Landscaping Project.

Big Eggy · May 17, 2011

Hi all,

I have recently brought a new house and the garden needs a LOT of work.

Current garden

I have spent the last few months clearing all the crap left over the back by the previous owners (Scap metal, rubble, bricks, old windows, kids toys etc...)

I'm going to try and document the whole project here and would love for any input or advice.

I currently want to dig out and lay foundations for the shed in the right hand corner, using bits of old paving i have uncovered sort of crazy paving style.

This is what i'm hoping can be achived over the next couple of years:

Mock up's

A lot of work lies ahead.

Eggy

Sheriff Bart · May 18, 2011

I vote for no grass straight veggy beds lol

maybe a few flowers around

Big Eggy · May 18, 2011

Lol.. yeah i'd just have it one big plot but the wife want's a garden to enjoy..

It's been a fight to get some decient sized beds as it is.. the more detailed drawing have square beds (1.5m x 1.5m).. but i think i'm getting her to come round to the idea of 1.2 x 2.4 meter beds (and as HeavyDisipline pointed out easier on my back), also more economical as wood is sold in 2.4m strips.. and room for a MJ Plant in each bed.

Not really into flowers much.. thinking some nice big Hosta's, ferns, and anything i only have to prun each year. Annuals just seem a waste of money and extra hard work to me.

Gonna try and squeeze a little 4ftx6ft glasshouse in there too.. just need a spare £300 for the perspex one as the kids are currently Boy = 2yrs Girl = 7mths.

Eggy

g0vnaa · May 18, 2011

Good luck with your project man.
Who doesn`t love a beautiful garden

edgey · May 18, 2011

looks like you got plenty of room to play with , i'll keep my eye on this as i need idea's for my garden lol

edgey

Sheriff Bart · May 21, 2011

go for medicinal wildflowers
ive started more work on my medicinal/perennial wildflower bed this year, got a lot of new Echinaceas planted, yarrows, hyssops, various agastache species, feverfew, lots of good stuff out there (many perennial herbs too; sages, thymes, 8+ kinds of mint). flowers arent just purty! they can get you high

dubwise · May 24, 2011

dont forget about good companion plants for your beds...they can be very benneficial for keeping bad things away and improving what you've got going. can't go wrong with medicinal herbs. That nice open space on the left side would make a pretty little cornfield...good luck! it's going to be fun.

StealthDragon · May 24, 2011

awesome. keep us updated.

subbed

Big Eggy · May 24, 2011

Thanks for advice guys! :thank you:

Not managing to get much done at the moment, with the F1 on at the weekend, two kiddies keeping me busy and a birthday party to attend.

have created a little bed which we have added to the plan in the bottom right corner of the plans.

have some Verbena Borariensis that i grew from seed ready to go in.. Apparantly these can be hard pruned in autumn and they come back each year if a good mulch used to protect them over winter.

also have a Rosemary knocking around that might go nicely with them.

In the image you can see some sweet pea and sunflower seedlings.. will be moving these when the bed is complete. Have LOADS of this local stone which i find all over the garden (can't say what it is as it will give away my location as it's uniqe to the area) will be trying to recycle it were possable as once cleaned up it looks fairly nice.

Latest Mock up with possable trees/plant names and more to scale.

Eggy

lloy · May 24, 2011

Ok the vebrina is a nice plant. I will make a couple suggestions. for suny areas i recommend anuals. I would getmarigolds, blue aggeratum, your vebrina, and impatients. Pick the colors with the wifey. To compliment the anual beds i would place some vinca vine or sweet potato vine. Blue grass, or zebra grass will grow robust and wide and is recommended for accentuating corners or entrances. Perrenials i would recomend ceedom, blue salvia and strawflower these are hardy plants that will come back evry year. Any specific question feel free to ask. I can also answer any question on masonary, trees shrubs, carpentry, and ornamental ponds. ...... forgot to add for your veggie garden pick what ever the family eats, i cannot recomend a mans taste. I will say though a herb garden will look and smell wonderful. Its a little late but evry thing i reccomended can be bought at a local farm stand or home depot for under 125$.

paulo73 · May 24, 2011

Congrats on the new place. I hope that you and your family are very happy in there!
Thank you for sharing your project.
I am not experienced in any way but i can see plenty of good advice coming from our fellow growers.Let me drop my 2p as well.
Raised beds are a great way of raising yields while reducing the amount of labor going into it.
Medicinal/cooking herbs are another essential in my opinion and please don´t forget to build a composting area. Very good to dispose of any unwanted organic matter while making some sweet compost for next year.
ATB

Big Eggy · Jun 1, 2011

A small update.

