For me this is a forum for me to get serious advice, and where if I think I know something - to offer it in a straightforward way. Not a "friendly" chat site.
Suze: My remarks were meant to cover the mainstream of untrained, inexperienced jobbers. A bit like the prejudging remarks one makes about used car salesmen or estate agents.
finn: What sort of budget could you think of. With a garden like that you must have enjoyed a discount on the purchase price. If not, caveat emptor.
I think the beauty of a forum such as this is we all look at things from our own perspective, be us gardeners, designers, landscapers, or just downright practical horticulturally minded folk.
@GardenerSuze my tongue is jabbed firmly in cheek!!! Experienced gardeners are like hens teeth, especially people like yourself who can visualise a scheme and then bring it to life without the need to consign it to paper. We tend to employ decent individuals and then put them through their RHS accreditations if they express an interest. No NGS schemes yet unfortunately but plenty of Chelsea show gardens and a few BALI grand awards.
Thanks for all the input everyone - it's so great to wander into such an enthusiastic community. I asked for a quote to dig it over and it's a bit more than I can afford. So I've decided to do 2sq metres per day, which I know doesn't sound much but I work full time and some days I'm going to get rained off and if I am to keep to an average of 14 metres per week, that means some days I'll end up doing 4 or 6 metres - and I'm not the spring chicken I once was. So in theory it should take about 75 days if I keep to my timetable. There are some plants in there I'll try to keep - there are two big clumps of tall and lovely irises and there are two patches of tulips that are just beautifully placed, so I'll try not to disturb them. There are lots of lovely grasses in there - I'm a big fan of the huge variety of grasses, some tall, some feathery, some golden, some green, and all fading to a bleached colour at the end. And there's a lot of silver plantain which some people tell me is a weed but I really like it. But the nice grasses are all so muddled in with the regular lawn grass that I don't want to keep, along with the brambles and ivy - so I don't think there's any way of retaining the lovely grasses whilst getting rid of the unwanted stuff? I think I just have to dig it all up and then plant the grasses I want? (I realise that after digging it up, a lot of everything is just going to come back, but at least I'll be starting from a more manageable point and can aim to keep on top of it?) I'm aiming for a kind of Piet Oudolf semi-wild looking cottage garden style, full of grasses and perennials. That's the plan, anyway...
Good luck with it @finnbleK1xeTuT-. You're right - a couple of metres is achievable, without making you despondent and put you off going out [which can easily happen] and you never know what you're going to uncover which can set you back too There are a few people on the forum who are very knowledgeable re ornamental grasses, so if in doubt, post a photo or two, and they'll be able to confirm if they're keepers - or not. If you want to move the tulips later, ie after flowering, that's perfectly possible. Many Irises benefit from being divided, as they can become less productive when they die out in the centre, but again - stick a photo on if you're not sure which ones they are, and you'll get advice on doing that. More plants for free too
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@finnbleK1xeTuT- I think once you have cleared a small area you could consider moving the grasses. I mentioned a nursery bed earlier. A cleared area of garden where the plants that are precious to you are grouped, planted temporarily, whilst you tackle other areas. Obviously this would not apply to your Buddleja . Grasses shouldn't be moved when dormant so will need to be done soon if you decided to go with the idea.
It wiil be easier for you this way as there is an opportunity to clear any weeds from the roots of these plants. You will be able to make better progress knowing that what remains is to be cleared. If you can accept that you may bin a plant or two along the way by mistake or not knowing what it is wiil ease the pressure.
You will still have weeds appearing in the nursery bed in the spring but these should be smaller and easier to clear. When the plants are moved to a permanent spot at a later date you will have a second chance to remove any weeds from their roots.
I am assuming that the garden is fairly well drained if grasses, tulips and Buddleja are thriving. A onced loved garden I think best tackled at your own pace.
