Help me turn this garden around...
Paul165
Posts: 97
Hello folks
I spent the majority of my Sunday removing years and years worth of ivy which had wrapped itself around most of the trees and fencing at the back of my garden.
The tree on the picture on which the stump is visible was out of sight completely before. It looks a bit dead and old but could be brought back to life a bit.
Further to the left everything is enormously overground and I'm going to have to go at it with a trimmer or something. The fence also needs replacing and the ivy has destoryed it.
How would you go about this? I don't know what I'm doing so don't want to hack senselessly, but I fear some urgent action is needed...Any help, tips or views greatly appreciated as ever!
Photos are of garden as it looks now and ivy which was removed!
Posts
Don't worry Paul, gardening is addictive, you won't be able to help yourself once you start to see the changes!
I'm new to gardening and have only been properly gardening for a year but I made my garden from scratch digging bricks and all sorts from the ground, enough to make a path! One year on and it looks like it has always been a garden! 
Looks to me like the 'tree' with the spiky leaves is a berberis - also one to the left and is it viburnum tinus in the middle?
You should be able to tidy up the berberis (if it is - did you get orange flowers late spring?).
why don't you put more pictures of the rest - people will be able to advise what you need to do.
Cheers guys, more pictures to follow tomorrow. The fence is difficult to get to and has collapsed, only way to put one back up would be to seriously chop back at those plants etc. I'd like to retain as much as I can but it's tricky on that side...
I wouldn't worry too much about about hacking back to get the fence replaced.Everything will grow back.It may not look pretty for a while but best to get jobs like that out of the way first.I agree with replacing the fence with concrete posts and panels.My original fence had wooden posts and needed replacing after only 5 years.I have just had to replace a panel that blew out in a storm and it was really simple to take out the old panel and slide in the new.
A properly pressure-treated, good quality wooden fence should last 25+ years, but it will cost more than something that only lasts for 5. I'm not a fan of slotted concrete post fences - to me they look a bit industrial in a garden setting (sorry folks, don't mean to annoy you!). Have a look around your neighbourhood and see what other people have used and how that might look in your garden.
The concrete posts can look a bit stark at the beginning but they quickly weather.
New:-
after 7 years:-
Last edited: 05 July 2016 09:36:30
Nice job penguin.
My fence has been up around twelve years (I think) and there are some posts which are so rotted they no longer touch the ground! It's post and rail and the rails are holding it together... barely!
I'm going to replace it in stages as it's over 300ft but my neighbour used ordinary reinforced (not slotted) concrete posts sunk into the ground and bolted battens to them, then attached the rail and painted the whole thing. Looks tidy as anything and not "concretey". If any of the wood rots it can be replaced but the posts can just stay there!
No matter what you do will look a bit rough as the trees/shrubs are going to be trashed for a while but in a year or two you'll be glad you did it right.
I chose concrete posts and concrete gravel boards as the ground round here is clay and can be waterlogged in the winter.Some things can rot over one winter!
Fencing is one factor that is so important and in particular those overhanging trees will cause wet rot in any wooden fence in time, as it will never dry out. I just replaced a fence and its not cheap but I do have concrete posts and gravel boads.. Because in the past I have had wooden posts which do rot off and we also live in an area near the coast with a prevailing wind...So I cannot aford panels to blow out an cause damage.
The worse wooden fences are Wayney Lap they distort and become brittle and break up. The better quality wooden fence panels are Feather edge boarding . These can be relatively easy if a board needs to be repkaces, I have done this myself a few times.Larch lap or Waney lap its going to be the whole panel.
You can also obtain steel fencing which will last for years but is not pretty, even if its painted green... You have a fairly large garden and it will take time and money.. Don't they always..
I had a tree removed and the stump was left as it was very large, the Tree surgeons put a copper compound in holes they bored into the trunk. They said in time it would rot away. 20 years later and its still there.. I am still battling with the Ivy, which is relentless, it has just cost me a new shed roof. The ivy crept under the roofing felt and it caused rot.. Not cheap but this time roofing felt was fixed with adhesive..
All the best with your efforts we will await your progress reports with interest..
Sorry it won't let me edit, I did not realise the script went off bold which I know is easier for some posters to read..