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Old 01-03-2007, 05:12 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Bob Hobden Bob Hobden is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,056
Default An empty Canvas.....


"405 TD Estate" (shame) wrote ..
I am a beginner gardener and my garden has no flowers or shrubs in at
all.

Is there a good guide to what I can plant, how much it costs and what
conditions suit it?

Is the best garden one where you plant different plants etc so that
something is flowering all year round?

Would a BnQ have an advisor (or perhaps better a proper garden centre
if I could find one?) that would be able to plan what to plant and
when?

I'm assuming now(ish) coming out of winter is a good time to plant
stuff?

First you need to decide what sort of garden you want by looking at
magazines, visiting gardens etc to get some ideas about hard landscaping,
paths, walls, patios, sheds, pergolas, ponds, water features, etc. Of course
a patio should get the evening sun if possible so you can use it when home
from work, a shed tucked away out of site, a pond needs sun to make lilies
flower etc. These have to be made first.
By then, by looking at the pictures of gardens you will have some idea of
the type of planting you like, plain with a lawn and lots of summer bedding,
overgrown tropical, herbaceous borders etc. from that point you ask again
here and go to a very good GC every couple of weeks and buy plants that are
in flower naturally at that time. Then you will have a garden that always
has something of interest to you.
Please ignore these instant makeover programs, unless you have limitless
pockets and superb knowledge it cannot be done and even then they always
plant too close so it looks good instantly, but I bet they have problems
within a year.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK