I know nothing about this garden's history, the house was built in 1901, I can see that there were 4 trees, look like fruit trees, but were cut down to stumps, there must have been a greenhouse (I used the base to put my shed on) but otherwise, I have no idea. The soil is lush in most parts, however, in some areas, I dig down and find roots like those of Ivy, and my spade hits quite tough pieces of these roots.
Well I did a PH test on the soil in about 6 areas, they all come out at 7, so I should be OK to grow most stuff, I had to do something to cover this old well, so I have started a rockery (any suggestions on the rock lay-outs) I have 4 more in the car! also I am making a bit of headway into the dividing border between me and next doors "Garden" or should i say jungle, I'm going to chop all the bramble back, then stick a good fence up, I have a greenhouse coming in the morning, and I'm afraid it's going on the flattest area, at the near to bottom of the garden, I would love suggestions from anyone, on what to get up and running in the greenhouse. Oh and AnniD, I am having a sleeper installed to bank up the soil, it's all go here, but I want it somewhere near for Summer.
It's starting to look good @pclark42, and good news about the Ph levels but I don't envy you the battle with that bramble patch - you will have a fight on your hands to keep that under control. Is there an old fence underneath that lot? If you can, the best thing to do would be to put a vertical barrier down your side of the new fence, something like roofing felt or butyl liner, in order to keep the bramble roots out of your garden. I would be very inclined to use a one-off treatment of SBK weedkiller on the base of the bramble once you've cut it back. I would also advise waiting to cut it back for another month or so in case there's hibernating hedgehogs or toads underneath.
Can't help you with the greenhouse though, but there are plenty of other posters who can help with that. Good luck with all your projects, that is so exciting.
Well this weekend I got to cut back tons of bramble with my new power tool and cut an absolute ton out of the conifer, now I am one post into making my garden private, the garden is very long and neglected, next door only use the upper quarter, and those brambles are theirs. I have never built a fence in my whole life, but I'm not dumb and it's on the way, I'll KEEP POSTING.
Well the first fence panel was installed on Sunday, and another yesterday afternoon, it will take some time to complete, in the meantime I have been levelling the area in front of the panel to make my greenhouse base, I was going to use the plastic grid visible in the picture, but decided on flag stones.
Oh and I forgot to add, at the weekend I purchased a pair of cross-pollinating apple trees, and a Victoria Plum, which are going to be planted in the area just before the greenhouse.
I have set a sleeper into concrete to retain the earth, I will fill gap and seed shortly, also sort out that grass! and I did all I knew to cover the capped over well, I'm sure with a dozen Alpines in there, it will change the appearance.
It looks a little messy, but I assure you those slabs are perfect, set on grit sand and each one dead level, this will be the base for my greenhouse, due to the nature of the slope in the garden, I had to remove earth to achieve a flat area, so I am about 5 inches below the actual garden at this end looking at the photo, all that soil is me digging it back, I don't want rainwater running down over the base once it's built. I was thinking of creating a shallow trench, and filling with gravel/pebbles as drainage, the earth where my spade is will eventually be a vegetable patch. Does anyone have some alternative ideas?
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Can't help you with the greenhouse though, but there are plenty of other posters who can help with that. Good luck with all your projects, that is so exciting.
Wish my soil looked like that.
You might not want to shade the greenhouse with those fruit trees in front though and will need to keep access all round for washing the glass!