Garden Design..on a budget !

smallzoo

Hi

We have moved my 92yr old mum in with us and she now has her own back door to our garden. I want to design a small area for her but need help. When I contacted garden designers in Cheshire ( about 5 ) they were all quoting £1000+


Does anyone know of any sites where I might get some proper advice. I dont mind paying but not RHS prices !

Thanks

manda1205

pinterest.com will give you lots of ideas if you search. Pallets are brilliant and can be reused in so many ways and the bonus they're free! Just takes a bit of hard work.

getmore4less

Is it just the design or do you want them to do the work as well?

Any establishments nearish to you that do courses,

might make a nice project for someone.

getmore4less

If looking for ideas have you checked catchup for any of the programs

eg. well that did not work, tried the BBC gardening page link to garden programs and it failed, but that was the idea.

SailorSam

There are lots of DIY garden design sites, i's start there to get some ideas.

http://www.craftionary.net/25-diy-garden-projects-anyone-can-make/

moneyistooshorttomention

I shall watch this thread with interest - as I'm struggling to work out how to design my garden.

My style of garden has 6' high brick walls round the sides, high degree of privacy, totally enclosed, standard level of wind (ie very little), contemporary style.

What the garden I've actually got is like is WAY open-plan, hugely lacking in privacy (exacerbated by HUGELY nosy neighbour), loads of tarmac at the front that has to be removed, West Wales level of wind, boring, conventional, "old lady" style, nfh next door will "scream" whatever I do to one of my boundaries (even though its mine).

Make that = one big headache then and I'm after all the design ideas I can get to change the garden to "My style".

SailorSam

I've got a short concrete path that goes nowhere. We use to have a gate but there's a fence now. I've been thinking for ages about digging it up to make a herb garden but it seems such hard work. My latest idea is still for a herb garden but i thought if i can get a load of old tyres for free and paint them different colours and fill with soil.

PasturesNew

Alan Titchmarsh was designing a garden for an elderly lady with limited eyesight last night. Obviously they had a huge budget and went way OTT, but it'd be interesting to watch just to see their thinking.

They had to look at shade, making it flat, bright coloured flowers she could see and somewhere to sit.

moneyistooshorttomention

PasturesNew wrote: »

Alan Titchmarsh was designing a garden for an elderly lady with limited eyesight last night. Obviously they had a huge budget and went way OTT, but it'd be interesting to watch just to see their thinking.

They had to look at shade, making it flat, bright coloured flowers she could see and somewhere to sit.

I saw that programme and I'm certainly following these instant garden make-over programmes (with a view to picking up all the ideas I can get).

I preferred that garden as it was in the first place actually - but I can see that the one they got was right for them personally and it looks like they will enjoy it - though I'd take one look and start ripping-out personally (apart from that summerhouse - which I might well keep).

So - one idea picked up to date from the "instant gardeners" and that is of using trellis screening (with evergreen plants growing up it) to hide my garden shed (which is of the distinctly utilitarian variety).

But that particular programme might contain some usable ideas for OP.

EDIT: that programme is "Love your garden" on ITV. I expect its up on Iplayer already for OP to get some ideas from.

ashleyjohn

I would also suggest you to for the DIY websites. They provide good options for every budget.

REEN

Any gardens in your area open under the National Gardens Scheme? For a small fee you can wander round the gardens, taking photos of anything that appeals to you so you can consider it back at home. The owners are usually only too happy to chat and give advice, and there are often plants for sale (coffee and home made cakes too if you are lucky!). You'll also see what plants grow well in your local soil conditions.

http://www.ngs.org.uk/