Complete novice where to start?

[Deleted User]

I'm in the process of buying a house with a beautiful garden. The lawns are like billiard tables and the borders are full of shrubs and flowers. Where do I start as I want to keep it looking good? An issue is that I have a dog and I know that her wee can damage the grass I think?

J_J_Carter

And dig in the borders! Likely best get a beginners book from the library

demystified

Glassannie wrote: »

I'm in the process of buying a house with a beautiful garden. The lawns are like billiard tables and the borders are full of shrubs and flowers. Where do I start as I want to keep it looking good? An issue is that I have a dog and I know that her wee can damage the grass I think?

Yes bit.ch urine is one of the worse things for lawns it'll burn dead patches in it unfortunately.

Have you thought of employing a gardener? Someone who knows what they're doing? At least until you get an idea as to how to look after it properly (watch what he does and ask him for advice)

savemepennies

The dog will def do a bit of damage with digging and wee, but a picture perfect garden is not as important than the dogs happiness

Horace

I read in one magazine that you can buy special rocks to go into the dogs water which are not harmful to the dog and it makes their wee less acidic so you don't get brown patches on the lawn.

I have just taken over a garden that used to be pristine when the previous owner was alive but it was left by her relatives and now I am having to sort it out. Thankfully I have help in the form of my mum and she tells me what shrub/plant that I have and how to look after it.

Leif

Cut the lawn regularly, remove weeds from the beds, and prune the shrubs when appropriate.

With a lot of shrubs you can prune them heavily and they come back smiling. Regarding weeds, I suppose a problem is distinguishing weeds from plants. I have a problem with a packet of wildflower seeds I sowed a few months ago. I suspect some of the seedlings in that area are thistles and dandelions, and a vetch, but ...

splodger_seedswapper

re dog pee - if you add a drop of tomato juice to her dinner - the pee won't be so strong

re the garden - time is always the biggest issue - if you work long hours you'll struggle to keep a big garden looking lovely, regardless of your experience - so if you can afford it - consider getting a gardener in to help you (check your local shop for small ads in window - you might be lucky and find a semi-retired sort of person - who will have lots of experience and won't be as expensive as a commercial operation - iykwim :cool:

Foxy0810

Tomato sauce in the dogs dinner neutralises the pee you won't have no funny patches I promise