Hi,

I'm a newcomer to this discussion board and a beginner gardener. I'd appreciate some advice on a particular problem
We have inherited a very bare garden, and neighbourhood cats are using it as a loo. We have planted ferns, lavender, rosemary, various other plants but cannot hope to fill up the beds with plants in a short period, so thinking of a mulch. I assume bark/wood chips would not deter cats in their digging? Thinking of using large cobbles. Any advice welcome! Also welcome advice on fast-growing evergreen plants which will provide ground cover,

Thanks,

lavenderlover

On Jul 17, 3:28*pm, lavenderlover lavenderlover.
wrote:
Hi,

I'm a newcomer to this discussion board and a beginner gardener. I'd
appreciate some advice on a particular problem
We have inherited a very bare garden, and neighbourhood cats are using
it as a loo. We have planted ferns, lavender, rosemary, various other
plants but cannot hope to fill up the beds with plants in a short
period, so thinking of a mulch. I assume bark/wood chips would not deter
cats in their digging? Thinking of using large cobbles. Any advice
welcome! Also welcome advice on fast-growing evergreen plants which will
provide ground cover,

Thanks,

lavenderlover

--
lavenderlover

I think you need to get yourself a good book on garden design. Your
question is too general to be answered.

A friend had a cat crapping problem all over the garden untill he dug his kids a sand pit..................all the cats then used that, so try a shallow sand pit.

"lavenderlover" wrote in message
...

Hi,

I'm a newcomer to this discussion board and a beginner gardener. I'd
appreciate some advice on a particular problem
We have inherited a very bare garden, and neighbourhood cats are using
it as a loo. We have planted ferns, lavender, rosemary, various other
plants but cannot hope to fill up the beds with plants in a short
period, so thinking of a mulch. I assume bark/wood chips would not deter
cats in their digging? Thinking of using large cobbles. Any advice
welcome! Also welcome advice on fast-growing evergreen plants which will
provide ground cover,

Thanks,

lavenderlover


Cobbles work very well at deterring cats but are not great to walk on so I
would suggest a few strategically placed stepping stones.

Beware fast evergreen ground covers as they don't come with off switches!
two plants that will do a good job are Hedera helix (common Ivy) and vinca
minor (periwinkle)

Remember that a lot of web based plant pages are intended to inform but also
sell a plant so read the information as you would estate agents blurb and
better still have a note book with you when you visit other gardens and
parks and note down the names of stuff you like, if you cant see a name take
some pictures and post a link to them here, lots of us like a puzzle :~)


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

but cannot hope to fill up the beds with plants in a short
period,


Well you could if you sowed seed either stuff like sweet William,
forget-me-not, stock which will grow into small plants now and be ready
to flower next spring.
You could put in bulbs, or some of the end of season cheap bedding to
fill gaps
You could even try sowing some vegetables in the gaps just to cover the
ground

In a recently visited garden the very keen and expert gardener had
covered his island beds with gravel (the small pea shingle stuff) and
planted through, he assured us it had dissuaded his neighbours 3 cats.
--
Janet Tweedy
Amersham Gardening Association
http://www.amersham-gardening.net