In A Country Garden?

Hi Ladies and Gents,
This will be my first post of the year with many more to follow!
As a new gardener with little or no knowledge I have decided that the best way forward with the poor quality of the land ( I can not call it a garden ) surrounding the property, is to try and create a 'country/wild garden'. I had visualised the idea of creating a wild meadow sort of area initially. However after visiting our local Morrisons a few days ago Inoticed wild plants on sale for a pound each and payed little attention. Later when I took the dog for a walk in our local park I noticed an area planted up with such wild plants.

Now my aim is to create a wild garden which will be less labour intensive than the poor area I have at the moment. This appears to consist of a 'hill' that the property developers bulldozed prior to building and covered with a poor quality soil complete with shale shingle etc.. The grass is extremely agresive and the weeds are what Peter Kay would say are the Royal Marine Commando of the weed world! Purply things that you have to dig down some distance to remove.

Originally I intended to prepare and seed this area in late autuum but am now thinking that wild shrubs etc migh be better also being more hardy. It would seem that the time for planting is now what with plants of this nature being availble but how to prepare for them? With the poor quality of this area cutting back is a big chore and do not want to make it worse by having to cut between plants/ shrubs bushes etc. Mulch? Now I can cover a lot of this area with this and also rocks logs stone etc to give it more of a wild look and also cut down on maintenance. Have any members any experience of somthing similar or anyone offer guidance and advice please?

William

 

For some plant ideas have a good look at what is growing wild near you in hedges on banks etc and see what appeals.

 

Hi Gents,
Thanks for your comments. Forgive me,if I have missed the planting season then why are wildflower perenials available in Morrissons? Genuine queation, the reason I suggested these is that I could plant now for results next year. I appreciate the comments wrt to scarifying ( I believe this to be removal of top soil level with growth?) but to do this later in the year means the battle with the weeds and meadow grass continuing through the season before seeding and also possibly no flowering of wild flowers until the year after next.

If you look again at the pic I posted, underneath the taup is a large mound of earth which is the result of what I believe to be scarifying and which I intended to rake out over my 'meadow' at the end of the season. At the moment that mound could very easily be covered with the multitude of rocks I have available together with logs and similar items from living in the country. To me creating something visual I can see from my workroom come man cave, will be enjoyable to create and also reduce maintenance required. Back to you lads and I would apreciate any further comments advice etc. But I have to be quick! These wild flower perenials are not going to stay on the shelf much longer and at a quid each I believe a viable idea. Finally, dear wife has told me she has £40 in tokens I can spend if I want!

William

 

If you sow seeds of Borage & Phacelia tanacetifolia now, you'll get flowers this year & they'll self seed for the next or until you decide on a more permanent plan of action. The bees will also love you for it. Should be seeds available in Morrisons, Wilko etc for next to nothing.

 

There is no reason you can't plant wild flowers into an area of the lawn. If your grass is vigorous, they may struggle to compete, but that depends on what you plant. Once they are planted that area will grow long and wild, which can look nice, but I suggest you only do this to one area, and keep the rest mown, as you then get a nice contrast.

In my experience having a wildflower garden is not really less work than a lawn. You get to not mow for a few months, but come the summer the long grass will then need cutting down, which can be more work than mowing it in the first place.

Just my opinion, but I hope it helps.

 

Not hot on wild flowers etc. but welcome William and happy planting

 

William, if I were you, I wouldn`t even think of planting anything right away. Keep your money in your pocket for a while.

You have the potential there to make a stunning job of that bit of ground, and if it were my patch, I would do a bit of preparation first. I would begin by digging a pond - in the lower part of the patch, and I would concentrate JUST on that for now, while keeping the grass down a bit.

If you concentrate on providing water, and put water plants in, and a nice shallow side you will start to encourage wildlife straight away.

Cutting grass around established shrubs is really not a problem - the more shrubs, the less grass. You could even plant lots of shrubs and get rid of the grass. Buddleia is a nice easy shrub to start with, and would encourage butterflies.

A pathway, some levelling of the ground -maybe with a little retaining wall......but all that in time, you won`t do it all in one go.

If you start with a pond, be sure to buy or make a seat to put next to it. I guarantee you will want to sit and spend time there. Please keep posting pictures for us, and remember, one step at a time

 

Where's the bench
My Ivy seems to have gone berserk over the last 12 months as well.

 

Armandii - now THAT is wonderful! Ivy grown in the right place, and water too. I`ll bet the birds and bees just love you. That is the sort of place where you can sit and put the whole world to rights

 

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your comments, hello's and advise etc.
How do I insert image on page Armandii?

The Idea of making a pond was one I explored (see pic). However as you can see from the first pic this would mean installing it on a approx 1: 45 slope. I have decided against that idea. To much civil engineering! To protect against water run off down from the this area would entail using stonework and concrete etc to raise the whole pond and stabilise it. You will also note from pic the quality of the 'lawn'. If the area mentioned in my initial post was indeed such I would be happy to maintain it. But it is not being more akin to waste land. Because of its undulating surface I have to cut it with strimmer first followed by a hover mower. So its back to the original idea.

The idea of a path is one I have decided on with it going around the perimeter of this area.But how to do it cheaply? Of course one has to spend money but part of the enjoyment for me is seeing what I can do for nought if you follow! Again the idea of the path is something that takes up 'real estate' and as such will need little maintenance. But how to do it? Bark, mulch, stone? Expensive over a fair distance. One method I am considering is clinker from the local steam railway. Maybe not a stupid one. Perhaps the sulphur content will inhibit weed growth.

Later...........

William

 

This is the sort of path I had in mind.
I have constructed ALL the walls and pathways in my own garden using other people`s rubbish.
Much of the more recent jobs came from next doors rebuild. Broken paving slabs and the like that would have gone into the skips.
Freecycle is a good place to look for your materials

 

You must have muscles on your muscles Tetters