I have a new house and I don’t know how to look after my garden!!

The advice above to wait a full growing season before you make big changes is good. For example you may find that lots of bulbs flower in a month or two. But if you want to plant any trees in particular places do it as soon as you can. The sooner they are planted the sooner they will grow. Winter is a perfect tree planting time.

You live in a special place. I’ve been to Argyll three times and I love the scenery and space and everything about it. You say you want to attract birds and other wildlife to your garden. I wonder if you have eagles flying over. Having a loch so close I would suggest working with and from that as a staring point. Is it a freshwater or saltwater loch? Make a pond, that would be the first thing to improve habitat close to the house. Next I would plant shrubs and herbatious plants to encourage pollinating insects. You will find lots of info online. Google something like ‘plants to attract bees’ and there will be recommendations. I recommend this book for gardening for wildlife. Probably a library will have it if you don’t want to buy it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/RSPB-Garde...&qid=1549307805&sr=8-1&keywords=adrian+thomas

These days my gardening is primarily to attract wildlife but I live in southern England so conditions are very different from Argyll. But you have wonderful birds up there which would be the envy of southerners. Go for it , you are embarking on a wonderful journey.

 

Hi all!!

Thanks so much for all of your feedback - I really appreciate how helpful this will be to me.

I should have explained this house is a holiday home so I am only here at weekends. So I am here today and it is utterly miserable. I think I jumped the gun in saying we have rhododendron - although I think we do - can you guys confirm?

I’ve attached photos. This tree/ bush surrounds the entire side of the house and is also at the front too but spread out.

Thanks as ever

 

Also I used a compass standing at the front of my house and it faces West so any help for a west facing garden would be brill