My new garden...advice/direction needed

mrsmaths

Hi everyone

I'm new here but me and OH are about to move into our first house with a garden. We'd always lived in apartments so are beside ourselves with excitement

Anyway, the house has a small north-facing garden with a large (in relation to the size of the garden) patio area at the back door. The paving in in the middle strip of the garden with fairly large borders at each side of this strip. The patio ends with a shed and there is larger grassy area beside the shed (west facing).

As mentioned, we've never had a garden before but I really want to make something special of it. I guess I am looking for suggestions of what to plant at this time of year and any general newbie tips for someone who has never gardened before.

Thanks in anticipation
mrsmaths

Abi

mrsmaths wrote: »

Hi everyone

I'm new here but me and OH are about to move into our first house with a garden. We'd always lived in apartments so are beside ourselves with excitement

Anyway, the house has a small north-facing garden with a large (in relation to the size of the garden) patio area at the back door. The paving in in the middle strip of the garden with fairly large borders at each side of this strip. The patio ends with a shed and there is larger grassy area beside the shed (west facing).

As mentioned, we've never had a garden before but I really want to make something special of it. I guess I am looking for suggestions of what to plant at this time of year and any general newbie tips for someone who has never gardened before.

Thanks in anticipation
mrsmaths

Hiya, well it depends on yourself and what your needs are I suppose. Are you in anyway over-looked on any angle of your garden? I'd be inclined to put up hardy fast growing trees / bushes in those areas. Have you thought about kinds of flowers you like? is there any sort of a look you favour? have you considered putting any fruit trees, or is that your thing at all? Do you like climbers etc?

mrsmaths

No look in mind really, guess I'm thinking of buying a few magazines for inspiration. The fast growing trees is a good idea, thanks Abigayle. Apart from that, just nice and colourful really. I'm a teacher so I'll have the full month of August to invest in the garden so time isn't really a problem (living in England so schools don't finish here until the last week of July). Yes colour I think is my main look!

Abi

mrsmaths wrote: »

No look in mind really, guess I'm thinking of buying a few magazines for inspiration. The fast growing trees is a good idea, thanks Abigayle. Apart from that, just nice and colourful really. I'm a teacher so I'll have the full month of August to invest in the garden so time isn't really a problem (living in England so schools don't finish here until the last week of July). Yes colour I think is my main look!

Because you have a north facing garden, the plants you choose should generally be hardy, and need less light than S-facing.

I have lined the rear of my garden with Leyland Cypress, which is a fast growing coniferous tree. Now, there isnt anything behind the garden - just farm land. But in the event of it being sold on, I should have some fairly well established trees for privacy

Helleborus
Perennial Phlox
Yew
Day Lilies
Begonia
Impatiens
Roses (some climbers like New Dawn, David Austin-Shropshire lad, DA-Teasing Georgia, DA-Tess of the d'Urbervilles) just to name a few.
Hall's Japonica (honeysuckle)
Hydrangea
Astilbe
Hosta
Bleeding Heart
Foxglove
Lobelia
Primrose

All generally do well, but dont forget to take into account your soil type

mrsmaths

Thank you so much

Sonnenblumen

Abigayle wrote: »

Because you have a north facing garden, the plants you choose should generally be hardy, and need less light than S-facing.

I have lined the rear of my garden with Leyland Cypress, which is a fast growing coniferous tree. Now, there isnt anything behind the garden - just farm land. But in the event of it being sold on, I should have some fairly well established trees for privacy

Helleborus
Perennial Phlox
Yew
Day Lilies
Begonia
Impatiens
Roses (some climbers like New Dawn, David Austin-Shropshire lad, DA-Teasing Georgia, DA-Tess of the d'Urbervilles) just to name a few.
Hall's Japonica (honeysuckle)
Hydrangea
Astilbe
Hosta
Bleeding Heart
Foxglove
Lobelia
Primrose

All generally do well, but dont forget to take into account your soil type

Most of these plants will not be seen over the winter months, so don't throw out your magazines just yet!

Abi

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Most of these plants will not be seen over the winter months, so don't throw out your magazines just yet!

The OP said she has a little bit of free time at the moment, and was after a bit of colour. I agree with you regarding the winter though - I have variegated evergreens around the gardens to avoid bareness.

Azelea and rhododendrons are evergreen. Im a big fan, they have come up lovely for me. Some winter colour here also.

I always hang on to my magazines anyway :pac: