Where do I start with the garden!

isotonic_uk

Hi All

Hoping someone can advise on what me and wife should do with our garden. We are no experts in the garden.

We have decided that in 2017 we want to make some radical changes to our garden because quite frankly we're not happy with it. All the fencing is around 20+ years old and is just falling to bits, we want to get this solved either with new fencing or our preference would be to install hedges.

The rest of our garden really needs some TLC and we want to make it low maintenance as currently its a nightmare to keep cutting the weeds down.

Here are some pictures in the current state:





I am based near Wolverhampton, what would be the recommendation for this, do we speak to a gardener or a landscaper? There is a lot of work we would like to do but we dont think we can afford to do it all at the same time as we expect the bill to be huge!

Just a summary of what we looking to do:

replace fencing around the garden (approx 80ft garden to the back) with new fencing or hedges
Where there is soil, weeds, we want to turf with grass
cut back some of the trees and weeds (this will need to be done for the fencing or hedges work).
Possible repaving certain areas of the garden where it is worn and unsafe.

To give an idea we managed to find the sort of direction we want to head with our new garden. As you can see from the below picture we want to maximize the space for grass



Also I am not sure where we start to tackle this first? as there so much we want to do I dont want to do the fencing first and then rip out the paving and then this causes a problem with the new fencing.

As you can see we are really confused about where to start. If anyone has recently undertaken a project like this we would be most interested to hear from you.

Thanks in advance.

arbrighton

You'll get more responses on greenfingered forum- can you ask board guide to move it? (I'll look and respond properly in a minute, far more fun than tidying the office!)

arbrighton

You need a landscaper rather than a gardener.

Hard landscaping first (fencing then paving- they'll trample/ dig holes in/ ruin turf otherwise) then get them to do your turfing. BUT, lawns need maintenance too- mowing, feeding, weeding, reseeding.
It will be very dull without anything except turf though. Beds can be interesting and low maintenance if you use hardy perennials and membrane plus chippings or gravel to suppress weeds

isotonic_uk

arbrighton wrote: »

You'll get more responses on greenfingered forum- can you ask board guide to move it? (I'll look and respond properly in a minute, far more fun than tidying the office!)

Thanks, how do I get it moved to the other forum?

no1catman

It may be more expensive at first, but I would advise to have 'feather-edge fencing put in, rather than fence panels.
Last year, with Storm Imogen with an eight-and-a-half panel run, I had three flapping about, with at least two broken posts, rather than get it repaired and have something similar happen panel by panel again - went for the3 feather-edge - looks great - about £1500.
Personally, I think you may find just a lawn a bit plain - a earth border gives you the opportunity to add some colour, daffodil/tulip bulbs, and later begonia etc.
Good luck.

Fuzion

I quite like the look of your garden to be honest, it's nice to have the various shrubs etc and not see the whole space at once. Maybe get the fences done and then gradually work on the rest, but it would be nice to keep some of the character.

Nile

Hi, we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.

I’ve moved your thread from the ‘In my home’ board to the ‘Greenfingered’ board, where it is better suited.

Regards

Nile

I_have_spoken

Have you just bought the house and are wanting a garden for children?

On the face of it, your garden looks quiet mature and reasonably well laid out, all be it with the shrubs having outgrown their welcome and needing a refresh.

The trees have obviously been (poorly) attended to with tops being chopped back so you have a lot of spiky regrowth. Those could be shaped, the crown lifted etc. so everyone would get more light and the trees would have a better shape.

I'd avoid hedges, you will lose a lot of space in you garden plus you'll need to cut them at least one a year.

Landscape gardeners should advise and give you rough quotes; I'd budget for around £10,000.

bouicca21

I agree - I'd stick with the existing layout and simply refresh it - which you will probably have to do as part of installing new fences (not hedges!) There's room for a swing if you want one. Your proposed layout is stark and I think you will regret it over time.

arbrighton

Reporting Daffy post as spam

No idea if OP is glasgow. First and only post promoting a specific company

isotonic_uk

I_have_spoken wrote: »

The trees have obviously been (poorly) attended to with tops being chopped back so you have a lot of spiky regrowth. Those could be shaped, the crown lifted etc. so everyone would get more light and the trees would have a better shape.


Landscape gardeners should advise and give you rough quotes; I'd budget for around £10,000.

Hi

Yes we looking for simple maintenance garden with a lot more space for children and ourselves! we just not getting enough time to keep on top of it with everything else going on and it really needs trimming.

You raised a point about trees, living in a suburban neighboor hood, a guy I had in to quote for trimming/cutting down the trees sometimes that may not be possible depending if there is a preservation order.

Is this something my local council will be able to advise me on? I have the paperwork and deeds to the house available, would this information be on there? I did have a quick look but struggled to find anything meaningful?

What about if we decide not to cut but just to trim trees, do we still need to ask the council?

Many thanks for the replies!