To Ask you help me plan my garden?

[MrsA2015]

I’m new to gardening and know a few things from family and watching programmes, we’ve recently moved into a rental so can’t s anything “drastic” but id like to maleness it as nice as we can with plants. We’re east facing and would like to incooperate a play zone for our 2yr old dd.

Any ideas?

O god, typos! Make it not maleness!

Can you get rid of the paving down the middle? Odd thing to have?

Nope can only utilise the space how it is, it’s quite handy for us at the moment as dd can use her scooter up and down, the path goes round to the side of the house too we’ve got a shed back there, just not sure what to plant and where

You could go to Aldi or Lidl and get the little fences to go down the path.

Get some long plastic planters and plant some herbs for the left hand side.

I would get a covered sand pit for the bottom of the path and a waterproof tent that could stay up over the summer.

A bench with pots around it would be nice.

And maybe get a pallet to give some height decorated with pots and features.

I'd not want to take a play area away from your children as it seems small and you'd forever be yelling at them if they touch a border plant.

Trees could mess up your fence unless potted too (there are some nice cherry trees).

Have you thought about potted plants (easy to weed / maintain) and possibly extending the patio a little to stick in a bbq / seating area?

I would make a border on the left and keep the right as grass for dd to play on. Agree with a sand pit for the end of the garden.

If you're renting, you want things that are going to grow relatively quickly and flower from the start. I'd be looking at mostly perennials, with a few shrubs, and then get some cheap bedding plants for the summer. In the summer/autumn, plant lots of bulbs - daffodils, crocuses, tulips etc.

Have a look here for suggestions, probably for shady borders: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=921

Patio furniture and a fire pit and summer is sorted!!

I plan to having a bench where the flowers are now that’s just randomly dumped dirt with bricks holding it up,

Pellets I got to try and be clever with

Don't get those little fences (sorry - suggested by calzone) They get brittle and break easily, and your toddler will undoubtedly try impaling herself on a regular basis.
Check where gets the most sun (bit tricky this time of year, I know) and think about a little veg patch. You can grow pea shoots from those dried marrowfat peas, and salad leaves etc will be great for the LO to watch grow (I could go on for hours with this one)
Will depend on type of soil, but if it's a bit dry and sandy, you can grow herbs such as sage and rosemary, which make nice size bushes.
What sort of budget do you have?

An arch to go over the paved bit? That way your 2yo can still get the benefit of scooting up and down the paving and enjoying the lawn

I prefer wooden or chunky metal - the £20 metal ones can look a bit ugly until you get a good coverage of flowers/ vegetarian which can take a while. I've seen wooden ones with planters either side so you don't even have to dig, presume they're freestanding You can also get different widths.

Vertical shapes help break up the flat space and draw your eye. Climbing roses, sweet pea, nasturtium, clematis, runner beans can all be trained up an arch

If you're growing anything in pots in a sunny position be aware they can dry out quickly. Best to plant in the ground/ use larger planters/ water retaining crystals/ decorative gravel or bark chips on top etc

The pallets look like a good project!

runner beans for height. I would plant pots with bulbs and small evergreen shrubs, you can pop some bedding plants in for summer.

that way you can take with you when you move.

in the ground I would plant quick growing veggies.

how about a few arches or pergola over the path with honeysuckle, clematis or jasmine over. Be a nice scented tunnel to scoot down!
a swing and a sandpit on the strip on the left
a flowering currant, Philadelphus and winter jasmine and leycendria along the back fence.
all easy, flowering shrubs that are interesting at different times of the year. and the birds like them.

Your little one will enjoy strawberries, and rasps in a pot (because the buggers spread
like wildfire). Lidl does raspberry canes in March I think, you have to keep an eye out for them.

The only downside to this plan is that if you have any else in the garden with red berries, you have to teach the wean not to eat them!

Great ideas, I love the idea of an edible garden and wanted to plant a herb garden, already have a tray of sage and o think petunias (Mum bought them). I like pea shoots and wanted to grow some up trellis, at the minute looks like we get abit of sun along the left side towards the back, the squirrels keeps digging up the place so will be potting as much as I can! I was thinking of a raised planter where I’ve dug up with strawbs so they’re shoulder height when sitting on the bench( if that makes sense!). I’ve dreamed of having a lemon tree even if it’s ornamental and will be potting one of those. Jasmine I adore and want it on the trellis by the back door. The soil is quite rich I think, I’ve craned to see what others have done near me and they all seem to be quite full so hoping I can make a success of it!

When I first read your thread I thought 'maleness' was a new gardening trend!

Like this for strawberries/soft fruit

In my mind😬

How about curving your path so it winds through the garden. Your DD will then have more area to scoot along and it will give an interesting vista.

What about a bean teepee?

dh was thinking of curving it somehow but it would mean damaging he concrete border that’s alrrady there surrounding the path, holding back the soil.
I love the idea of a bean teepee, dd would love getting inside it if it’s big enough

As it is only a small garden I would paint the fences in something like cream. Wilkos garden shades is cheap and good.
A couple of big pots on the edge of the patio area. Planted with dahlia tubers will give a nice big and long lasting display. And big pots are less likely to be a tripped over by your dad or knocked over by scooters or bikes. Again wilko sell some big plastic ones for around £6 each. These can even be painted in left over silk paint to jazz them up a little. A couple of pots by the back door and some nice patio furniture to finish off the seating area.
As to planting for the rest of the garden you need to take into account how much sun it will get, soil type and drainage.