Hello from an absolute beginner

Hello

I recently moved in to my first house. I've never really taken a big interest in gardening, until now, so I could do with a bit of advice!
The garden was turfed when we moved in and that's it, it's a blank canvas as such.
The garden faces west so the sun works its way across during the day. I don't know anything about the soil yet. The house was built on a brownfield site where a factory once was. The builders put a layer of soil down before the turf but I don't know what it's like under that.
Anyway, I would like to just try and start with a basic flower bed. Ideally I would like some plants that will attract wildlife. I like lavender and would like to plant some herbs too. Sort of cottage garden type flowers I suppose. I was thinking about putting a bed in along the wall at the back. I thought a raised bed would be good but I don't know what opinions are on these. It was mainly for neatness and the fact we have two children and one on the way so I thought it would create a sort of boundary. Also it seems most of the plants I have looked at need well drained soil, how can I achieve this?
Sorry this has been a long post, I'm looking forward to hearing back.

 

Welcome to this very friendly garden forum. I'm sure there are others with more gardening experience than me, but I would say the grass looks nice and green so the soil underneath shouldn't be too bad.

I used to grow just flowers but as my daughter & grandaughter have decided (like some children they are on a piece of elastic) to come and live here I now grow vegetables.

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner

 

Welcome Signalman. Raised beds seem to be very popular at the moment and are a good way of overcoming difficult soil. Looking at your picture there are a lot of straight lines, perhaps it would be better to dig a bed straight into the soil and give it some curves to soften those lines. Having said that I have a two tiered raised bed in a corner of my garden and given some shape something similar could work in the area you refer too......

This is how it looked not to long after it was first built. The bed is now minus the pole that carried overhead electricity cables.


And how it looked last summer.


With an ordinary bed climbers would give you height and help to soften the bareness of the brick and 'pencil' type shrubs like my Yew above would have a similar effect. Not a plant I would suggest with youngsters around unless they understand that some plants are poisonous.

Soil type can be helped by digging in compost, manure etc. but may need a bit more work if it's clay. Gardening rules can be bent if you want to have a go at trial and error. I have sandy soil which needs compost and nutrients regularly but there are plants growing against the rules. For instance, I have an Azalea which would prefer totally different soil and is thriving. Also roses that are really hungry shrubs, I feed those three times during the growing season. Plant labels/instructions are guidelines, they don't have to be stuck to rigidly so if you want to try a particular plant then do so.

When you get to the point of choosing plants we will be happy to give you a hand on which will work in your garden.

 

Quote of the year. Well done.

 

Hi Signalman,



Welcome to Gardeners Corner

I'm sure that with our advice and your " doing " we'll have you ejoying your garden by the end of the Summer.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone, it's all been helpful and given me some ideas

I'm looking forward to making a start.

 

Hi..welcome to GC