kafifa wrote:
Hi
I just moved into a new house, and the new garden is an absolute
wreck!
You dont' say where - or what soil type - which is quite important.
But this is the worst part of the winter, and it sounds like the last owners
did not clear up much at the back end of last year, so it might be nowhere
near as bad as you think. Have a look at one of the group's FAQs:
http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFAQ/startingout.html


when I did a drain test ... remained filled after 24hrs.
My own garden has the water table about an inch below the soil at this time
of year. It may be perfectly normal where you live - have a look at the
levels and at your neighbour's plots. Don't panic. You will hear a lot
about "well draining" soil, but that is not the same thing as a low water
table. Even if your soil is heavy clay, that is wonderfully fertile if a
bit of a sod to work. PH7 is no bad thing: opinions vary.


Also the grassy area is bare and patchy. What I want to do is extend
the grassy area (removing some patio stones) and restore the grass (is
re-turfing the only way?).
Bare and patchy could just mean winter, or it might mean much abuse from
dogs and children. Difficult to say without seeing it. There are several
good books on lawnkeeping and, of course, our FAQ:
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqlawn.html

Turfing is quick, requires good preparation, good aftercare, but is very
expensive.
Seeding is slow, requires good preparation, good aftercare, and is less
expensive.
It's possible to get seed with wildflowers in if you want a less clinical
lawn, but some people call them weeds.

I want to plant lots of flowers along the
sides, and finally get rid of the bushy area at the back and turn it
into a vegetable patch.
Fairly standard stuff: You say "finally" - that's sensible, it might be
"eventually".
It's often recommened not to rush into anything first year - wait and see
what comes up. But if you are not an expert gardener, that might not help
much - will you recognise things? It's also worth doing any required fence
repairs straight away, so you don't disturb/trample plants you've put in
yourself in two years time. Even if that's only creosoting.

If you do strip the flowerbeds before the spring, dig in lots of
compost/vegetable matter if you can afford it. The more the betterer.

The bushy area might be fine depending what it is: flowering shrubs might
want cutting back to give a better show, or might just want leaving alone.

Find out everything you can from neighbours, and from local suppliers, about
what grows well. Try and recognise the plants you already have, and see how
they do "over the fence". Buy books - the "gardening expert" series are
well thought of. There is a faq on books too - the whole list is at
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/urgfaqs.htm

Oh, and I want a small pond and deck at the back too.
Big project a pond. I'd eschew decking. It looks good on TV, but is
high-maintainence and won't last as long as paving or bricks. Can be slimey
when wet.


Sorry for the long post, but I really need some easy advice and
motivating words to start this task, as this is my first time doing
any gardening!
Plan A: be a bit aware of your general fitness. If you have "office
muscles" don't overdo it too quickly: it's easy for even a young person to
damage thier backs or tendons by heavy digging or other overenthusiasms.


WHat should be the first thing I do in order to get started?


I'd do the fences right now, if they even slightly want doing.
Next do some research and planning. Think before you dig.
Then if you must clear the flowerbeds, dig in lots of muck as soon as
possible so soil is ready for planting in the spring. It's too late for
spring flowering things really, so you'd be planting up march/april/may to
flower april/may/june. Just bang in cheap bedding plants for this year, and
think about the longer term plan as time goes by.
If you need to do the grass I'd sow seed around April, or turf in May. It
gives you time to get the preparation done, and to get the growth
established after the worst of the weather and before the driest months.
You'll still have to water a lot though.

Don't do paving/reconstruction in August - digging is far too hard. Start
now, or at least in March, or leave it till next autumn.

Sort out your back bit next back end, and dig in muck over the winter to get
it ready for next year. Don't worry about it now.