my 2014 garden challenge! help needed:-)

djenks_2

Hi

I have a basement flat with a smallish (4 * 2) sloping raised bed as my front garden. It is south facing and as it's a flat I'm not easily able to water it.

I have tried for the past couple of years to make it look nice without much success.

I'm determined that this year will be different!

However I want to spend as little as possible, for it to be interesting and once done not involve too much maintenance.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

I_have_spoken

Packet of mixed annual seeds from Wilkos, maybe £1?

torbrex

If you are looking for some shrubs or bushes to give some height then freecyle is a good place to start, ask for cuttings and once you get them established they are relatively maintenance free (apart from pruning to shape)

As above, a packet of throw & grow seeds (annuals) will give colour and also help keep the weeds at bay but they do require tending at the start so that any weeds dont stop them getting established.

RAS

How much height can you allow?

If it is difficult to water think bulbs for later winter/spring and then shrubby herbs for the summer.

So hit Wilkos now incase they have any bulbs left on offer.

Freecycle for rosemary, lavenders, thymes (mainly for the front), sage etc.

A pack of nasturiums from wilkos (29p). Add one or two seeds amongst the herbs, they delight in poor ground.

If you want to be able tt water occasionally, cut the bas of a litre or 2 litre bottle and bury upside down as near to the centre of the bed as possible with only 5 cms above ground. Add a few crocks and you can water effectively from one point.

lostinrates

Is it a trational basement garden that is raised as you are at the bottom by our front door? If so I would definitely consider most strongly scented plants both to block out the smell of exhaust but also because more than most ou will get impact from them as you o down the steps by them. Lavenders?

wellused

You can get automatic watering systems or even the same thing without the automatic timer for about £20 to £30, I used one in my greenhouse off of a water butt in the summer so you could connect it to a tap for a few hours a day and it will drip feed the plants while you get on with life.

djenks_2

Thanks for all your answers :-)

It is a traditional basement garden so it's raised and slopes.

I'm interested in some shrubs but not sure which would be the best?

I already have a few lavender do you think that I could move them to the front?

RAS

Lavender and other woody herbs are Mediterranean plants used to growing in hot steep slopes on poor soil; which is why they are most suitable for your south facing slope which is not easy to water.

They will be happier there than in the back garden unless you have them in the sun at the far end of the garden.