The Great 'spruce up your garden' Hunt

BigMummaF

Upright_Tone wrote: »

I would advocate that the womenfolk in our lives do likewise - fair's fair.

It would be, but for female bluddin hormones ha-gen :mad: Think it's the oestrogen that messes with pH levels or summat...

cath777

alfie_1 wrote: »

1. If you have a large mirror [off wardrobe, carboot sale or local tip] place it against a wall in your garden and it looks like your garden is bigger . if you have [again the tip has lots] an old metal gate, put it ajar in front as if a gate to a secret part of the garden. grow roses or clematis etc either side and it looks great !
2. use cheap bamboo canes for trellis work, put 4/5 upright in the ground, 18 ins apart, then weave across with canes ,behind and infont alternatly [thread from the top and push downwards] again 18 ins apart, so you have a cheap natural frame for any climbing plants.put two across if canes not long enough.
3. get 3 flower pots of different sizes [larger the better], largest at the bottom, fill with soil and place 2nd pot in centre,fill and 3rd pot on top [you can use a cane through the centre to stabilise] then plant with trailing species etc, looks great and cheap !
4. look out for old poultry feeders [usually metal], they make good planters as they have a circular tray at base thats ideal for watering plants.
5. get any hanging light/candle holders [chandalier type] hang it from a tree with fat balls [haha] for the birds to feed from, also any nut holders etc but make sure its balanced !
6. i have an old iron fireplace placed by my seating area with a bush backdrop ,that has a big pot of daisies in front of it, it looks great !!

hi thanks for these they are great
love no three which im definately going to do!
i love being 'creative' in the garden
before i get rid of anything in the house i think can i use it in the garden?
i have old coffee table and a telephone table in the garden they are full of pots of flowers and they look really colourful. i also used an old bamboo blind to make a screen to hide my bins behind.
make cheap hanging baskets out of plant pots and garden wire once they are full of flowers they look great
look in skips for wood to make planters :T

harryhound

Upright_Tone wrote: »

I would advocate that the womenfolk in our lives do likewise - fair's fair.

Seriously it is the wrong sort of p1ss.

Think about the brown circles made by a "lady" dog on the lawn. Too acidic so I am told; the striped worms don't like it.
The O-> stuff has some sort of enzyme in it that helps with germination.
Under chairman Mao the Chinese collected it for use in the kitchen gardens
In Britain it was used for cloth and gunpowder manufacturer - hence going behind the hedge was "spending a penny" (wasting something you could sell).

Orange_King

If you are starting out, invest in some seeds or plants that will produce more seeds for next year or ones that you can take cuttings from. Once you start growing your own in plentiful supply, then try to sell a few at a car boot sale.

And just try to grow your very first home produced potato or carrot or whatever and you might just get the bug and reduce your shopping bills. The taste is beyond compare.

Minerva69

Anyone got any tips to sort out a derelict garden that's chock full of brambles? It's been like that for 10 years, my other half is disabled and I'm his carer, as well as looking after my elderly parents so I just don't have time to do any gardening. I'd love my daughter to be able to play out there but you literally can't get up the garden for the brambles and bindweed. We've also got 2 dry stone walls that are falling down and some leylandii that are well overgrown. We can't really afford to get anyone in to fix them. We tried asking at the local college to see if any students wanted to have a crack at it (they do horticulture courses there) but they weren't interested. Can't blame them really!

kmoneyz

Hi Minerva69, you might want to consider the landshare scheme that Hugh Fearnley Wittingstall runs, if you have a look at the River Cottage website, theres a link there

regards sprucing up, I recently bought a wicker conservatory suite from the second hand shop, so much more comfortable than most pieces of garden furniture & at £30 for the set, I thought it a bit of a bargain

covlass

Minerva69 wrote: »

Anyone got any tips to sort out a derelict garden that's chock full of brambles? It's been like that for 10 years, my other half is disabled and I'm his carer, as well as looking after my elderly parents so I just don't have time to do any gardening. I'd love my daughter to be able to play out there but you literally can't get up the garden for the brambles and bindweed. We've also got 2 dry stone walls that are falling down and some leylandii that are well overgrown. We can't really afford to get anyone in to fix them. We tried asking at the local college to see if any students wanted to have a crack at it (they do horticulture courses there) but they weren't interested. Can't blame them really!

I am not sure but you could try contacting these who may be able to giude you
http://www.thrive.org.uk/how-we-can-help.aspx

harryhound

Minerva69 wrote: »

Anyone got any tips to sort out a derelict garden that's chock full of brambles? It's been like that for 10 years, my other half is disabled and I'm his carer, as well as looking after my elderly parents so I just don't have time to do any gardening. I'd love my daughter to be able to play out there but you literally can't get up the garden for the brambles and bindweed. We've also got 2 dry stone walls that are falling down and some leylandii that are well overgrown. We can't really afford to get anyone in to fix them. We tried asking at the local college to see if any students wanted to have a crack at it (they do horticulture courses there) but they weren't interested. Can't blame them really!

It depends what your objective is.
How big the garden is.
How good the boundaries are.

Step one is to get rid of the brambles - if its out in the country you could spray them with something flammable and put a match to them. In suburban garden you could work your way through them cutting them just above ground level with long handled loppers and then raking them into a huge pile (to burn when the neighbours are away) You will then have to remove the food reserves of the stumps. Under the ground there is a structure on top of the root; it looks a bit like a kidney. I find a mattock is best for ripping these out.

The objective is to get back to a blank canvas and just mow what ever comes up for a season - cutting the top off anything will eventually control it, even this stuff: bindweed.
You may want to leave it as grass and just cut it with a motor mower of some sort.
A rotary electric one is suitable for modest areas and needs almost no maintenance.

Surely it is worth making somewhere where you can sit out. The extra light does wonders for serotonin and lifting depression. Adding bird feeders can give an interest to someone who is house bound etc. A few bricks and part of a supermarket trolley can make a BBQ - to smoke out the neighbours:D

The out of control leylandii are more of a sticky problem. How tall are they?

I had one that was the height of a two story house roof ridge and I managed to drop it with an axe, a log saw, a length of rope and two lorry-load ratchet clamps. The last 3 items I had picked up on the verge of a main road - knowing they would come in useful.

SailorSam

Minerva69 another suggestion.
Last year i was doing voluntary work for VS a lady a went to see had an overgrown garden and when i mentioned this to the local police they said they'd try to help. As part of their training the they try to get the rookie bobbies to do community work. It may be worth asking your community policeman.

nanamags

My daughter made a raised bed from the base of an old divan bed. She painted the wood and lined it with plastic. This was few years ago and it is still going strong.

I can recommend joining a local gardening club. They always have plants for sale donated by members.

Mags