christines garden paradise to be,hopefuly

ladybug get outside while yiu can there will be plenty of time for wallpapering (when its cold and wet) in the summer !! .... would love to see some photo`s ... clay is difficult isn`t it sets like rock when dry - the rain will help makes it heavy but not so hard - mind how you go

welcome to my world!!! when i moved in here there was car bits, cookers, tyres you name it i dug it up. it has taken years to get the garden anyway near decent. Read my blog and have a laugh. I did it all on my own. I laugh about it now but before, I cried buckets. Little by little it will get sorted, Ladybug

iv put some photos in and seem to have lost them somewhere,thanks for the replys,chris

found your photos yes i can see you have your work cut out there ...

Please stick with it Ladybug!

It will come good if you do, remember that clay soil is actually one of the best soils to have as nutrients aplenty are in it, it needs muscle and hard work to break it up and you will find it hard, also lots of compost in it, not the garden centre stuff but manure compost, a drive out in the country will find you some, Also the council re-cycling centres stock good stuff too about £2 a bag, when you've well and truly broke up the clay add this compost and start to fork it through and mix thoroughly, also try and add chicken manure pellets to feed it up, mix together, there, ready for some lovely plants to go in!

Have fun, Mick

Ladybug growing potatoes are a great way of breaking up hard lumps of clay or you can get stuff called claybreaker. You just scatter it over and leave it. It sounds as if you know what you are doing and will win. 10ft x 12 ft is enough to set out the barbie and some garden furniture so don't work too hard and enjoy the summer you might be surprised at what you find growing in your new garden. I cannot fathom people who leave broken glass around for the unsuspecting human or animal to get injured. I have just had a look at your photos and you have a lovely wall ideal for growing things against - not ivy it will seek out any crack and put out roots. Take care and we all look forward to seeing another GOY member succeed.

We're all here to spur you on - don't give up, do it at your own pace, but DO some every day. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done!

Good luck with it...

I had the same experience Ladybug47. Hang on in there, you will get through this, I did, so can you, but then, it took 7 years for it to look like it is now.
I will be with you in spirit all the way. :)))

I found your photo`s Ladybug and it seems somebody didn`t know how to use a bin !!!!!!!,.You `ll be looking back one day and smiling at what you `ve achieved . Choose two areas to get sorted first, one to gaze at and admire and another to relax in whilst planning the rest, it won`t be so daunting then....

I had a lot to clear from my garden when we moved in 5 years ago..it was really over grown with weeds& rubbish every where & we soon filled a large skip...once you get rid of the weeds & rubbish you will soon want to plan where you will put all the lovely plants & it will be worth all the hard work !

We too had a similar problem, we have spent all previous years digging, clearing, trips to the skip and as many bonfires (6yrs).

We have found every thing from a vacum cleaner to 3 gas cookers (there was no gas in the house when we moved in) some many bike bits even a few treasures a glass ashtray and an imaculate glass swan ornament :-)

This year we have desided to turn half the garden in to an allotment so our main focus this year is building raised bed and growing veggies. The other half of the garden has been cleared enough for a lovely seating and barby area.

So stick with it hun you will eventually get it how you want it :-)

It seems like you have loads to be getting on with, never seems enough
time in a day to get much done. But, if you do a little each day, you will
soon see improvement, and even get to enjoy it! Its a long laborious job
but, you will reap your rewards in the end...don`t give up Ladybug..

I didnt have any rubbish in the garden when we moved in, there was just nothing in it. Clay is hellish to dig but hold lots of nutrients. Starting from scratch take the opporunity to put lots of bulky material in, more than you think you will need. draw up a plan of what you want and tackle small areas at a time. Im sure by next year you will have something wonderful to look at.

I agree with Mageth et al. Clay is awesomely good. I would never swap for a sand soil. Horrid to get started though. I tried to put a spade in an unimproved bit today and couldnt get it in at all without pouring water over it first. And that is without anything underneath. So exciting to know though that everything you do will make the garden better. Also dont forget that many of the shrubs for sale in DIY/supermarkets are super cheap because they are so easy to grow. It is perfectly acceptable to improve a bit of land and stick a few in: if you want to design and do it all properly when you've got the wallpaper off they'll cope with being moved round and in the mean time they'll give you a bit of colour!