"allang0831" wrote ...


hello everyone im Allan , I live in Glasgow , Im 32 and have just moved
into our first house with a garden . We are complete novices to
gardening but want to basicaly re do the complete area we have , so
decided to join a forum for ideas and maybe a bit of help from
experienced heads so to speak . Looking forward to the banter .


If you now have a blank canvas upon which to make a garden then the first
thing is to get all those involved, wife, kids, to write down separately
what they personally want out of the garden, don't discuss it now, write it
down away from each other. Any plants that are "must haves" also must be
written down, they may be presents already received or one that has
sentimental value. This will give you a list of "wants" which you can then
discuss/argue over ending up with a list of things to be provided. From that
list it becomes easier to draw up plans. For example, if you want a
patio/sitting area in the sun when you come home from work there is probably
only one place for it, likewise if the wife wants to sunbath all day, or you
want a Lily pond etc.
Once you have roughly planed the "Hard Landscaping" then you need to do the
same thing with the planting. One person might like "Cottage Garden" style
with winding paths whilst another may like "Formal" straight sharp paths or
even "Tropical". Then, and only then, you can start discussing the plants.

You should discuss all these things before starting as it's very difficult
to change later and you can save a lot of money getting it right from the
start.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK