horrid garden
By Faith
United Kingdom 
Hi im just starting out my gardening buisness and have been thrown in the deep end.
I client who I have told im not a land scape gardener but who I wish to help, and to be honest I would love to learn landscapeing.
He as a horrible patch of garden where a previous gardener has cleared and laid a sheet to prevent weeds but then has put gravel on top.
this weed prevention is not working!
I have suggested to take whole lot up and start again but he is old and this would be a big strain to remove tons of gravel.
He wants me to clear weeds and to plant bushes etc which will minimize weeds .
He cant plant trees as he in a estate.
Have you any ideas what to plant or what to do to make it this as simple as possible?
any other tips so it looks nice and weeds wont be so much of a problem?
or does he really need to remove the gravel and plastic first?
22 May, 2008
Answers
thanks for reply I might give that a try
my only concern is that the weeds are huge this place is overgrown.
So do i get in there hands on as I think weed killer take to long and dig them out.
And also the plastic must be full of holes already if huge weeds are growing there?
22 May, 2008
Hi Faith you working on your own? Yes landscaping interesting but very demanding physically and often need a team to undertake work.
Landscape designers do the plans and rely on others to complete so not sure which you interested in.Before starting esential to know what client willing to budget for - it does sound as if present sheeting inadequate what size area ? Is it small enough for you to rake off and replace sheeting? You have to wait a while for round up to be effective - it certainly would be but this a short term solution if sheeting not working an more of a problem once other plants introduced.Work out your time and costs see if this suits before doing any work.
22 May, 2008
You do not need to remove the gravel and sheet just spray the whole lot with roundup weedkiler and then plant shrubs etc .clear a smallpatch of gravel cut a cross in the sheet plant your shrub or whatever fold back the sheet replace the gravel and bob'syour uncle. As to what to plant study some books there is such a variety available and plants are a personal thing, plant what the elderly geltleman fancies.
22 May, 2008