Hi from the Somerset Levels.....

Discussion in 'New Members Introduction' started by Ellie Jones, Aug 9, 2014.

  1. Ellie Jones

    Ellie Jones Gardener

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    Hi all

    I have a major task ahead of me finally turning the area outside my back door, commonly called a 'Garden' into what actually looks like a garden with items such as a lawn and plants surrounding it......

    And I know that I am going to need help not just with my rudimentary knowledge of gardening but some major issues within the garden, when I say major I mean major!

    The minor problems I face

    • The Garden is South Facing, a complete sun trap
    • It's small only 5m x 4m ish (we intend to move our side boundary fence out to the actual boundary next year giving us another 2-3 meters)
    • The soil is clay
    The major ones

    • We have a large slab of concrete at the top of the garden, next to our shed, totally unsightly indeed.
    • The lawn is raised and full of creators (our youngest german shepherd, who has now grown out of wanting to be a miner)
    • Her excavation activities did however uncover why since moving in 5 years ago, I have failed to get the lawn to thrive in any shape or form.
    • The garden is raised because it contains the remains of the brick shed that once stood on the concrete slab, and a above ground stone fishpond, mixed with other rubbish!

    I however this summer started out with growing a small salad crop, lettuce tomatoes etc on the patio, to test my dogs and whether they would leave them alone, which they have so I have progressed to making a much needed chill out corner, with tubs, hanging baskets and a nice wooden Bistro Set, even managed to take some fuchsia cuttings early this year from my MIL's garden :) And pleased as punch the hanging baskets, and various tubs I have, I have brought from the garden centre within a diy shop as very reduced prices, given tlc to bring them back!
     
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    • wiseowl

      wiseowl FRIENDLY ADMIN Staff Member

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      Good afternoon Ellie Jones and a warm welcome to Gardeners Corner my friend,you will get all the help and advice you need here,from warm,friendly and knowledgable people:smile:

      [​IMG]
       
    • Marley Farley

      Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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      [​IMG] Ellie I am sure you will get plenty of suggestions.. Look forward to seeing you around.. :thumbsup:
       
    • Jenny namaste

      Jenny namaste Total Gardener

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      Hallo Ellie,
      :sign0016: to Gardeners Corner. You'll find loads of help and inspiration here. Looking forward to seeing you around,
      enjoy,
      Jenny namaste
       
    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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      Hi Ellie, welcome to Gardeners Corner!!!:biggrin::thumbsup:
       
    • Sheal

      Sheal Total Gardener

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      Welcome to GC Ellie, it sounds like you have a fair bit of work to do but members will help you out along the way. :)
       
    • Phil A

      Phil A Guest

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      Welcome to Gardeners Corner :sign0016:

      I'm an ex leveller, used to live at Hambridge :)
       
    • Ellie Jones

      Ellie Jones Gardener

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      Thanks for the Welcome....

      I shall probably be asking lots of questions, even the silly ones.. ( I know I will :) )

      In many ways I feel daunted by what I need to do, as a lot of preparation work, which going to mean hard labour eek.... My lawn is actually scaring me, as I've relaid a lawn before, but didn't have a ton or two of rubble to remove before I could even start the preparation work for the new lawn.

      Actually pondering how much it would cost to get contractors in, to the hardest bit removing the rubble, as even though I could do it myself our local council tip now level charges at the tip! I assumed the charge of £3.50 for a bag of rubble, was for a builder's rubble sack size, found out the other weekend while down there. they class a bag as being a supermarket carrier bag! And skips are as cheap as they used to be

      @Zigs

      Beautiful part of the country is the Levels, as you know got a diverse lot of soil content around the levels, from lovely peaty soil, to red quantock soil, and where I live clay, and I kid you not, I could make a large full dinner service from some parts of my garden, as it's solid clay!
       
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      • Phil A

        Phil A Guest

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        • Ellie Jones

          Ellie Jones Gardener

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          @Zigs

          Yes please do send me some when they ready...

          We all thought that the 2013 flooding were bad enough, but this years has been totally devastating indeed... Here's so photo's from the the 2014 flood

          Taken from the bank of the River Parret at Stathe looking out over Aller Moor Sand bagging 066.JPG
           
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          • Phil A

            Phil A Guest

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          • Hairy Gardener

            Hairy Gardener Official Ass. (as given by Shiney)

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            Hello and welcome, you will like it here :spinning:
             
          • Ellen

            Ellen Total Gardener

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          • Fern4

            Fern4 Total Gardener

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            Hi Ellie.....welcome to GC :sign0016: :spinning:
             
          • JWK

            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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            Hello Ellie and welcome to the forum :)
             
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