LeadFarmer it's a bungalow but I'll see if I can take some better pictures and get as much of the garden in as possible.
Fairygirl & Verdun I take on board what you're saying and to be honest I never gave the birds etc a thought. As Fairygirl says I was just thinking low maintenance and supressing as many weeds as possible as I don't want to be gardening every time we visit.
I would turn a section of the lawn into meadow with wildflowers and attract bees, butterflies, other insects and birds. As you only then "mow" once per year it is really low maintenance.
Chamomile can be planted along the edges of paths. It smells wonderful when crushed by people walking or rolling over it.
Quaking grass (not sure if anyone's mentioned it) would "rattle" in the wind
I mentioned in an earlier post that the property is built on a former landfill site and there is a membrane in place separating the contaminated land from the cleaned land and because of this membrane we're not allowed to dig any deeper than 600mm. Now I don't think anything we plant will need a hole so deep but what about the roots as the plants become established????
Could this throw a spanner in the works and stop us creating a lovely outside space for Sarah to enjoy? That said there are trees planted in the front gardens and areas planted up with shrubs etc! I really don't envy the task of trying to find out how deep the roots will go before deciding what plants to plant
..I've not read all this thread so apologies if anything repeated here... but I take it you are looking to develop a garden incorporating suppressing membrane..?
..my advice would be first of all - don't worry - you can have a lovely garden with this and virtually no weeding...you also don't need much soil - hardly any - what is very important is drainage,.. and choosing the right plants... if your site is sunny then go for dry garden plants, mediterranean types, like lavenders, helianthemums.. small hebe's...grasses...halimiums..oh there are so many...and all these can be bought in small little pots - easy to plant, cheap to buy, and they soon grow...in the wild these plants grow on impoverished rocky ground...
..to give you inspiration - I hope as that's what I'm trying to do... this is part of my 60 foot by 4 foot front garden... there is no soil here, except at least 2 foot down... what there is, is builders rubble.. hard core.. and builders sand... topped with membrane.... I just cut away a ring of membrane and planted the little plants in a mix of john innes no.2/and horticultural grit - lots of that.... and covered the lot with decorative chippings... I never do any weeding here except right at the edges I get a few... I get some nice seedlings popping up in the shingle... and plants love it because of the drainage. and it's a sunny site...
...hope you like it and think of taking something forward ....I'm always adding to it, and it's developed further since this was taken...it's not always easy gardening as digging a small hole in such hostile conditions can take a ittle time..removing stones and suchlike....but once they're in...forget about them....
I'm sure its all been said but wow tattianna..... I have seeds if u want some.... Have you thought of bambooThy ou can great some great non clumping ones these days and the sound, shade, patterns are amazing... Also did you see I love my garden lasts night for 2 blind children who only see shades..... they used achillea cloth of gold and lavender and orange crocosmia all contrasting but they worked so well... Also they had a living wall I admit that it would need watering but to follow is the pic of a pallet version I saw at Hampton court this year .... Could you fill it with drought resistant plants and maybe mount it on the fence at a level your daughter could touch it ? don't hesitate to shout if I can donate any seeds etc.... Also I am buying ferns for a new woodland garden im sure I have ordered too many ( as usual) am happy if I have to donate them to your amazing daughter in her new home
Posts
Ok...I'll grudgingly concede!
Still might turn you into a frog though......
But....... I still think it would be easier.......heh heh
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi all & thank you again for your help.
LeadFarmer it's a bungalow but I'll see if I can take some better pictures and get as much of the garden in as possible.
Fairygirl & Verdun I take on board what you're saying and to be honest I never gave the birds etc a thought. As Fairygirl says I was just thinking low maintenance and supressing as many weeds as possible as I don't want to be gardening every time we visit.
I would turn a section of the lawn into meadow with wildflowers and attract bees, butterflies, other insects and birds. As you only then "mow" once per year it is really low maintenance.
Chamomile can be planted along the edges of paths. It smells wonderful when crushed by people walking or rolling over it.
Quaking grass (not sure if anyone's mentioned it) would "rattle" in the wind
Morning all
I mentioned in an earlier post that the property is built on a former landfill site and there is a membrane in place separating the contaminated land from the cleaned land and because of this membrane we're not allowed to dig any deeper than 600mm. Now I don't think anything we plant will need a hole so deep but what about the roots as the plants become established????
Could this throw a spanner in the works and stop us creating a lovely outside space for Sarah to enjoy? That said there are trees planted in the front gardens and areas planted up with shrubs etc! I really don't envy the task of trying to find out how deep the roots will go before deciding what plants to plant
..I've not read all this thread so apologies if anything repeated here... but I take it you are looking to develop a garden incorporating suppressing membrane..?
..my advice would be first of all - don't worry - you can have a lovely garden with this and virtually no weeding...you also don't need much soil - hardly any - what is very important is drainage,.. and choosing the right plants... if your site is sunny then go for dry garden plants, mediterranean types, like lavenders, helianthemums.. small hebe's...grasses...halimiums..oh there are so many...and all these can be bought in small little pots - easy to plant, cheap to buy, and they soon grow...in the wild these plants grow on impoverished rocky ground...
..to give you inspiration - I hope as that's what I'm trying to do... this is part of my 60 foot by 4 foot front garden... there is no soil here, except at least 2 foot down... what there is, is builders rubble.. hard core.. and builders sand... topped with membrane.... I just cut away a ring of membrane and planted the little plants in a mix of john innes no.2/and horticultural grit - lots of that.... and covered the lot with decorative chippings... I never do any weeding here except right at the edges I get a few... I get some nice seedlings popping up in the shingle... and plants love it because of the drainage. and it's a sunny site...
...hope you like it and think of taking something forward ....I'm always adding to it, and it's developed further since this was taken...it's not always easy gardening as digging a small hole in such hostile conditions can take a ittle time..removing stones and suchlike....but once they're in...forget about them....
I'm sure its all been said but wow tattianna..... I have seeds if u want some.... Have you thought of bambooThy ou can great some great non clumping ones these days and the sound, shade, patterns are amazing... Also did you see I love my garden lasts night for 2 blind children who only see shades..... they used achillea cloth of gold and lavender and orange crocosmia all contrasting but they worked so well... Also they had a living wall I admit that it would need watering but to follow is the pic of a pallet version I saw at Hampton court this year .... Could you fill it with drought resistant plants and maybe mount it on the fence at a level your daughter could touch it ? don't hesitate to shout if I can donate any seeds etc.... Also I am buying ferns for a new woodland garden im sure I have ordered too many ( as usual) am happy if I have to donate them to your amazing daughter in her new home