Hi tattiana. Lots of good people on here who can offer help as Verdun said. Raised beds are a great idea but make sure they're high enough- they're often made a bit too low. A bit at a time is definitely the best way -frustrating at times!- and you're doing the right thing wanting to do the bit nearest the house first.
Can I make a suggestion. You've already made a start with cutting and seeds etc. and you have a tight budget. Is there any way members here could donate surplus seeds, cuttings or plants? I know you may not want to reveal your address on here but some members already use a seed swap so someone will know how to do it- or perhaps you can just trust us! Most people here have gardened on a budget at some time and plants are expensive. There may also be members near enough to you who could help arranging extra hands to help with the heavier stuff involved.
Any thoughts anyone?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Just to add to all the good advise and if you want a garden which is four seasons, consider evergreens which bring colour during winter months, there's nothing nicer if you wrap up warm than to sit on the patio on a crisp, sunny winter's day.
WOW! thank you all so very much for your advice and suggestions and I'm absolutely bowled over with your offers of help and support. I'm going to print all this off and hi-light suggestions of what to do first and keep it handy for reference.
We are totally aware this will be a long term project and the garden will evolve over time and that it's going to be flipping hard work! We're also aware that being a new build we WILL find lots and lots of rubbish and rubble that will hinder our progress and that we're going to have to enlist the help of family and friends to achieve the most wonderful garden possible for Sarah.
All that said I think it would help further if I give you an insight into what what we need from the garden. So here goes....
Sarah's disability is such that she is unable to do anything in the garden nor is she able to give much input into it's design and what plants are in there so what she can see and smell is of the greatest importance as is the ease of maintainence. (we really don't mind maintaining the garden but when we visit we want to be spending quality time with her and not always gardening). Also we can't rely on her carers to be watering pots and deadheading plants. At the moment the paving is just around the parimeter of the house and the lawn isn't accessable for her wheelchair so it would be an idea to replace some of the lawn with paving to enable her to get nearer the plants.
As I said I've already made a start on collecting plants. So far I've got 3 lovely fatsias, about an dozen lavender plants (and taken more cuttings at the weekend), geum, delphenium, more lillies than I know what to do with and dianthus. Gosh that doesn't sound a lot considering what we have to fill . I'm sure I've got more plants I just can't think of them at the moment! All suggestions for other fragrant plants will be grately appreciated!
I do like the idea of a tree (depending on the size perhaps a couple of trees???) but I do remember when Sarah moved in the landlord said that as the site was built on a former landfill site there is a membrain covering this so we can't plant anything that is likely to send roots that could potentially penetrate the membrain. Saying that the landlord has planted trees in the front gardens of the properties so the membrain can't be that shallow????
Oh dear I'm rambling on a bit now so I'll leave it there and spend some time getting some of your ideas down on paper and I'll keep you all posted on my progress. In the meantime thank you all again and keep the suggestions coming
Difficult Sarah- presumably the membrane is quite deep down then and there's adequate soil on top of it? Perhaps you'd need to dig down in a couple of places to see what's there.
Until I looked back at your original post I hadn't noted that you mention a landlord - is he/she happy to let you plant up the area? That may limit what you do as well.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Verd-I'd say grasses of all types would be good because of the movement/noise and quite easy maintenance - what do you reckon? Perhaps more shrubs than annuals or perennials that need staking etc - you'll know all the best scented shrubs. As tattiana says - they don't want to spend all their time with their daughter doing the garden.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Firstly can I say thanks again for all your offers of help and suggestions and we live in St Helens, Merseyside if anyone wants to grab a spade
So I've had a good think about this and believe the way to start is to contact the landlord to see what we are allowed to do and find out about that membrain & how deep it is. The property belongs to a social housing association and, after speaking to some neighbours, apparently they're not too helpful with what they allow you to do which is why I want to get them on side before I do anything. Oh my word you'd think it was acres & acres we are trying to landscape here!
I agree, Charlie November, the fence down the left would look lovely covered in climbers and yes the less lawn the better! I also like Verdun & fairygirl's idea of lots of grasses too which it just so happens I've got quite a few of after potting up lots of off shoots (or what ever they're called) from my carex buchananii earlier this year so that's a start on the grasses. I'm sure Sarah would also enjoy watching the birds feed so that's another thing I'm eager to include.
Once I know what we can & can't do I'll concentrate on the left side of the garden as that's what Sarah can see from the house.
So there you have it...I've made a start albeit in my head but at least it's all a little clearer now and I don't feel quite as scared as I did at the weekend
Hi, I work with severely disabled young people, so planning for them is part of what I do - although Sarah won't be able to 'do' anything physically in her garden, she will be able to listen and hear things and watch things as well as experience scents and the breeze on her skin. Dancing shadows made by sunshine through foliage can fascinate, as can the sound of trickling or bubbling water, the breeze rustling in foliage etc.
Whoops, time I was going to work - there are lots of places to get ideas for Sarah's garden so that you can really focus it on her needs, rather than adapting gardens made for the more physically able.
