Topic: Inspriation needed for my garden!

[jordsbabe]

Hello there

Here are some pictures of my garden, not very well tended at the moment due to the copious amounts of rain!



Where this half barrel is, there is a tree stump and rather large roots, which i will have to wait 100 years to rot, so can't have anything up there!




These two pictures show a small border that i have.


This shows my raised beds



This is the bottom end of my garden that has a patio.



Last one now promise! This shows the top end of my garden with my greenhouse.

I do like my garden when the grass is cut because it has plenty of space for my little boy (4) to run around in, but would like to perhaps incorporate a small area for growing stuff, I am useless at trying to visualise stuff so any help will be gratefully received.

[betula]

Iwould put trellis across the garden across the last third and incorporate a few small raises beds,you could use the trellis for beans and peas.
You do not seem to be using your raised bed for anything.You could put some slabs down and stand your pots on them.Maybe use your raise bed for a herb garden.You could divide the interior with bits of wood,and plant in each cube.
Best I can think of quickly. :)

[beanie3]

Firstly this picture was taken last year so isnt fully finished as we have been doing up our house/garden.

On the right is the veg patch with chicken run behind it on the left is a grass area and brickbuilt shed.

Secondly its only an idea but splitting your garden in half you can have specific areas and as you can see you dont need straight lines (i dont think we have one!)

Now it might not be ideal to do a complete half and half split but you could have a path split on an angle!

Hope this helps or give you food for thought........

[saddad]

Or put yourself down for an allotment!  ;D
By the time the boy stops wanting to run around in the garden you might get one... try getting him involved planting little bits, but the partitioning off with trellis sounded like a good compromise..  :)

[SMP1704]

How about a raised bed at the end of the garden, where the tree root is or depending on your building skills - make platform for the shed to go over the tree stump.

You could also make the border deeper - generally 3' is a decent depth and you could grow a mix of flowers and veg in it.

As Betula says you could divide the garden, so the front of the garden nearest the house is for your son and then behind the trellis is fruit and veg and you could dig up all the grass in that area.

Enjoy ;D

[Tulipa]

Hi

You have a good size garden to plan with there.  I agree with Saddad though, your son will probably want to kick a football around and the chance of an allotment in the future might be worth putting your name down.  You can always say no when it is offered if you are not ready but as you may have a wait anyway it might be worth it.

Next door on the left is a willow, they take a lot of water so the area around your tree stump may be better as patio/deck/gravel area if the soil is dry.  You could put gravel around the stump and use the stump to raise a pot above as a feature or raise the area to the level of the stump and put weed control and gravel over the top as a seating area.  Or move your shed as SMP suggests.

Or use Betula's suggestion of dividing off the third and you could pop your shed behind that.  Or make a play area for your son behind there.  With a nice seated area to one side for you to sit and watch while he plays. - Some lavender, honeysuckle around you so it is a realxing space for you and a happy place for him. Say to the left of the greenhouse with trellis near to the greenhouse to protect it from balls etc.

Or if you prefer him to play nearer the house make that part the play area and behind the trellis make a secret patio area with table and chairs and fairy lights for sitting out on the balmy summer evenings we are supposed to have...  Trellis as the divider and again next to the greenhouse (from the back fence) so it becomes a room, with scented climbers to add to the atmosphere (a grown-up part of the garden).

A 'journey' to get to the end of your garden, either winding or diagonal path to add more interest with your favourite plants on the way, oooh I must go and get my jobs done - I love designing gardens, I am sure lots of ideas will come - the BBC website has some of the ground force designs on there which might be a starting point.  Or go and look in your local library for books on gardens.

Most of all enjoy it and do it in small parts so it doesn't become overwhelming, and so that you can enjoy your garden while it is changing.

Good luck

T.

[Tulipa]

I'm sorry, I was getting too excited there.... :-[

What would you like to have in your garden, both now and in the future?  What kind of soil do you have and which way does your garden face?  These all influence where you put things and what you can plant.

Do you like modern planting, cottage style etc?  Thinking about these things helps you move along to knowing how you might like your garden to look.

Have fun. :)

T.

[jordsbabe]

I was sooooo ashamed when I saw the pictures of my garden, so in between showers today I managed to cut the lawn and trim the edges lol!

You have come up with some wonderful ideas, I wish i knew exactly what i wanted, but what i do know so far is i would like to grow Broad beans, runner beans Garlic onions (red) lettuce and raddish! I would dearly love to grow savoy cabbage but at the moment that is just a dream!

Just to clarify how deep would my soil have to be to grow the above?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Not very as none of them are partiicularly deep-rooted. Give it plenty of organic matter and it should be OK.

[glosterwomble]

You have a lovely garden, it's amazing what a difference a tidy lawn and neat edges can make!!  ;D

[jordsbabe]

so not even something like cabbage needs a deep bed? I've got some large fish boxes that are about 6/8" deep

[Robert_Brenchley]

I wouldn't try to grow something the size of a cabbage in it, but smaler stuff wouldn't be a problem.