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Please help me plan my share of the garden

divya84divya84 Posts: 24
in Garden design
I live in a Victorian conversion of three flats and each of us has a share of the garden. Mine is the middle one (the work in progress with bags) pictured below. We initially started out just digging up the old weedy uneven turf and just planned to replace that, but have now decided to reduce the lawn area to increase the borders and try to make it pretty with some small trees, shrubs, flower beds etc. The garden is NW facing and gets a good amount of sunlight throughout the day, and has clay soil. What sort of plants/trees should I be looking at -- I want something pretty that will have visual interest through the year and will attract bees and birds?  I'm a complete gardening novice apart from managing houseplants. 
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    What do you want to do with the garden?  Do you want an area for sitting out ... relaxing ... entertaining ?  What sort of gardens do you like ... big herbaceous borders, cottage gardens with some flowers and veg?
    Have you thought about having some water ... a pool or bog garden ... that'll attract lots of wildlife.  
     :) 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    What a lovely idea, sharing the garden space like that.  When I rented in one of those conversions, only ground floor had use of the garden in the contract.  

    Like Dove said, have a think of what you will enjoy most.. then report back to us, and we can help you plan the details.  
    Utah, USA.
  • divya84divya84 Posts: 24
    edited June 2018
    Oh I like cottage style -- I watched Alys Fowler's edible garden show, and loved her little productive garden. If I can mix some vegetables/herbs with flowering plants and a fruit tree, that would be ideal, but I want to start small and just get the structure/layout right first. 

    The main use for us would be to sit (in some Adirondack chairs :-)) and enjoy listening to the birds and read a book over the weekends (apart from the joy in maintaining/tending to it).

    I have a toddler so I was thinking about putting in a small swing but I wonder if that may overwhelm the space. We live quite close to multiple parks, so I don't mind foregoing that. 
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I think you should have a chat with the other two and see if you can agree on a few things. The garden will look better overall if there is a bit of a plan, so that one bit doesn't work against another. That doesn't mean the parts all have to be the same, there can be contrast, but try to make them feel part of a whole garden, so you all get more to enjoy. And if the one at the top wants to grow veg in the sun, and you plant shrubs that block the light, or you want cottagey and the bottom one goes for palm trees and jungle, one of the pair might end up less than happy!
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I think you should have a chat with the other two and see if you can agree on a few things. The garden will look better overall if there is a bit of a plan, so that one bit doesn't work against another. That doesn't mean the parts all have to be the same, there can be contrast, but try to make them feel part of a whole garden, so you all get more to enjoy. And if the one at the top wants to grow veg in the sun, and you plant shrubs that block the light, or you want cottagey and the bottom one goes for palm trees and jungle, one of the pair might end up less than happy!
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    "I think you should have a chat with the other two and see if you can agree on a few things."

    I agree.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    edited June 2018
    Have you had a look over the fence on the left? Looks like quite a well established garden - that might give you some ideas as to what grows well there. 

    I think I would probably pick one small tree to make a focal point.
    I'd make a narrow path of some sort - maybe grass or gravel to match the main path - preferably curving, from towards the right of your remaining grass to meet the main path near the back of your plot.
    One or at most two large shrubs near the fence on the right to give some height and winter 'presence'.
    A mixture of perennials to flower from April/May through to November. 
    A winter flowering climber growing along the fence.
    And lots of spring flowering bulbs - which you can plant in the autumn.
    I'd put a mixture of evergreens and small herbaceous plants in that narrow strip on the left.

    [ETA: just saw you said you like cottage style] If you'd like a Potager, an apple tree (if there are others in nearby gardens to cross pollinate) or a bay in a pot. Herbs like sage, sweet cicely, hyssop and possibly rosemary if it's sunny. Pretty edibles like chard, strawberries, and borlotti beans on a teepee. A shrub might be sweet myrtle or a damask rose.

    You need to look around at gardens nearby and get some ideas based on what you like. Pick one or two key plants, make a clear form and then just get stuff you like and grow it. 

    The key to wildlife friendly is not to be too tidy and to try to have something in flower every day of the year. Go for simple flower shapes - daisies and open bells.
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • The Bald GardenerThe Bald Gardener Posts: 212
    I wouldn't bother putting trees in personally, there appears to be plenty surrounding your area. Depends what you want from your garden but I'd level an area to the rear and have a nice seating area (just in front of where your neighbour has planters). Then I'd go for colour, there's lots of green around you so a wee splash of colourful flowers to the front of your area would be nice I reckon.

    All depends what you want from it, the 'flower area' could just as easily be a veg patch I reckon.

    It's nice you have a decent wee spot with mature trees and bushes surrounding you I reckon. The broad brush strokes are already there, all you have to do is add a little finesse to set it off.

    I'd use the same or very similar wood that your neighbour has used if you do opt for a seating area, it'll blend in better and make your area appear bigger than it is. :) 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I'm not sure if this is a helpful suggestion, but if you wanted some privacy, you could put some trellis across some of the garden, so that it is not so over-looked. You could have some good colour growing up it. It might give it 'secret garden' feel and make the whole length feel longer. The back plot has a secret garden feel.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Rather than a swing for your toddler, how about a porch swing for adults and child?  It will give you seating area, plus somewhere to cuddle with your toddler while you rock them.  Self standing ones with an awning are fairly inexpensive.  Or make your own wood supports, and turn them into a trellis for scented climbing flowers.  Leave a bit of open dirt for mud pies, monster trucks, and wildlife like mason bees and swallows.  

    Grow some peas mixed amoung your flowers, for your little one.  Most peas have white flowers and are green, but some of purple flowers and purple pods!  They are magical to children.  
    Utah, USA.
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