Garden Ideas

Posts

• ViewAhead Posts: 866

  4 February

  Welcome to the forum. 🙂
  
  That looks a nice big space to be working with. 👍
  
  With trees, choose carefully.  You don't want anything that will grow too huge and cast a lot of shade.  Don't be tempted to put them too near the boundary, as that will mean half the canopy is over the neighbouring plot.  Also consider how vigorous the root system is.  Roots will go under the fence just as the canopy will go over.  

  
  

  Being a new build, the quality and depth of the current topsoil may be inadequate.  The better your preparation, the happier your plants will be in the future.  Avoid overcrowding.  It is very tempting at the outset, but bear in mind their final size so you give them room to flourish.  Have a mix of shrubs, for structure especially in winter, and perennials for lots of colour. 

  
  

  This is a great time of yr to be starting such a project. 😁

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• Ceres Posts: 2,698

  4 February

  Knowing the sort of garbage that builders leave behind, don't be too upset if your first choice of plants doesn't thrive as you would like. Eventually you will light upon something that loves the conditions. It is also a good idea to stroll around your local area to see what plants do well as there is no point in planting an azalea (for example) in an area where acid loving plants cannot grow.

  Have fun.
  

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• GardenerSuze Posts: 5,692

  5 February edited 5 February

  @lewyor9544715 If your soil is clay worth digging a pit to check drainage and check there isnt a pan of soil beneath that needs to be broken through.
  In heavy rain the run off along the edge of the arc will need to be considered this will affect what you plant. This could be continuously wet in winter. Drainage is a big consideration with a new build. 
  Two seating areas are a good idea one in full sun and one in shade.
  I haven't found one single brick in my new build garden. It would have been too much work to bury anything due to the 'pan'. Anything planted in these conditions won't survive long term. A landscaper may not bother to break through an existing 'pan'  but just go ahead and plant.  I hope you haven't got this but digging a deep hole to see what is happening tells you about your soil which is critical along with aspect.
  
  

  I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.

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• JennyJ Posts: 10,576

  5 February

  The only thing I would add is, make sure your borders are wide enough to support trees without the grass competing with them. I would say absolute minimum of 1m width. The trees shouldn't be planted too close to the fence - neighbours are allowed to cut off anything that overhangs the boundary. They might not, but if they do it can spoil their appearance, so check their final spread and plant them far enough into your property so that they have room to grow.
  
  

  Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  

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• john.giachardit2gLSyrF Posts: 3

  5 February

  It might be worth giving us a little bit more info, for instance, how much lawn you would like to keep, do you want other seating areas, dining area, bbq etc.? I'm guessing that south is on the upper right hand side given the shadows, so you might want to consider more planting areas on the left as there's more sunlight there.

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• lewyor9544715 Posts: 2

  5 February

  Hiya
  
  Thank you for all of your comments.
  
  Can confirm it is a new build with clay soil, we've got an issue that is being resolved at the moment during the wet weather. The grass towards the fence is boggy and suspect that is the foundation to what was there before. Rest is quite firm.
  
  Interesting regarding trees. I knew that neighbours could cut them off but correct, do not want them planted so far to the fence as its purpose is for sheltering/privacy.
  
  
  We are south facing, so sun all day. Area behind the garage more envisage a pergola with shade and a hot tub underneath, with a BBQ area towards the front of the house with seating. Approximately 50-55% of the grass will be converted to Patio, but don't want it to see a little plain, given a lot of gardens have alot of character and different areas in the garden for different living.
  
  As it is a new build site, almost complete. I do want to attract wildlife, so extending the flower beds to the side, ability to plant trees, maybe a bird feeder somewhere will help with that certainly..
  
  Still somewhere to dry the clothes and enough grass for the dogs to have a play and do business! 

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• Simone_in_Wiltshire Posts: 1,073

  7 February

  Welcome to the forum. Always nice to see a new blank canvas.
  
  As usual, my tip goes towards summer time. I would always make sure that I have a seating area or bench in the shade. There is nothing more unpleasant then having only a seat where it's sunny and hot over summer. Even if we have only 2 weeks of hot weather, but this is the time we spend most time in the garden as the house is too hot too.
  Our neighbour to the right took off the trees and so we are baking in the summer sun and have now to wait until our planted tree grows. Unfortunately, we decided for a Lilac tree 3 years ago which doesn't seem to get the 4 m spread as labelled, looks more like just 1 m in width.
  We have clay soil too and that can be hard like concrete if it doesn't rain.

  I ♥ my garden.

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