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Bought a new house? Did you stick to garden plan or ...?

M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
in Garden design
When you buy a new house isn't it exciting to have a new garden?  B)

Did you plan the design strictly and if so did you achieve it, and if so, how long did it take you?
Or
Did you end up completely changing plans and if so why did you change the plan?
Or
Did you abandon your plans and let it do its own thing?
I wish I could garden all year round!
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Posts

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    When we moved in nearly 35 years ago it had a mature garden, but the layout really wasn't as we wanted it.  We did nothing for the first couple of years apart from general maintenance, then changed things incrementally over a period of years.  There was a large pond but it was in total shade and was a nightmare to maintain.  That was eventually filled in (after removing the fish and other wildlife).  There were also 2 large conifers standing like sentries halfway down the garden which were also removed.  Then, about 10 years ago, after we'd been in the house over 20 years we decided to completely remodel as many of the larger shrubs and bushes had become extremely woody and not very productive.  Virtually everything was ripped out and we started from scratch.  We're still working to get things exactly as we want, and probably never will.
  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    House here was built 9years back and it was a field used for grazing before that so just grass which was turned to mud by the builders and lots of stones to work with. Drew up a rough plan and stuck to it broadly but changed some areas as I went along. Pond for example was not on the plan but I had some free time so thought it would be a nice project to put one in. Also have redone some parts as I was not fully happy with the way the original planting was working out. So to answer the questions it was not a strict plan to start with and I think observing how things were going and making changes as I went along has worked well. I like garden projects so will be making more changes in future with a few casualties from the winter being more harsh than usual meaning the next thing to do will be to replace a few of the plants that did not make it through.
    Happy gardening!
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • Cecelia-LCecelia-L Posts: 120
    Did you plan the design strictly and if so did you achieve it, and if so, how long did it take you? I was lucky enough to find the most talented professional garden designer and have relied on his design as much as possible (the most restraining factor was cost, closely followed by time commitment). I bought the house 6 years ago and only achieved 50% of the design. 


    Did you end up completely changing plans and if so why did you change the plan? I tried to amend the plan to fit my budget but ended up going back to the original design in the end. I wish I had not faffed about and wasted so much time. 

    Did you abandon your plans and let it do its own thing? Almost did! I grassed over the wild flower field as the maintenance side seemed too much, but I plan on killing the grass and plant native wild flower field this summer. I am yet to plant the yew maze, willow structure, rose pergola and the aforementioned wild flower field. I wish I could do everything in one go! 

    I have completely surrendered the flower bed plan. I had a rudimentary design in mind but soon discarded the idea of formal garden with pristine repetitive pattern to laissez faire approach. It is now more of a wild flower border with a bench stuck in the middle. Despite all that, I am beginning to appreciate the chaotic vibe and find it rather therapeutic. 
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    When we moved house 21 years ago, we made drastic changes, and there is nothing original left. It upset the neighbours a little, but they saw we made improvements. 
    They particularly benefitted from our fruit bushes!!

    Now we're looking to move on, so who knows what will happen. The plans my wife has, are different to mine. We'll work out some compromise.

    We have seen a place we like, and while we've not yet sold our place, we're already making plans on what would stay, and what would be replaced.

    I love the idea of making the plans.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    @rowlandscastle444 interesting comment about upsetting the neighbours.  At the end of the day it is your garden, not theirs and has to suit your requirements not theirs.  When new people moved in next door to us, they said they hoped we didn't mind but they were going to rip out all the plants and lay the entire area to lawn.  They have two young children and bought the house specifically because they could create a large and safe area for the kids to play.  We thanked them for their consideration but said to them exactly what I said in the 2nd sentence above.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    For many years, I tended to plants that I didn't like and then I thought bugger it and dug them out. No plan. I buy what I like unless it's slug delight and find somewhere it might work.
    My advice is, if you hate them , compost them and try something you like . 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    KT53 said:
    @rowlandscastle444 interesting comment about upsetting the neighbours.  At the end of the day it is your garden, not theirs and has to suit your requirements not theirs.  When new people moved in next door to us, they said they hoped we didn't mind but they were going to rip out all the plants and lay the entire area to lawn.  They have two young children and bought the house specifically because they could create a large and safe area for the kids to play.  We thanked them for their consideration but said to them exactly what I said in the 2nd sentence above.
    Thank you, @KT53

    Yes, the garden is ours. The neighbours were originally upset to see an old greenhouse, shed, wall halfway down the garden dividing it, roses, conifer and buddleia go. Replaced the shed, put in apple tree, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries, and a number of herbs, as well as salvia, fuchsia, bay, dogwood, and many other plants and flowers. 

    They benefitted from fruit, jam, and plenty of colour - plus a new fence between us, to replace the rotting one. 
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I bought a house with irregularly shaped, steeply terraced land and no garden to speak of, so started from scratch. I didn’t have a plan, it evolved over the years largely dictated by the topography, climate and a shallow layer of very alkaline clay over bedrock. The latter meant I had to build raised beds to create any planting depth. It’s been a huge learning curve and six years later it’s still evolving and changing.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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