Hello,

My real name is Chrissie, and I live in Derbyshire. I moved house last year to a corner plot and my front garden is much bigger than my small very badly concreted back yard.

I have never done gardening before. It's taken me a year to sort the house out and am now ready to tackle the outside. I know exactly what I want, but I have no idea how to do it!

I'd really like to put photos somewhere, and show you all what I am faced with. The gardens are both like a blank canvas really, they aren't overgrown or anything, and I have a lawn at the front. I did manage to plant some bulbs in a border I dug out, and they came through quite successfully.

The first thing I would like to do is dig out two circles in the lawn and plant two apple trees. Does anyone know which variety would be best? Ideally I'd like a cooker and an eater, but do the need to be the same variety if I have two? When is the best time to plant them?

Because I am on a corner, the garden feels very exposed and I would like some privacy, and eventually I'd like to be able to use some things I've grown, like herbs, chillis, garlic, maybe carrots and potatoes? And definitely beetroot, I could live on that! And flowers, I love flowers, and hanging baskets and window boxes... the more the merrier!

So any advice would be welcome and any questions you have, please ask!

Milliebert wrote:

My real name is Chrissie, and I live in Derbyshire. I moved house last
year to a corner plot and my front garden is much bigger than my small
very badly concreted back yard.

I'd really like to put photos somewhere, and show you all what I am
faced with.

If you don't mind us knowing where you live, then you might be
able to link to Google Streetview for the front.

Because I am on a corner, the garden feels very exposed and I would like
some privacy, and eventually I'd like to be able to use some things
I've grown, like herbs, chillis, garlic, maybe carrots and potatoes?
And definitely beetroot, I could live on that! And flowers, I love
flowers, and hanging baskets and window boxes... the more the merrier!

Are there any existing walls, fences or hedges around the front
garden, or is it all open plan? If there is nothing there right
now, there are planning limits on what you can do, and there may
also be restrictive covenants imposed by the original builder.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/fenceswallsgates/

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Thanks Sacha, I'll take some photos today and do exactly as you suggest.

I'm never likely to sunbathe, but I do like sitting out with a good book. So I thought at the back I'd like to build a raised bed and then have lots of pots and tubs, hanging baskets etc., and a little wrought iron table. It could be a really pretty space (you will see how awful it looks when I put the link up to photos later!) but I have a good imagination!

The front, I thought would be nicer for other people to see too. Along the front fence I was thinking of putting some different coloured bushes to give some privacy along the fence (currently about 3' high). And then an arch, or trellis over the gate. I am thinking very long term here, my budget is tight, so i thought getting the two trees in soon would be good. There used to be six or seven trees here but the previous occupier chopped them all down so he could see out!

I will go and take some pictures now x

Hi Chris,

I have fences all round the property. 8' high in some parts, as low as 3' in others.