NEW Gardeners !

I bet they loved the TLC though

Hi,Am no lawn laying expert, but your front is clearly a mature one, so your soil will probably be good enough as it is.If you push your spade right in, if it is still similar soil 9" down then that should be fine ; if you have you a lot of clay or flints just below the surface thats a...

Many thanks for all your comments! I spent a half hour a day pruning this bit of my garden, and this is what I get after a week:Reckon I will need another week to really clean it up...

I agree with @pete - wind damage and slugs (the clue there being the bulb damage). Amarylis leaves have fibres running through them that slugs can't get through hence the partial damage.

I got one Allium

Some cracking varieties around now Irmemac but sniff a couple to see what you like. My own have been flowering for several weeks and will be hard pruned soon to make a tight dense and neat silver/green aromatic hedge. Five years old isn't too old if hard pruned annually......I kept a lavendar...

Thanks guys!

Unfortunately I have no choice, so whatever happens I will learn from it. I usually go on holiday later in the year but again I have to go early this year so it will be part of the learning curve. Thanks for your help.

May b I'm wrong but its looking good... the chopped leaves reminants looks to me as if grown a bit in size may be 5mm

hydrangeas will take very readily and so will the Euonymus-like plants. Fern I have had no experience and the conifer I have no experience either. While you're at it, stick in some salvias.. It's easy for them to take as well. Or Fuchsias .. Or .. Hehe, I'm getting carried away. As long as you...

Verdun - you are just rubbing it in about Cornwall, like your comment about the nurseries in the other thread I used to have a lot of more tender plants - bursaria spinosa, acacia dealbata, phormium cookianum etc, until we had the winter of 2010 (I think) when it registered -15 in my very cold...

Thank you. Tomorrow morning I will try to make amends to my poor roses! I think I have some blood, fish and bone in the shed.

I'd be inclined to completely replace it as you don't know how long it has been in there and may be exhausted.I sometimes make my own seed compost in small quantities by sterilizing soil from the garden in the microwave. I put it in a plastic back to stop it making a mess and cook it for a...

I'd third the Hessayon books, they might be a bit dated but the info is brilliant. You can pick them up on ebay for around £2.Charles Dowding No Dig (although I do dig his info is great)For preserving, jams etc.. Abundance by Alice Fowlerand I think it was called The Secret Gardener by...

So seems like if I plant the trees on the opposite side from the drain they will be okay. What about the bushes, would their roots be strong enough to damage a drain? I'd like to plant them on the same side of the garden as the drain for some balance.

I'd also go with verbena. It looks amazing.

Do you know if it's a fruiting cherry or ornamental? Fruiting ones can be trained against a wall, that's all . No label? Could be very vigorous so need plenty of space I would guess it's an ornamental ....in that case best to grow it as a free standing tree. . If you delay moving it the...

Have a go....pruning is nothing to be wary of esp with euonymous. Its fun too

With the white petals and shape of leaves, have to agree with @martin-f's ID Oxalis acetosellaIt seems to not be regarded as problematic, unlike other Oxalis species (debilis and particularly that damn corniculata stuff ). Such a dainty, stunning little plant that's a devious minx, especially...

Depending on the strength, the residue fert may also burn any new/young growth of grass seedlings