Things are going slowly as i only get a few hours here and there when the kids are in bed but have managed to dig out a space that will make the foundations for the shed.. the plan is to make it bigger than needed so i can upgrade the shed one day when i'm not so poor and also use it as a potting down area.

I'm pretty shocked how much dirt was in such a small space but the garden needs re-leveing so this will save on paying for top soil.

Have also planted up the bed i made.. have put the verbena's, a tyme, lavenda and a rosemary, have also added some Saxifragra's near the front. just need to decide how to plant up the berbris, and a small Chyosia Aztec pearl (only cost me £2.50 very happy). Forgotten the name of the white bedding plants but they will fill in the gaps at the front for a bit of summer colour.. just trying how to plant them so they don't look too formal.

Thanks for all the comments and rep guys.. you'v all been a great help.

Eggy

Rednick · Jun 1, 2011

Cool plot.

But might I suggest power tools.
Somebody has got to be renting out a back-hoe or front-loader out there.

I seen this labor of love before, and it's more labor than love.
:blowbubbles:

Big Eggy · Jun 1, 2011

Hi Rednick,

Love your location! we used to smoke in a clearing in the woods where three trees and fallen into a triangle creating nice seating area for 6-7 people.

"Fancy going to the Triangle for a Smoke?"

Have looked into renting a rotivator/cultivator but the only ones in my price range at the moment are suitable for previously worked ground.. so it's hand tool all the way. The bonus is now when i'm down the pub my office accountants hands look more manly.. lol.

Thanks for stopping by.. this is gonna be a long one.

Eggy

Rednick · Jun 1, 2011

'The Rectaltangle' is Colorado, USA.
Not the Emerald Triangle.

London is the only place I been out there. Let's just say it doesn't pay to be an alcoholic in England. $9 a pint! Dear lord.

I had girly hands when I was accounting also. Definitely need an outlet when dealing with spreadsheets all day searching for the lost transaction that is keeping you from balancing.
Now knowing that you are an accountant, dig by hand, I can identify with the need for physical activity.

Big Eggy · Jun 3, 2011

I'm a South London Boy originally but moved when we had the kids.. dont wanna bring little ones up in Peckham.

Colorado of course.. the rectangle! or Rectal :moon:

as you put it lol.

have done a bit of traveling around the the US but mainlly Cali, Nivanda, Arizona & Texas (Houston is scarriest place i've ever been in my life

) if i ever get the chance to go back i'd like to do some camping in Colorado, Oragan, Washington.. and maybe a trip to vancuver for a sample of some BC Bud.

if you ever go back to london i can give you some City pubs that are fairly reasonable.. more like $4.00 - $5.00 a pint.

Eggy

Rednick said:
'The Rectaltangle' is Colorado, USA.
Not the Emerald Triangle.

London is the only place I been out there. Let's just say it doesn't pay to be an alcoholic in England. $9 a pint! Dear lord.

I had girly hands when I was accounting also. Definitely need an outlet when dealing with spreadsheets all day searching for the lost transaction that is keeping you from balancing.
Now knowing that you are an accountant, dig by hand, I can identify with the need for physical activity.

Big Eggy · Jul 4, 2011

Just a quick update to keep this thread going.

Have started filling in my hole in the ground with hardcore.. i'm breaking it up my hand with all the old concrete found while clearing the back of the garden. I've got all my pegs in and leveled (Thanks to Lizzy) so hope to be in a possition to put the sand in next week. Do you like my DIY compactor? gonna look like PopEye when i'm done.

The bed i made at the top of the garden looks really nice now.. glad i left the sweet peas there.. had to leave one sunflower in for my son as he is very excited about it.

will be doing another bed to the left of this one with a lavender and tricolour sage.. did buy a curry plant but not sure i want to smell curry everytime i walk down the stairs of the decking.

paulo73 · Jul 4, 2011

Looking lovely.

bonecarver_OG · Jul 4, 2011

nice one!

i have been the last 4-5 years working on our garden. my garden is quite big and it has needed so much work sometimes it feels it wont finish ever

also i understand you on the money thing also. its damn expensive! just lorries full of pine bark for mulching costs a small fortune, not even mentioning what specific landscaping objects like big stones and such can go up to.

i have a bunch of huge medieval bridge stones decorating parts of my garden. it was propably the most costy and heavy things to organise.

the best reward for any gardener is when ppl stop their cars in the street to take photos of ones garden. just a moment ago i had a couple hanging on the fence pointing and talking about it. it makes one feel good.

the downside is i cant grow nugs outside

good luck and have fun! im sure once your garden is done you will know it was all worth it!

Krull · Jul 4, 2011

Nice thread Eggy!
I would like to have a fraction of your outdoor space sooner or later...
Plant some herbs for cooking and medicinal use and some hot peppers for fun, they look nice & everyone here loves them

Keep up the good work

=K

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