Neglected garden! Help!

DWhite

Hi all,

I’m a new home owner, my rear garden is a reasonable size but hasn’t had any work for a long time! There’s a gravel area at the bottom with a shed that’s seen better days. There’s old furniture down there as well from the previous owner, it can’t be rescued and has to be scrapped. I already rescued a dining table that had been left out there!
There’s a paved patio area near the doors to the garden which can probably be saved with some jet washing and weeding. There’s weed membrane down the side of the garden with more gravel. There’s also a step down which gets to the shed and gate at the bottom of the garden.
There’s a lot of work to be done and I’m not sure where to start or even how!
I wish I could afford a landscaper to come and do it but there’s no chance of that. So what’s the best thing for me to start with? Is it feasible for me to be able to get rid of the gravel at the bottom and turn it into a nice planting/sitting area? How hard is it to get rid of the shed? How hard is it to re do the patio?
I work long hours so work will need to be done in my spare time which I don’t have much of 😟
How much am I looking at paying for a skip?

Davesnave

Skips are £280+ for 6 cubic metres where I am.

You can take your unwanted stuff to the recycling centre if you have a car, but most now charge by the bag for building materials. They may not charge for wood/furniture.

Gravel can be sifted with a sieve and then placed in a pile, when someone who wants it will remove it for nothing, if you advertise. Personally, knowing the cost of gravel, I wouldn't do this myself as it forms a good base for paths etc. The first thing I bought when I had a big garden in 1987 was a cement mixer..... and it still works!

To begin, you will need some basic hand tools and a wheelbarrow.

Most of us can't afford a landscaper, so we DIY whatever we fancy, reading up on it first. For example, yesterday I saw several people taking turf away at B&Q, (other rubbish DIY sheds are available!) but I'll bet most people like them just want instant results and haven't prepped the ground properly.They may well end up with a dead, soggy mess!

It takes time to build a garden, so clear the patio first, then sit there and decide what would work for you and your family, if you have one. It sounds like low maintenance will be important, which might rule out grass, but then kids tend to rule it in again! Do you want veg/fruit or just something easy on the eye, like shrubs, with perennials and a few extra annuals for colour?

Until you know what you want, it will just be a vague unplanned space. The movement of the sun will also have a bearing on what you decide to put in, and where. It's not great if the patio is permanently shaded when you get home from work, for example.

If you feel that there is too much to cope with initially, remember that you can tidy up by pegging-down heavy duty polypropylene fabric over parts you'll get to later. That will kill weeds too and allow you to focus on the areas you'll tackle first.

unrecordings

£150 ish for a skip round here. I'd say don't rush - take the time to appreciate what you have this season so you can make really good plans. I'd start with dismantling the shed removing glass & roof covering to make disposal easier, then you can contemplate the space you've cleared. Over the summer you'll figure out where the nice little sitting out spots are (sunny/shady/away from next door's trampoline/etc) and plan/budget from there.

in_my_wellies

I'd say don't be in a hurry. As has been said, don't be in a hurry, do a basic tidy up and get to know your garden. At this time of year herbaceous plants which died down for the winter may be emerging and could be enjoyable and useful. When you do make changes these can be potted up into makeshift containers until you find their final planting place.

Also, even a shed which has seen better days is useful so don't be hasty. Admittedly it's out of sight but I have one tied all the way round with a rope to keep it up because the wood is so rotten screws no longer hold it together - but it has a roof and is still an excellent store for useful off-cuts off this and that.

Re the gravel - just yesterday I saw 'gravel gloves' in the Pound Shop. Who knew such things existed? They had long claws extending the fingers enabling gravel to be scooped up. Boring but worth while. As Davesnave said someone will want it but I would keep it bagged up for a while, you might need it yourself. I sieved my gravel drive (4m x 20m) last year as it was so weedy that I needed to mow it, embarrassing. In fact it took me three years at 1 hour per square meter. I bagged up the grit I removed and sold it on ebay for £1 a bag.

Finally, enjoy whatever you decide to do.

Farway

Very sage advice already posted, 3rded advice, don't rush, take some time to see what grows, some you may even like

Hang onto the shed as well for the time being, you'll need somewhere out of the wet to store your garden tools and "stuff"

In the meantime, as you wander around shops keep your eyes open for garden plants / shrubs at this time of year, any you fancy at right price, just get them [check on ultimate height though] and put by until you have "right spot" for it

getmore4less

Agree take your time first year you don't know what is there.

Another thing is stuff that is there some will take a good hack back and survive often coming back stronger.

Patio sounds like a good first project.

[Deleted User]

I also agree with the advice of don't try and do it all at once - or in a hurry......i'm a great one to talk, though, because i'm one of those that wants jobs/everything done yesterday


Maybe consider tackling one section at a time, perhaps working from the closest section back, or vice-versa - whichever you see fit.


I worked that way here, my back garden is large, divided into 3 sections, so what I did was work from the back forwards because the back third was the worst area - full of tall sedge grass, brambles, and Leycesteria - hiding a Syringa, numerous Hypericum (3' variety), a Hydrangea, and slow growing conifer !!!


I got that section cleared of the sedge, brambles and Leycesteria and left it at that for the first year whilst I cleared a different area of the worst weed in Creation ………..:mad: Equisetum:mad: :mad: :mad:
I returned back to the first area last year and got that the way I wanted it.


Gardening can be love or hate though, depending on your free time depends whether it's seen as a chore or a therapy.
I love being outdoors and I have a reasonable amount of free time too so i'm happy to get stuck in out there.


Can also be expensive during the learning curves, so again don't be too hasty to do/get things done in a hurry because you may change your mind several months later !


I could go on and on...….i'm a mad keen gardener though so will shut up now …..:p

getmore4less

Having another read,

If the skip option will be too costly

DO you have transport how close is the nearest tip?
What access is there to get the real rubbish out?

I am thinking along the lines of if you can get the rubbish stacked up in a corner near the gate(can you drive upto it?).

Then you have a series of smaller tasks than can be done over a period in parallel

Move rubbish to corner not used
Breakdown into transportable chucks
next time it is convenient to load up and go to the tip you do one run
(make sure there is always at least one load ready)

I found if using a car for transport get a big tarp to line the boot and rear seats(folded down) made life easier.

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How bad is the shed you may be surprised how bad they need to get before they have to go.
A few pics inside and out at people can guide on options.
If salvageable but too big a job for you or you just don't want it try freecycle, even if not someone may take it for firewood.

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Fences and gate etc. have a good look at all of them and see in any maintenance needs doing make a list of jobs and materials needed.
pick them off one at a time.

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Tools an be expensive and this time of year everywhere is selling stuff mainly full price.

Best to sit back and wait picking up only the necessitates now as in 6 months a lot will be 1/2 price or better.

If you have a Wilko they clear out all their gardening stuff end Aug/Sept at knockdown prices starting with 50% going to 75% and even cheaper after that if anything left
Also fence paint gets cheap unless in desperate need this year wait and stock up to do stuff next year.
Keep an eye on
https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/wilko.com
other places as well
if not going organic week killer goes cheap late in the year handy for the gravel areas and patio and spot kill unwanted item.

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If you have any breweries near you check what they do with their hop/malt bags these make great garden rubble and storage bags for things like your gravel.

One near us refills them with used hops great for the compost heap.

They are not that expensive to buy but free is better.

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A few pics of the garden may help throw up some ideas.

chickens11

Id go the cheaper route and get a general gardener in to give you advise and help you to which is the best way to start .........To get a landscape gardener in will cost a lot , but a gardener as brilliant skills and ideas too at a much much cheaper rate ...Good luck