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Please help. Novice gardener with tricky garden

dominicroberts18RixvsoX7dominicroberts18RixvsoX7 Posts: 2
in Garden design
Hi all. Thanks in advance for any comments. We have a south facing garden. Recently renewed the fencing and our rabbits love the grass (which needs work!) so we are pleased with the space. But I really want to increase the amountof greenery in it. Possibly thinking something to climb the fence, although it would W best from container to stop the rabbits getting at it! Maybe you can suggest something else? Time of photo is 3pm mid April! Thanks

Posts

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    Hi and welcome. You have a bit of a problem in that rabbits will eat almost everything you plant so you will have to contain the rabbits or the plants. So, for example, a climber will really need to go in the ground, large plants don't thrive in pots. This will apply to shrubs, too. You can grow lots of flowers in tubs. You could fence your borders to hold back the rabbits - I have seen this done where wild rabbits are an issue. I think you will have to make some decisions before you go any further.
  • Garden GnomessGarden Gnomess Posts: 74
    I really like the decorative pot holder you already have on your fence, perhaps a few more to create a living wall type effect. Could have herbs and salads in them as well as flowers. 
    Raised beds might be the way to go to protect plants from your rabbits. 
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    Do the rabbits have a free run of the entire garden @dominicroberts18RixvsoX7 ? As @Posy said, they can be pretty destructive! Digging and eating are often their 2nd and 3rd favourite pastimes ;) 
    East Lancs
  • dominicroberts18RixvsoX7dominicroberts18RixvsoX7 Posts: 2
    Thanks for the replies! Yes the rabbits are free roam in the house so when we let them out they can go wherever they want! Maybe we need more of the decorative hanging pieces and just keep to small pots. Salad is a good idea! Thank you
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Hmm.

    “I have a team of pyromaniacs and I want to build a petroleum refinery, any tips?”

    :smile:

    I would probably go fairly minimal on planting with bulbs/corms in three or four planters. Maybe the most mature juniper I could afford on the shadier side.

    An off beat thought would be to grow something they love that repeats like parsley and lettuce, and just let them have it.  
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    You could go a bit 'wildlife', stop mowing some of your grass and encourage especially dandelions (which IME, the rabbits love) but also some of the things rabbits are less keen on, i.e. thorny and hairy. I doubt a rabbit will have a go at pyracantha, though I've no proof of that, and it is an attractive climber, albeit rather spiky for such a small space. Rabbits are less keen on the strong scented plants like mint and rosemary and lavender (I make no promises, just less likely to eat them) so you could possibly attempt some woody herbs. Oriental poppies are not popular with the wild rabbits here. In all cases, I suggest you find a place above nibbling height to pot on young plants so they are quite big and tough before they go in the ground and into the firing line.
    I have a garden full of plants and full of rabbits. It can be done  :)
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    I'm sure you have foubd this but jyst in case you haven't...
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=209

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