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I know I'm probably going to get hung, drawn and quartered for daring to mention this on A4A (note how I'm bringing this up when Rosebud is out of the country) but I've succumbed to calling in a gardener to tend my front garden because I don't want to do it myself (well, that isn't the only reason - it's not laziness!) Anyway, I've asked him to completely blitz the front garden leaving me only with my roses - I have five different rose bushes and I love them all, so they're staying!  Thing is, it's only a very small front garden, it's about 10ft x 10ft and I'm struggling with what to do with it.  I want to make it look really pretty but I also want low maintenance.  The gardener advised me against slabbing it, he said no matter what I do to try and stop the grass/weeds growing up through the cracks, that it won't work in the long run.  So I was thinking perhaps some shingle or wood chips?  For some reason no other plants but roses will grow under my front window so I was thinking about perhaps a trough full of different plants?  I've also got two walls I can grow climbers on (one already has a climbing rose but I can add to it)

Really I'm just fishing for some inspiration, please!   :) ???

Btw, the gardener said he'd do the whole thing for £25 - I thought that was a bargain!!

Have you tried cranesbill geraniums under your roses they go well together, grow anywhere and provide good groundcover so the weeds don't grow. Also Alchemilla mollis and heuchara's all go well together.

£25 is astounding .. my brother just paid £600 to have his extremely small front garden / space gravelled and fenced .. did he miss a nought ?

Shingle can look really pretty - you could have a 'false' beach with larger rocks and driftwood, which should also set the roses off beautifully.

I can't wait to tell mum Sam.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  :P

Thank you for your responses.  I very much like the idea of having a 'false' beach and I think I'd really enjoy creating it (only to find the little bleeders round here have nicked half of it by the next morning, lolol)

Kea, I like the sound of the cranesbill geraniums, I will look out for those.  Mc55, I must add that the gardener's £25 didn't include shingling for me but still a bargain to have the whole thing done over for £25 I thought.  I said to him, "blimey, are you sure?" and he just replied, "that's why I'm so busy, because I'm so cheap, see you next Tuesday!" and off he went  ;D 

Kev said

QuoteI can't wait to tell mum Sam

Good job you'll be on your break when they get back from theirs!! :P  ;D

Corneykev, I have been on my break so I will make sure and have a word in Mary's ear  ;D

We have some areas of shingle and I broke it up a bit by using some larger cobbles.
Erigeron "profusion" will look pretty and self seed.

Have just googled it, Mark and it looks very pretty and will go with my other ideas I think  :)  Seems I am going to have a front garden designed by A4A members!

Lorna, I was saving a big box of chocolates for you but now ... well ... I'm having second thoughts  ;D ;)

Heehee.........I wont tell and I like choc-o-late ;D ;D ;D ;D

What a good price you got there. Pots and planters also look good on shingle and you can change them round as well as having bulbs, bedding, perennials too.

Post a piccie when its done.........not nosy really ;)

Don't let her blackmail you Lorna, stand firm and bubble her up as soon as Rosebud comes home.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :-*

kea,
  are cransbill geraniums the lovely blue ones that seem to spread like wildfire??

That's one of them. http://www.cranesbillnursery.com/

cornykev if only I had known last week I would have put a note through Mary's door :)
Seriously Sam (maybe I can redeem myself) hope your garden looks great when it is done. That price is so good. Don't forget we want to see pics when it is done.

Grrrrr.  Gardener called today to say instead of coming tomorrow, he'll come on Friday instead.  I reminded him he wasn't supposed to be coming tomorrow but Tuesday but Friday would be ok.  Disappointed really because I've got Tues and Fri off this coming week and was hoping he'd be finished with his blitzing by the end of Tues and I could spend the day making nice on Friday!  Pah!

Now Now, a little bird tells me a gardener has been to Samantha`s.
What was you thinking of, no wonder you waited untill i was away how could you i shall be down to inspect it soon as we have time.
Lorna, noticed you were going to be loyal but never heard anything from you , did the choccies taste nice  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.

Mary ;D ;D Thought I should give Sam a chance to tell you first. I think Royal Mail decided to keep the chocolates :o

Quote from: rosebud on July 06, 2008, 23:56:48
Now Now, a little bird tells me a gardener has been to Samantha`s.
What was you thinking of, no wonder you waited untill i was away how could you

I erm..... er..... I ......well ..... ooo, you look lovely today, mum. 

I spent a fortune at the roundabout nursery yesterday and made a huge centrepiece with all sorts of lovelies in it.  When it's in full bloom, I shall take some pics. 

BTW, don't believe a word Lorna says, she couldn't get enough of those caramel hearts.

Rosebud I hope you sent her straight to bed without her tea.  ;D ;D ;D