'New' garden advice please.

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LittleBrownFrog
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'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

As many of you know, we have recently moved house. The garden here is beautiful - it's obviously been very well loved and carefully tended. The garden at our old house was a shambles when we got it, and only marginally less so when we moved out. I'm reasonably knowledgeable about vegetable growing, but have no real idea about general gardening. I've inherited a garden full of plants, and am anxious to keep it all reasonably under control (not least because the previous owners live just next door, and I would hate them to feel that I wasn't looking after things properly).
So, does anyone have any advice for taking on an established garden? I haven't the first idea of how to prune shrubs, what needs doing & when.
So far I have decided that I will do the rounds of the garden & take lots of photographs, so that I can see where things are, even when some plants have died back during the winter. I also think I need to take a 'little and often' approach & just try to do a few minutes of something every day.
I'm sure that there will be lots of questions to follow. )t'
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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Knikitta
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by Knikitta »

We are doing the exact same thing. We moved in here in Feb and have been constantly taking pictures and just generally letting everything grow to see if it is wanted or unwanted. I won't say weed because "a weed is only a weed if it is unwanted by the gardener!" )t'

I am a Horticulturist and Master Gardener so veg growing I can do no problem, but flowers and plants sometimes elude me. Best thing to do (imo) is find out what the plants/shrubs/flowers are then perhaps search on Gardeners World or the RHS site to see what they say about your particular genus and how best to tend to it?

I am sure some one more wisely will be along shortly to offer much better advice, I am just saying what we have done so far! :D

Good Luck!
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perchy
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by perchy »

When you see your neighbour you could compliment them and ask how they use to manage it, and would they mind you asking now and again )t'
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Thank you both :-D That's a good idea Perchy - I was already thinking of asking her to come and tell me the names of the plants I don't recognise.
I'm very excited because we have quite a few fruit trees / bushes, and a hazel tree.
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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Homemade
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by Homemade »

I can help with id if you post photos.
Good idea to ask the previous owners.
Don't feel you have to keep everything as they had it if you don't want too, after all you will change the wallpaper in the house to suit you and you should do the same with a garden, it has to work for you.
Best is to keep it tidy for a year and watch what comes up and decide what you like then.
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Thank you :-D Help with identifying some things would be very useful. I've earmarked a patch for a few veggies, so I think I'm going to start by clearing the couple of bits that are there. (Just a clump of montbretia, which I know can be moved easily, and some brambles, which can stay until the fruit is finished.
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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Sara
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by Sara »

Exciting!! When we moved here, I left the garden to grow over a year so that we could see what grew where and when, and since then i have just added to it... But i dont really know what im doing {rofwl}

Good luck, and can we see a piccy ( i love other peoples gardens ) )grin2(

Homemade is definitly ace at identifying plants... {hug}
[center]Happy to have shown Titchy Clucker a little corner of France[/center]


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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

This is the best one I have at the moment - it shows the view from upstairs. I'll do some proper ones over the weekend :-D
Image
house 016 by LittleBrownFrog, on Flickr
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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Sara
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by Sara »

That looks lovely... :-D

I cant wait to see more pics... Not that im nosey or anything {rofwl}
[center]Happy to have shown Titchy Clucker a little corner of France[/center]


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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Here's the link to my garden pictures if anyone is interested - http://www.flickr.com/photos/25198986@N03/sets/72157631548519282/

I'm going to post a few individual pictures in a minute, with a few questions.
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Is this a Californian Poppy?
Image
Garden September 2012 002 by LittleBrownFrog, on Flickr
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Does anyone know what this is - the leaves are such a beautiful colour.
Image
Garden September 2012 008 by LittleBrownFrog, on Flickr
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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LittleBrownFrog
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Re: 'New' garden advice please.

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

Last but not least, what's this and how do I get rid of it? I know that it's horrid stuff that spreads everywhere, because we had it in the old garden. I don't like the look of it, I certainly don't enjoy digging out the big clumps, or trying to keep on top of the hundreds of babies it seems to produce each week }hairout{
Image
Garden September 2012 015 by LittleBrownFrog, on Flickr
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
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