If there's anything I can do let me know
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
Hi tattiana. Lots of good people on here who can offer help as Verdun said. Raised beds are a great idea but make sure they're high enough- they're often made a bit too low. A bit at a time is definitely the best way -frustrating at times!- and you're doing the right thing wanting to do the bit nearest the house first.
Can I make a suggestion. You've already made a start with cutting and seeds etc. and you have a tight budget. Is there any way members here could donate surplus seeds, cuttings or plants? I know you may not want to reveal your address on here but some members already use a seed swap so someone will know how to do it- or perhaps you can just trust us! Most people here have gardened on a budget at some time and plants are expensive. There may also be members near enough to you who could help arranging extra hands to help with the heavier stuff involved.
Any thoughts anyone?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Just to add to all the good advise and if you want a garden which is four seasons, consider evergreens which bring colour during winter months, there's nothing nicer if you wrap up warm than to sit on the patio on a crisp, sunny winter's day.
WOW! thank you all so very much for your advice and suggestions and I'm absolutely bowled over with your offers of help and support. I'm going to print all this off and hi-light suggestions of what to do first and keep it handy for reference.
We are totally aware this will be a long term project and the garden will evolve over time and that it's going to be flipping hard work! We're also aware that being a new build we WILL find lots and lots of rubbish and rubble that will hinder our progress and that we're going to have to enlist the help of family and friends to achieve the most wonderful garden possible for Sarah.
All that said I think it would help further if I give you an insight into what what we need from the garden. So here goes....
Sarah's disability is such that she is unable to do anything in the garden nor is she able to give much input into it's design and what plants are in there so what she can see and smell is of the greatest importance as is the ease of maintainence. (we really don't mind maintaining the garden but when we visit we want to be spending quality time with her and not always gardening). Also we can't rely on her carers to be watering pots and deadheading plants. At the moment the paving is just around the parimeter of the house and the lawn isn't accessable for her wheelchair so it would be an idea to replace some of the lawn with paving to enable her to get nearer the plants.
As I said I've already made a start on collecting plants. So far I've got 3 lovely fatsias, about an dozen lavender plants (and taken more cuttings at the weekend), geum, delphenium, more lillies than I know what to do with and dianthus. Gosh that doesn't sound a lot considering what we have to fill
. I'm sure I've got more plants I just can't think of them at the moment! All suggestions for other fragrant plants will be grately appreciated!
I do like the idea of a tree (depending on the size perhaps a couple of trees???) but I do remember when Sarah moved in the landlord said that as the site was built on a former landfill site there is a membrain covering this so we can't plant anything that is likely to send roots that could potentially penetrate the membrain. Saying that the landlord has planted trees in the front gardens of the properties so the membrain can't be that shallow????
Oh dear I'm rambling on a bit now so I'll leave it there and spend some time getting some of your ideas down on paper and I'll keep you all posted on my progress. In the meantime thank you all again and keep the suggestions coming
Difficult Sarah- presumably the membrane is quite deep down then and there's adequate soil on top of it? Perhaps you'd need to dig down in a couple of places to see what's there.
Until I looked back at your original post I hadn't noted that you mention a landlord - is he/she happy to let you plant up the area? That may limit what you do as well.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Verd-I'd say grasses of all types would be good because of the movement/noise and quite easy maintenance - what do you reckon? Perhaps more shrubs than annuals or perennials that need staking etc - you'll know all the best scented shrubs. As tattiana says - they don't want to spend all their time with their daughter doing the garden.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I would also love to her out if I knew where she lives,I live in sunderland and if tatiana lives nearer me I would also help out.
free plants off garden centres would be one of the first things I would do,but this would depend on the location.
Morning everyone
Firstly can I say thanks again for all your offers of help and suggestions and we live in St Helens, Merseyside if anyone wants to grab a spade
So I've had a good think about this and believe the way to start is to contact the landlord to see what we are allowed to do and find out about that membrain & how deep it is. The property belongs to a social housing association and, after speaking to some neighbours, apparently they're not too helpful with what they allow you to do which is why I want to get them on side before I do anything. Oh my word you'd think it was acres & acres we are trying to landscape here!
I agree, Charlie November, the fence down the left would look lovely covered in climbers and yes the less lawn the better! I also like Verdun & fairygirl's idea of lots of grasses too which it just so happens I've got quite a few of after potting up lots of off shoots (or what ever they're called) from my carex buchananii earlier this year so that's a start on the grasses. I'm sure Sarah would also enjoy watching the birds feed so that's another thing I'm eager to include.
Once I know what we can & can't do I'll concentrate on the left side of the garden as that's what Sarah can see from the house.
So there you have it...I've made a start albeit in my head but at least it's all a little clearer now and I don't feel quite as scared as I did at the weekend
Hi, I work with severely disabled young people, so planning for them is part of what I do - although Sarah won't be able to 'do' anything physically in her garden, she will be able to listen and hear things and watch things as well as experience scents and the breeze on her skin. Dancing shadows made by sunshine through foliage can fascinate, as can the sound of trickling or bubbling water, the breeze rustling in foliage etc.
Whoops, time I was going to work - there are lots of places to get ideas for Sarah's garden so that you can really focus it on her needs, rather than adapting gardens made for the more physically able.
If there's anything I can do let me know
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.