On 15/03/2012 19:34, zoebee87 wrote:
Hi there!

i have no idea what any of the other stuff is, some blinking rhubarb
type plant and this rather crooked looking tree on the right (which
actually was kinda pretty last summer since it flowered) but these
bushes...in the corners? what the hell are they? what do i do with them?

A pretty good guide is if in doubt do nowt. Wait until they flower and
*then* decide if you like them or not. Most things can be pruned back
just after they flower without much risk of damage. Prune back hard or
remove the things you really don't like at all after seeing them flower.

if im perfectly honest i would love nothing more than to get rid of
everything except the crooked tree. i would get rid of that ivy and
replace it with something...well...else. ha. i would like flowers
everywhere...i mean around the edges im assuming that those piled bricks
are raised beds? am i cottoning on a bit more? well i have a
vision...and that vision is...poppies. not the remembrance ones...ive
actually been looking at Angels Choir type.

Simplest thing to do for now is cut the grass regularly and rearrange
the paving slabs to get either a patio and a path to it or rid of them
entirely. Then work around pulling up the more obvious weeds doing a bit
at a time. Be useful to know which way is North too. I am guessing from
the algae on walls that the camera is facing ~NW.

If it was mine I would probably run a path down the left hand wall and
put a small block patio where it catches the evening sun top right. The
moss and algae suggest there isn't a lot of direct sunlight. I'd plant
hydrangea petiolaris against the N facing wall slow growing but pretty.

You might want to consider pressure jetting the paths and flags to make
it look neater.

Plenty of easy to flower annuals available as cheap seeds from the likes
of Wilkinsons or similar. Sorts of plants where you can sprinkle the
seeds on bare soil and have a decent chance of seeing flowers this year
include calendula, antirrhinum, californian poppies, opium poppies, love
in a mist. None of them are too invasive for a small garden. A spring
bulbs would brighten things up at this time of year.

And you don't want anything too toxic with a toddler about so foxgloves
and various other toxic plants are definitely out of the question.

what would be great is for someone to kindly tell me what ive got
growing in my garden and whats best to do with what ive got i suppose,
unless it wouldnt that difficult to pull everything except my tree out
and re do it.

Closeups of plants in flower would help with ID. The garden isn't at all
bad. You just need to spend a bit of time neatening it up and it will
look a lot better. Do it now before the weeds really get going!

An hour a day will make a big difference...

--
Regards,
Martin Brown