Garden Makeover for £50 ?

LavenderBoy

Hey

Next month I am planning to sort out my little cottage garden.

Its a very small courtyard garden.

All I have in it just now are a small table and 2 chairs.

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on crafty ways to use the space ? I have lots of ideas but most of them are probably too outlandish !

I was thinking of just getting lots of plantpots (eBay or carboot) possibly? all different sorts and colours and go for a rustic french shabby chic look garden if that makes sense ? .

What sort of plants are cheap to buy and are good for plant pots ? .

Also any ideas would be much appreciated I would love to be able to do it for around £50

I also have a hanging basket that i'd love to fill but dont know what sort of plants to fill it with ! lol


Thankyou....

TallGirl

If you post a picture of your garden it will be easier for our to advice you. Use photobucket to upload and then copy and paste on here using the little photo icon above the message box.

Pots are always nice but take a lot of watering which way does your garden face and what is the soil like, clay, sandy or is it all paved over.

LavenderBoy

Well I'll try getting a picture for you thanks

Its all paved over

foxgloves

Start talking nicely to anyone you know with a well-stocked garden, as many people are happy to share spare plants from having sown too many, or to pot up self-sown plants/seedlings. I've spent plenty at garden centres in the past but have really come to the conclusion that the best cottage-type gardens are grown not bought. My flower borders are mostly put together from bits I've received from family & frineds, grown myself from free packets of seed or saved seed. Pots/containers look great & you can plant into all sorts of recycled stuff......but I do agree with previous post who said how much watering they need, so that's worth bearing in mind. If there is room for a border actually in the earth, it's likely to be lower maintenance & allow you to grow a wider range of plants. I think my advice would be to get 2 or 3 brightly planted containers done for this summer, but to spend the rest of your budget/efforts thinking a bit longer term so that you are starting off some things that will look good in future seasons too.

Sally_A

Do you have walls/fences?

A piece of marine ply (look in skips) can be made into an outdoor picture using up old paint, and maybe jazz up with additions of glass beads, broken mirror, old keys, rope or string - any junk really.

If you aren't arty go for abstract, if it's a failure you can always paint over the whole thing and start again.

Smoffi

visit your local garden centre... mine has a plant pot recycling container.. people throw them in there and I take what I need and so do alot of others.. saves buying them!!

Or use Freegle or another free recycling site.. every penny you save is brilliant!

poppysarah

Try freecycle for pots and plants.
You might get loads and still have £50 left!

RAS

Seeds?

Given the appalling weather so far, a packet of nasteriums and one of cottage (rather than French or African marigolds) would give you losts of colour for very little money; check out Lidl at 29p per packet.

What we really need to know is where the sun shines on your little patch, as that affects what you can grow.

Try the dumpsters at the back of restaurants for the huge canisters that they buy oil in - some of the olive oil canisters are very pretty. Just take off the lid with a pair of tin snips and bang a couple of holes in the base. grow basil if possible.

LavenderBoy

Thanks so much for everyones responses and help !

I have joined my local freegle so sent my request last night so fingers crossed I get accepted

The garden itself gets little sunlight, It does get some but I wouldn't say lots.

There is a small wall to the right seperating my courtyard and the neighbours.

I love the idea of olive oil canisters too they sound really pretty I will need to go on a midnight dash hehe

hollydays

If the paving has gaps,plant seeds or bits of plants between them for a cottage garden look.I like poached egg plant but they are annual.Different types of thyme would be good to.
I have a darkish courtyard bit and try to buy things like metal jugs or buckets,and favour cream, white or that very bright turquoisey blue thats very shabby chic as it looks very good in shade areas to give colour ..To add height,if you could get an old wooden stepladder,they are good to act as a plant staging shelf if you have the room.

LavenderBoy

Thankyou hollydays for the the ideas you have. Lots of creams and turquoises would be lovely. I've been looking on eBay and theres lots of beautiful old rustic jugs/pots so I think I will get a few.


Does anyone know if Lavender would be ok to plant in my garden ? & or hydrangeas ? Thanks!