Never had a garden before, where on earth do I start?

[cowardlylionhere]

If everything goes well I'm moving in the next 3 weeks to a lovely house with a garden. Which will be hreat for the dc, but I have never had a garden before! It has lovely flower beds at the sides, and a patch dug for veggies, though I don't know if anything is actually planted there yet. So what basics do I need to know? I can cope with mowing the lawn every few weeks, but i haven't a clue what else I need to do. Are there any decent books I can lay my hands on before I go? I think I might get on best with one that maybe has a calendar approach so I know what I need to be planting and when. I think the dc will really like to help grow things, so I'd like to plant some easy things for them to look after. Is it the wrong time of year? It's got a patio too so I was thinking we could start a little herb garden in some big pots. Ds has already asked if Father Christmas will bring him some garden tools :)

[EauRouge]

Good luck with the move! My DM gave me this book when I got my first garden. It tells you what tools you need, how to do basic jobs like weeding and pruning, how and when to plant etc.

Hope your DS has fun helping My DDs love gardening. I had to stop weeding when they were around though because they just pulled up everything.

[ClareMarriott]

Yes, I was going to say Alan Titchmarsh or Monty Don. You'll probably be able to pick up books by both of them in a second hand book shop

[cowardlylionhere]

Clare that's exactly what I've done! I walked by a charity shop today and got that first book for a pound :) Now I just need to find time to read it! I'm hoping a bit of gardening will help me relax, but I'm thinking it might be a bit depressing having to get out and mow the lawn or do the weeding in the winter. Roll on summer I say :)

[Phacelia]

So exciting! Good luck, I've just moved to a house with my first garden and whilst I've been gardening for a couple of years (am obsessed) I still have lots to learn. I would recommend Gardener's world on tv or the magazine (if you have the pennies for it) as they're both great at explaining lots of basic things. There are tons of books so it's a case of take your pick.

If you can stomach it on top of the move, November is the best time to plant bulbs, all sorts of perennials, etc. I have treated myself to some tulips bulbs so should get some lovely spring colour next year.

I think gardening is daunting at first because there's so much to learn, but you can take it at your own pace. It's not like weeds grow massively quickly (and if you put mulch down you will get far less), and at this time of year lawns don't grow too fast, so you've got all winter to learn lots.

[MaudTheGardenTheBlackBatNight]

Join the garden club thread and we'll hold your hand as you progress from week to week and we keep virtual gin in the virtual potting shed.

[upinthehills]

I got First Time Gardener by Kim Wilde out of the library and it was a great book.

I've just moved too and the garden is 85 ft long and i'm pretty much clueless!

[MaudTheGardenTheBlackBatNight]

I find the RHS website more useful than books, partly because even gardening isn't immune to fashion and many old gardening books are now very dated.