etc for a few pence when they look as if they are done with. Take them home, water and feed give them time to recover and if needed prune them.

Then re-pot until time to replant, and mostly I am rewarded with good plants for a little cash.

Some garden centres, literally give their bedding plants away at the end of June, when they consider the planting season to be over. This is a good way of producing some decent pots or basket cheaply.

I even look for plants on the back of the plant shelves that look really dry and droopy and go and ask for a reduction. Sometimes it works and I have in the past been given them free.

Also, good gardening books can be borrowed from the library free and you can learn a lot from them, and of course there are your fellow Goyers to help for free. Great.

Good Luck

Thanks Grannyb. I have a couple of Hessayon books (Veg and Herb and Green Garden) but something about my brain makes it hard for me to translate what I read into what to do in the real world. I'm also pretty convinced I'll do things wrong! I'll press on though.

continue with the good work delancey, my wife is like you she decribes it as muddling tru, but now grows lots from seed then swaps surplus plants with others its so easy to pick up seeds at as little 50p , so plough on :)
LOL!@grannyb must tell the wife about asking about adopting the sad plants in the shops ;)

your doing fine,your buddlia will flower as it takes a hell of a lot to kill them(i know ive tryed)and use weed and feed on your lawn that will take care of the weeds,i buy lots of my plants in sales and even poundland(not the packets tho they dont come up)ive also got clay soil and haveing a hell of a time with it.its like concrete at the mo,i get seeds in the sales and done well with them,mainly lupins and my veg are ok now,and yes i have a clumsy dog who has no respect for my garden either,hang in there

ps i get lots at car boots and jumbles

You sound like most of us feel at times lol Have you tried joining your local 'free cycle'? garden stuff is often offered on mine such as seeds, plants, tubs and furniture or you can ask. I often give something away from my garden the last things were a big table and petrol mower and I deliver to.

I am a member of my local Freegle group, I picked up some bricks for edging recently, an hour drive away but free. I feel a bit guilty about only taking, but I rarely have anything to offer (the only time I did, nobody wanted it except someone with no way of collecting it.)

As may by now be obvious, I do have a little trouble with depression telling me that everything is ultimately pointless ;) This place is full of such friendly people.. thank you all for encouraging me.

That's what free cycle is for Delancey, so use it and get the use/enjoyment out of it. I find gardening is a great therapy for 'what ails you' and I miss it so much in the winter.

Delancey This lovely quote is just for you
"Out of gardens grow fleeting flowers but lasting friendships."...Beverly Rose Hopper

Keep smiling in your garden :0)