I grow a dozen or more grasses of different sizes and I do think they will be used more in the future as most can cope with dry summers. Lots of forum members will be happy to help with the Piet Oudorf look. I love his garden style too, very atmospheric.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
" visualise a scheme and then bring it to life without the need to consign it to paper "
For some reason, I can't type outside the quotes panel. But here goes:
The reason that professional garden designers use paper, is that they have to sell to a client and organise a team of workers. WE amateurs have the freedom to keep it in our heads. In fact it is forced on us; we are designing continuously over a period of time. Things flourish, things fail, things grow, thingd die, The view beyond our boundaries is changed by the actions of others, our needs and wants and tastes evolve.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I have tried but never been able to draw plants on paper. Placing plants in a border is an art form along with the need for spatial awareness. This can be challenging as the same plant will grow at a different rate depending on conditions.
After a landscape gardener finishes his job the work begins. Most clients likes to see something instant. Three years down the line everything can get out of hand and need lifting and splitting. If the garden has a strong skeletal shape and fillers such as annuals are used in the early days it would be a far better option.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Although some weedkillers claim to work on ivy I have had very little success with them. Digging out what roots you can and then constantly cutting back new growth will hopefully weaken it over time.
As fairygirl says SBK onto major 'stumps' may get rid of them, but is not effective, in my experience, if sprayed onto ivy. The waxy surface stops it being absorbed.
I have had some success with the bottle idea. Put weedkiller in a bottle, put the growing tip into bottle and secure with tape. It does take time to work and mainly on bindweed, plus it's only good in the growing season. Otherwise it's just cut the ivy at ground level and pull what you can.
@finnbleK1xeTuT- If you are lucky, you can increase the time after a while. I started in my garden with 1 hour a day and was able to increase the time. However your garden is much worse than my was.
Did you check on checkatrade garden clearance? We found a chap on checkatrade who is much cheaper than companies.
If you lived nearby I would help you. I love digging and there is no such challenge where I live.
Thank you so much, @Simone_in_Wiltshire that is so kind. Yesterday was a complete washout, wild rain all day, but I've done an hour and hoping to get a catch-up hour in later on. It always seems better to make an early start, first thing, even before a cup of coffee.
Posts
@GardenerSuze my tongue is jabbed firmly in cheek!!! Experienced gardeners are like hens teeth, especially people like yourself who can visualise a scheme and then bring it to life without the need to consign it to paper. We tend to employ decent individuals and then put them through their RHS accreditations if they express an interest. No NGS schemes yet unfortunately but plenty of Chelsea show gardens and a few BALI grand awards.
Hopefully OP updates us on their progress.
There are a few people on the forum who are very knowledgeable re ornamental grasses, so if in doubt, post a photo or two, and they'll be able to confirm if they're keepers - or not.
If you want to move the tulips later, ie after flowering, that's perfectly possible. Many Irises benefit from being divided, as they can become less productive when they die out in the centre, but again - stick a photo on if you're not sure which ones they are, and you'll get advice on doing that. More plants for free too
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It wiil be easier for you this way as there is an opportunity to clear any weeds from the roots of these plants. You will be able to make better progress knowing that what remains is to be cleared. If you can accept that you may bin a plant or two along the way by mistake or not knowing what it is wiil ease the pressure.
You will still have weeds appearing in the nursery bed in the spring but these should be smaller and easier to clear. When the plants are moved to a permanent spot at a later date you will have a second chance to remove any weeds from their roots.
I am assuming that the garden is fairly well drained if grasses, tulips and Buddleja are thriving. A onced loved garden I think best tackled at your own pace.
I grow a dozen or more grasses of different sizes and I do think they will be used more in the future as most can cope with dry summers. Lots of forum members will be happy to help with the Piet Oudorf look. I love his garden style too, very atmospheric.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
After a landscape gardener finishes his job the work begins. Most clients likes to see something instant. Three years down the line everything can get out of hand and need lifting and splitting. If the garden has a strong skeletal shape and fillers such as annuals are used in the early days it would be a far better option.
Otherwise it's just cut the ivy at ground level and pull what you can.
I ♥ my garden.