New Gardner - Not got a clue

tom.baker.9000372 · 4 February

Hi All,

Firstly, I'm just going to fall on my sword and say I haven't got the first clue when it comes to gardening - this is the first property I have ever owned where we had a proper garden, so I've just been winging it till now - but have tried my best.

So for context, we're looking to put our house on the market at the back end of March and I want to try and get the outside of the house looking as nice as possible. We're aiming for photos to be taken around mid-March.

To start things off we have a flower bed right at the front (1st pic)

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/rc/on4ucz2a29da.jpg

For some reason, in the summer/autumn last year, everything died in it. I had always just left everything alone there since buying the house (except for obviously watering) but they just died. What would you recommend as a simple easy to look after flower/plant for this bed? It is the first impression when you walk up the drive so would like it to look good and striking with a bit of colour. For context, this is east facing and has good access to sunlight.

Secondly, I have really struggled with our lawn. We got an infestation of miner bees which meant the lawn took a battering last year getting rid of them (we have a 1 year old otherwise I would have left them alone) What would be the best way to get the lawn growing back in these bare/brown patches where their nests were (2nd pic)?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/ts/k80bjx3ihoph.jpg

Finally, we have always really struggled with weeds (see 3rd picture). They grow back ridiculously fast when I have removed them (c.1-2 weeks) even when I have got the root. What is the best way to get rid of them? As you can see in the image they even go into the flower bed and just grow back so damn fast! Our back garden is west facing and has solid access to sunlight.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/53/9itrw7c89tb7.jpg

Fire · 4 February

Welcome to the forum. As you are putting the house on the market I would just do a clean up. I wouldn't worry about spending too much time or money on overhauling the garden. The buyer might well just change the whole lot. The lawn can be re-seeded, the gravel weeded, the brown stuff cut back, some pots of annuals around the place, if you want some colour.

Where abouts are you?

tom.baker.9000372 · 4 February

Thanks. Yeah I'm not looking to go too in depth just get it looking ok for the photos.

We're in Bedfordshire

JennyJ · 4 February

Certainly don't buy new plants unless you put them in pots that you will take with you (and make it clear that they won't be left). Just clear the messy raise bed, cut the grass (and weeds) as soon as it's dry enough (high cut first then gradually lower a bit each time), and try to keep on top of the weeds as best as you can.

It's really too early for lawn treatments, weedkiller etc and they're not cheap these days so I wouldn't bother - the buyer might be planning to dig it all up and get it landscaped. An estate agent's photo won't be a closeup of the grass so as long as it's green and fairly level, it'll be OK.

f there are borders around the lawn, cutting fresh edges with a flat-bladed spade (or an edging iron if you have one) does wonders for making the whole area look tidier.

Plantminded · 4 February

If you want to cheer up the raised bed at the front for little cost, most garden centres and other retailers sell pots of bulbs about to flower at this time of year which would add colour for your photos. Top the bed with some fresh compost before planting. Also, in addition to the general garden tidy up, keep any bins out of sight for the photos!

tom.baker.9000372 · 4 February

JennyJ said:

and try to keep on top of the weeds as best as you can.

Any tips on how to do this without butchering half the lawn around the weeds? The weeds I posted in 3rd pic, are a nightmare

tom.baker.9000372 · 4 February

Plantminded said:

If you want to cheer up the raised bed at the front for little cost, most garden centres and other retailers sell pots of bulbs about to flower at this time of year which would add colour for your photos. Top the bed with some fresh compost before planting. Also, in addition to the general garden tidy up, keep any bins out of sight for the photos!

Thanks that's useful - will give this a go

philippasmith2 · 4 February

I agree with @Plantminded re the raised bed - some carefully chosen bulbs which flower from mid March onwards for the photos would give the impact you are looking for.
Do you have any idea about the property market in your area ? If you don't expect/get a quick sale you could be looking at possible buyers viewing up to mid summer. If that happens, some bright annuals would cheer up the bed and add some colour.
I can't tell what the weeds are but if they flower, you could always class the lawn as a Wildlife Meadow

Keeping the gravel area weed free will also give a good first impression - there have been several queries on here about the best/simplest/quickest way of doing this. Giving the lawn edges a clear definition and tidying /mulching the borders will also help.
The major problem in selling any property ( apart from the obvious hiccups ) is that you will have no idea whether those coming to view are knowledgeable about gardening or not. It's rather like painting your walls beige - neutral enough for a prospective buyer not to have to concern themselves about the need for immediate re decoration. The garden needs to be attractive but also offering scope for the new owner to add, alter or WHY. It also often happens that a buyer will totally revamp the garden so tidying up and not spending a fortune on new plants is something to consider.
Very best of luck with your sale

Ceres · 4 February

tom.baker.9000372 said:

JennyJ said:

and try to keep on top of the weeds as best as you can.

Any tips on how to do this without butchering half the lawn around the weeds? The weeds I posted in 3rd pic, are a nightmare

You don't need to butcher the lawn, just keep mowing it. If you look closely at most grassy areas such as churchyards and verges you will see that grass is not exactly the dominant species but we are conditioned to think that it is.......because it is green. The same holds true for your lawn. If it is short and green it will look just fine.

As mentioned by others, pots of bulbs will make things look nice and I would add primulas, pansies and later in the year, pelargoniums. All things you can pick up in flower from your local garden centre and which will add a pop of colour and make the garden look loved. Keep it simple and stick to a limited colour scheme.

Fire · 4 February

As others have mentioned, with buying pots of flowers, just make sure to buy tender plants or annual flowering plants in pots after the time of your last frost (usually around end of April, I should think, for Berks). Garden centres and supermarkets love to tempt you early, around Easter, with plants that cannot survive frosts - but resist.

Around March/April spring bulbs will be available to drop in where needed. After the frosts the range greatly widens out (if you are still there going to stay into the late spring/summer).

Water plants regularly. Check often with your finger that the soil is damp. A great many plants from the GC just die off because they are forgotten and parch - a grand waste of money and plants. It might help to set yourself a fixed schedule for when there is no rain - like watering every second day (in small pots) or watering the planter once a week - depending on what you buy and what you put them in. These plants do take work to keep alive - you can't just drop them in and leave them.

Hopefully you will find a buyer that will see the garden as a project and will want the mining bees.

Best of luck. Please keep us posted.

New Gardner - Not got a clue

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