First time garden-owner - help needed!

Apodemus

Each to their own and I'm liking the toilet humour, but if any partner of mine even mentioned planting up a toilet in my garden, it would be off to the tip PDQ!

Farway

If there's one nearby Wilkinson's aim is to kill all their plants by neglect and thus flog the dead sticks off cheaply

Some of these sticks can be revived, and at 10p or so worth a pop

NoisyGiraffe

Thanks again everyone, for the confidence boost for what I've done at the front and for the advice! I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for cheap "dying" plants to scavenge.

Sorry to disappoint (almost) everyone but my partner is a hard NO on keeping the loo. Party pooper I'll have to come up some other inventive potting solutions to get my own back on him haha. 

The weather's nice here today so I'm heading out the front to finish off the last patch

goldfinches

Sorry to hear you can't persuade your party pooper to keep the loo, why don't you buy him a packet of these seeds for his Christmas stocking https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_826a_luffa_cylindrica_seeds

NoisyGiraffe

goldfinches said:

Sorry to hear you can't persuade your party pooper to keep the loo, why don't you buy him a packet of these seeds for his Christmas stocking https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_826a_luffa_cylindrica_seeds

Haha! I might! 

IrisB

Hi there!

For an easy to maintain plants with all-year interest, I would go for shrubs, with bulbs and spreading perennials beneath/alongside them. Be careful to choose ones that don’t grow enormous, though! I recommend evergreen shrubs such as hebe, skimmia or the smaller forms of euonymus, as well as attractive easy deciduous shrubs like hydrangea. If you want something bombproof but very thorny, look at Rosa rugosa. It has nice flowers and big rosehips in autumn. None of these need pruning.

For perennials, try various varieties of hardy geranium (NOT pelargonium!), bergenia, brunnera, etc. And of course, whack in some bulbs. Google is your friend for checking what to expect from the plants, and charity shops very often have books for gardening beginners. 

As others have said, see if you can get surplus plants from friends. Also, look out for cheap plants in supermarkets and pound shops. Good luck!

Davesnave

IrisB said:

 If you want something bombproof but very thorny, look at Rosa rugosa. It has nice flowers and big rosehips in autumn. None of these need pruning.

I think rosa rugosa might, considering our neighbour and ourselves have these hedges done bi-annually.... with a tractor flail!

Farway

Davesnave said:

IrisB said:

 If you want something bombproof but very thorny, look at Rosa rugosa. It has nice flowers and big rosehips in autumn. None of these need pruning.

I think rosa rugosa might, considering our neighbour and ourselves have these hedges done bi-annually.... with a tractor flail!

I suppose depends on space, but it can take over I know

By coincidence the ones in a border I volunteer to tend I've marked for hard pruning next spring once the birds etc have had their winter fill & shelter

Davesnave

Farway said:

Davesnave said:

IrisB said:

 If you want something bombproof but very thorny, look at Rosa rugosa. It has nice flowers and big rosehips in autumn. None of these need pruning.

I think rosa rugosa might, considering our neighbour and ourselves have these hedges done bi-annually.... with a tractor flail!

I suppose depends on space, but it can take over I know

By coincidence the ones in a border I volunteer to tend I've marked for hard pruning next spring once the birds etc have had their winter fill & shelter

That's a good point about the bird food, hence a bi-annual trim. However, by the time Old Bert gets around to it, the hips are usually at least half-gone!

Farway

Davesnave said:

Farway said:

Davesnave said:

IrisB said:

 If you want something bombproof but very thorny, look at Rosa rugosa. It has nice flowers and big rosehips in autumn. None of these need pruning.

I think rosa rugosa might, considering our neighbour and ourselves have these hedges done bi-annually.... with a tractor flail!

I suppose depends on space, but it can take over I know

By coincidence the ones in a border I volunteer to tend I've marked for hard pruning next spring once the birds etc have had their winter fill & shelter

That's a good point about the bird food, hence a bi-annual trim. However, by the time Old Bert gets around to it, the hips are usually at least half-gone!

His or the roses?