Novice gardener needing advice...
 

Hi all,

I've just landscaped my first garden and have two decent size raised flower beds about 2 feet deep and have no idea what kind of plants/flowers etc to put in them. I'm looking to do it this weekend (once i've removed the old weeds from them) and am trying to find out what kind of things to put in them at this time of year.

I'm not wanting anything that requires too much maintenance as i'm a 26 year old man and have not got much time to look after plants/flower...obviously I know they will need watering etc.

So a complete novice that would love some suggestions and also where best to buy from i.e internet or local nurseries etc?

Many thanks in advance,

Pete

Novice gardener needing advice...
 

On 8/10/11 7:46 AM, Pete H7 wrote:
Hi all,

I've just landscaped my first garden and have two decent size raised
flower beds about 2 feet deep and have no idea what kind of
plants/flowers etc to put in them. I'm looking to do it this weekend
(once i've removed the old weeds from them) and am trying to find out
what kind of things to put in them at this time of year.

I'm not wanting anything that requires too much maintenance as i'm a 26
year old man and have not got much time to look after
plants/flower...obviously I know they will need watering etc.

So a complete novice that would love some suggestions and also where
best to buy from i.e internet or local nurseries etc?

Many thanks in advance,

Pete

When you seek advice about plants, please let us know where you are and
what your climate is. Advice for the Cheviot Hills of England will be
quite different from advice for the Cheviot Hills of Los Angeles,
California. Portland, Oregon, has quite a different climate than
Portland, Maine. Rome, New York, is different from Rome, Italy.

No, you don't have to be as detailed as my Climate Web page (see my
signature below). But you should let us know, for example if your
winters are severe or mild and if your summers are torrid or merely warm.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Novice gardener needing advice...
 

Pete H7 wrote:

I've just landscaped my first garden and have two decent size raised
flower beds about 2 feet deep and have no idea what kind of
plants/flowers etc to put in them. I'm looking to do it this weekend
(once i've removed the old weeds from them) and am trying to find out
what kind of things to put in them at this time of year.

I'm not wanting anything that requires too much maintenance as i'm a 26
year old man and have not got much time to look after
plants/flower...obviously I know they will need watering etc.

Plastic flowers require nothing of you and they'll fare well in any
climate.

Hi Pete,

Sounds like you have been working hard!!! A lot of what you plant will depend on the aspect of your beds, ie. sun, shade, protected etc.

As you don't want much maintenance I would recommended some attractive evergreen shrubs, ie Ceanothus (californian lilac) has a mass of blue plumes in the spring/early summer. Choisya are a lovely shrub with an abundance of white flowers in the spring, Pieris Flame are lovely but will depend on your soil type, as long as you plant in a compost size bag of ericaceous soil they will be fine. Euonymus provide attractive foliage. You could then place some hebe's to the front and then mix in some perennials and bulbs.

Phlox look lovely at the moment, lavender, echinacea, chysanthemums to name a few.

I hope this helps!

Gardening is such a nice hobby... One of my Favorited, And where ever I find change to gain advice , I go there... If someone has some sort of valuable advice to grow Flowers and vegetables , Please share it with us too.. Thank you!