Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Hi all, before I start I'd like to say a big thanks to everyone on the forum, looking through past postings is such a big help.

I wondered if anyone could offer some suggestions..

I've been in the "new" flat for a year now, were on the first floor and for the most part, face away from "our" part of the garden. The block of flats share a large area out the back, though to be perfectly honest, I don't think anyones bothered touching it for a very long time. It's over grown with the hedges closest to the road covered with litter and gawd knows what else.

I've just stocked up on seeds and bulbs and want to get some colour into the garden and get some herbs and veggies on the go this year, both inside and out. I have some reservations though..

First we have no tools whatsoever. No pots, spades, rakes, nothing. The garden needs a bloomin' good cut back, hedges, the "lawn" etc. Does anyone know of any kind of services which would help? Primarily with cutting the lawn. Simply couldn't afford a decent lawn mower at the moment and without it being cut, I'm limited as to what I can do.

Secondly, I'm a little wary of what to plant out there. The landlady is happy for borders to be put in, flowers to be planted etc etc, however I'm not sure how long vegetables and herbs would last with the neighbours about. I fear anything grown would soon go walkabouts leaving some lovely looking bare plants for us. I had thought about a greenhouse but again this is something well out of our price range at the moment and I can't think of anything else that is secure, suitable for growing and very cheap. Likewise we don't know many people in the area and those we do know only have very small gardens they already enjoy themselves, so using a friends garden is a nogo.
I considered putting up some kind of letter/notice explaining we would be growing things out the back and once grown, would be happy to hand out and even grow extras for people in the block and we'd happily help others start a small area of their own and share and exchange with them but I'm not sure how to go about writing it without it sounding like I'm just saying "keep yer hands off!"

I genuinely would love those in our block to partake in doing something out the back with us, I just don't think they would be interested, given that most aren't in much and those that are are more content to keep themselves to themselves with a bottle of vodka, if you get my meaning.

Gosh, what a long post, I am sorry lol. But any suggestions anyone has would be gratefully appreciated!

 

and at 4.30 in the morning.

How big an area?

Try Freeserve for for free tools or your local recycling site. Might even get a mower.

I think there are some posters to this forum who are located in Glasgow who could help with advice.

The biggest chore will be the tidy up but this will also have the biggest effect. Just keeping something tidy and having somewhere to sit will encourage others.

Good luck

 

Don't try everything at once. It sounds like a big job and might be a bit overwhelming.

Why not get the garden cut back, tidied up and looking presentable, then add a few summer flowering plants and bulbs. Then you can look at edibles, later in the season or next year? Maybe a few herbs which grow quickly and can look good in borders or in pots.

There is evidence that if people live with a garden that has been looked after they're less likely to treat it badly. Something along the lines of not ******** on your own doorstep!

Good luck.

 

There must be someone local who could mow the lawns once a week or fortnight for a small charge/fee...maybe someone with a hedge trimmer or pair of shear that could tidy the hedge too...would only need doing once or twice a year.

Places like B&Q will sell large trays of things like petunias, good value they will grow and flower all summer long..just snap off the dead flowers every couple of days to keep them going.

So tidy the rubbish away, get the lawn and hedge sorted and a few cheep things planted...see what response you get. If you do too much and it gets trashed...you'll become disheartened and give up.

If you want to grow edibles now or in the future...find your local alllottment site and get your name on the waiting list now...it could take a few years before your offered one...but in the meantime you'll have a tidy garden at home.

Steve...

 

Thanks everyone.

Yes, 4:30 am, what a lovely time of the morning! I suffer from very bad insomnia so a lot of my musings, wafflings and rantings happen in the small hours.

Thank you so much for your replies, really helpful. Going to push myself to have another look for a "handy man" with a lawn mower or a small business who can provide the service. I do keep a look out on various sites for lawn mowers and such but they rarely come up and when they do they go so quickly hehe. Cutting back the hedge rows I should be able to manage myself once I've tackled all that rubbish.. yuck.

I don't have a head for measurements, or anything maths related really lol. But it is a large area, a communal garden spanning the side and entire back of our flats, two two bedroom flats wide (plus the side) and it's quite deep too. It's also quite uneven in places.

Going to take on board taking it slow. Whenever I see a patch of green my instant thought is "Ooooh what could we grow on there?". When I was young we lived on a small scale nursery growing all sorts so it's been ingrained in me from the start that growing your own is a real pleasure, it's cheaper, tastes so much nicer etc etc.

Will stick to getting some herbs going on the kitchen windowsill and start tidying up all that rubbish me thinks, we have some pretty nice (cold but nice) weather here the now so a good time to be out making a start.

Thanks again everyone

 

Wow.. sounds like a mission! And I sympathise with your worries about neighbours. I lived somewhere pretty undesireable once, an estate which over the time I was there turned into a giant student campus, and it was a horrid feeling that whatever I did in the garden would be wrecked in an instant.

But I applaud your determination. I agree with previous posters that you need to break the task up into manageable chunks. First maybe de-litter it. Then gain control of it. Once you can see what kind of space you have you can start to think longer term. Have you thought about planting things which will encourage wildlife? You could even make wildlife retreats as a start out of log piles etc.

Good luck. Can't wait to hear how you get on.

Oh, just a thought, you might be able to keep the grass down yourself with a cheap strimmer for under 15 quid!

 

Hi Maddie - wow, when you take on a challenge you really go for it don't you!

Are there many kids in the area? Maybe you could do as suggested as above, but maybe see if you can get a local kids gardening club going or something? Let them grow things in it that they would enjoy eating - my boys' friends love harvesting from the garden and eating what they can. Often I've caught one of the boys and a friend by the blueberries or the mangetouts just eating them straight from the plant. If the parents are happy with their bottle of vodka, chances are the kids don't know what a cucumber is, let alone how delicious and juicy they are when grown at home. You might not get much help from them this year - but if you do start a garden, maybe have an 'open' afternoon or something for the kids to come and sample and taste......just a thought. The folowing year, you would hopefully get them coming to help plan it out, and help care for it knowing they will get some goodies out of it?

Re tools, greenhouse etc......register with your local freegle or freecycle group - and I'd bet that if you described what you are trying to do - you'd get offers of equipment that could come in handy. Also keep your eyes open at bootfairs - we got a great petrol run rotorooter/cultivator a few years back for about £40 - the same as the days rental cost of one.

 

Hi guys, sorry for the delayed reply. With the bad weather up here the internet has been very finicky so I left it be for a few days. Seems to be okay now though

Yep, when I take something on I do so it properly lol, I get that from my Mum.

Well, with 3 inches of snow in the back garden, it doesn't look as though I'll be doing much for the time being lol. Once the snow has gone though, my first step is to get rid of all the rubbish. I contacted the council explaining what I wanted to do and the extent of the rubbish and they'll pick up what I collected provided it is bagged and out the front - happy days!

Signed up to the freegle and freecycle groups, will see what comes about from that, thank you for the idea! And I love the idea for the wildlife. There are lots of foxes and birds around which spend a lot of time mooching about in the garden, even though the grass has now been flattened by the harsh weather. They come over from the fields to the front of our flats and I love watching the baby foxes playing in the snow out back from my kitchen window.

We've been to aldi and picked up a couple of their 4 pack of spring bulbs, just to brighten the windows sills, which will need to do for now until the weather settles (if weather in Scotland does in fact settle lol) and then we'll see where to go from there me thinks!

 

The weather is frustrating isn't it? It has rained every weekend here. I long for the weekend to get things done in the garden and then it rains! Actually getting quite upset about it now! I'm running out of time to get things achieved.

I just thought about wild flower seed mix. You sprinkle it into the soil and leave it! Cheap way to get colour this year.

 

Have you thought of putting up a notice at your flats asking if anyone would like to join you brightening up the garden.Someone might be interested but find it too daunting on their own.