I think you've struck lucky there! Looks like some good plants, well maintained.
Look at it all for a year as others have said, maybe find a book or website (there are plenty) to help with weed recognition, so that you can pull up known villains. If you aren't sure leave it till it shows its true colours, or ask on here.
If you have the time, then browsing nursery catalogues is a good way to get to recognise lots of plants. Look on the 'Good Guys ' thread for ones that are safe to buy from, as you are sure to see something you'd like!
Iceman: You are a lot further north than Dorset and many of my bits and pieces, shrub wise, are only just beginning to show shoots after what was a mild winter overall. I definitely wouldn't touch anything, I would be wandering round gloating as each plant gradually revealed exactly what it was. But then I do only have two small strips round a block of flats after a lifetime nearly of large farm gardens when I had little time to make the most of them
As mentioned above, give it this full season. Have a look at what flowers, what doesnt and what you do /don't like. Then you can spend the first half of the winter deciding what your'e going to do and the second half getting started with digging out the stuff that isn't staying. Then early spring, you can get any hardy shrubs you are planting bedded in.
Don't cut anything back unless it's getting in your way. Get yourself a few gardening books and try to find the various plants in there. There is a range of RHS books (nearly said NHS!) at £9.99 which should be available at your local Waterstones which I find invaluable.
You also need to practice your most pathetic look, and take some cuttings to your local nursery or garden centre and ask them to help identify them. Tell them you're a complete newbie and haven't got a clue. Most are extremely helpful.
The set I have are the Dorling Kindersley RHS books. Titles - What plant When, Plants for Places, Gardening Month by Month and Plants for Every Season. The content does overlap in places but, depending on the reason you're looking they complement each other nicely. For a beginner I'd probably say Month by Month and any one of the others would be a good start point. They are physically small books and will fit into a large pocket.
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I think you've struck lucky there! Looks like some good plants, well maintained.
Look at it all for a year as others have said, maybe find a book or website (there are plenty) to help with weed recognition, so that you can pull up known villains. If you aren't sure leave it till it shows its true colours, or ask on here.
If you have the time, then browsing nursery catalogues is a good way to get to recognise lots of plants. Look on the 'Good Guys ' thread for ones that are safe to buy from, as you are sure to see something you'd like!
Iceman: You are a lot further north than Dorset and many of my bits and pieces, shrub wise, are only just beginning to show shoots after what was a mild winter overall. I definitely wouldn't touch anything, I would be wandering round gloating as each plant gradually revealed exactly what it was. But then I do only have two small strips round a block of flats after a lifetime nearly of large farm gardens when I had little time to make the most of them
As mentioned above, give it this full season. Have a look at what flowers, what doesnt and what you do /don't like. Then you can spend the first half of the winter deciding what your'e going to do and the second half getting started with digging out the stuff that isn't staying. Then early spring, you can get any hardy shrubs you are planting bedded in.
Don't cut anything back unless it's getting in your way. Get yourself a few gardening books and try to find the various plants in there. There is a range of RHS books (nearly said NHS!) at £9.99 which should be available at your local Waterstones which I find invaluable.
You also need to practice your most pathetic look, and take some cuttings to your local nursery or garden centre and ask them to help identify them. Tell them you're a complete newbie and haven't got a clue. Most are extremely helpful.
Thanks guys, I'll keep popping back and I do have a good nursery near by.
KT53 Can you recommend any beginner books?
The set I have are the Dorling Kindersley RHS books. Titles - What plant When, Plants for Places, Gardening Month by Month and Plants for Every Season. The content does overlap in places but, depending on the reason you're looking they complement each other nicely. For a beginner I'd probably say Month by Month and any one of the others would be a good start point. They are physically small books and will fit into a large pocket.
And take lots of photos!! Just to remind yourself what looks good or not, at different times of year.