Where / how do I start?

Crisp_£_note

Hi

Please can I get some advice.

I am wanting to start gardening this spring. We dont have much of a garden, handy as I am not much of a gardener :rotfl:

But I would like to brighten up the pato and have a few troughs in the front garden. I would also like to build some raised boarders along the side of the fence and garage (which is kind of in our back garden).

We have 2 dogs who are good the majority of the time but have occasionaly 'weed' on the plants and dug a hole in the soil last summer, but this isnt a regular occurance (well the hole digging isnt at least). The rest / majority of the garden is grass.

I also have acquired some really nice wooden patio furniture and am wanting to make it one of my first projects to clean it up and weather proof it for another season (as we dont have anywhere to keep it like a shed and no room in garage) once the warmer, dryer weather finally arrives.

What can I be doing now to prepare for this? Easy care plants (just water) or seeds to start sowing indoors? Where do I get the seeds, plants etc to get started.

The limited gardening experience I have had is sticking a rotting tomato in an old yoghurt pot of soil last year and to my surprise they grew and tasted good too! I know I am not going to become an expert overnight from this small chance but my curiosity had to begin somewhere.

Thanks in advance for your patience of me another budding newbie!

RAS

Crisp

Do you ever go to Lidl?

Right now they have cheap seeds at 29p per packet or 50p for two packets.

If you want to grow easy flowers look at pot marigolds (not the french ones), they have laverata I think and sweet peas. If you grow tall sweet peas you need some sticks for them to grow up or to put some nails into the fence or the boarding at the top of the garage and run some string down for them to climb up.

Other good climbers; french beans and runner beans are both easy.

If you have dogs you may need to think about them weeing on plants so maybe better to have veggies you cook? The poundshops are selling bags of potatoes at the moment although they are goign fast. Try beetroot, carrots (both have interesting leaves).

You can also grow tomatoes and cucumbers on strings.

hilstep2000

Last year I went to Poundland and bought their wildflower mix. Just threw it in. Had the most wonderful display through to November! People couldn't believe that it only cost £1 !! They also have veg sets and seeds. The tomatoes come with their own little greenhouse to start you off too.