To utterly detest gardening?

[Windflower92]

I love the concept of it, and I want a beautiful garden, but I don't want to do any work towards it! We will probably be getting a gardener in about 2 years when the youngest is out of nursery, but for now it's up to us. We moved into a nice sized garden that was just grass and weeds, so we're trying to make it nice but low maintenance, and my god the weeds!

I bought a load of seeds and plants for hanging baskets and they've all been eaten by slugs and birds. Random bits of rubbish keep getting blown in from who knows where. And those damn weeds!

Is there some sort of TOMM app for gardens? I just need someone to tell me what to do and when to keep on top of it. I don't want to spend every weekend in the summer gardening!

Growing from seed is not a low maintenance way to garden. If you want something that looks like a 'done' garden with minimal input from you I would think about turfing (or a hard surface if you can't face regular mowing) then cut into the turf (or leave spaces in hard landscaping)to put shrubs and perennials in without creating huge empty beds that will attract weeds. There are a huge variety of really low maintenance shurbs that will give colour and interest all year round needing very little action from you once they are planted (occasional watering during a dry spell). Take a bit of time to work out what will suit your soil type and aspect (look at what is thriving in neighbouring gardens, ask anyone you know locally who has a nice garden or work out where is sunny/ shady and what the local soil type is and read plant labels).

Yes, another recommendation for Gardeners' World. Monty Don really does try to consider beginners and shows you how to do things.

Agree with you, though OP. I love the idea of gardening and I have a great talent for appreciating beautiful gardens (!!!) but I have no aptitude for actual gardening. I read up, I try, but it's hit and miss. Yes, I'm lazy - I'm not going to dig manure into my soil (did once and it nearly killed me - but it worked for a year or two, I must say). I just put my energy into patio pots and focus on a few unkillable perennials in the borders. I would recommend hydrangeas, if your soil is suitable because they look amazing and flower from end of May to almost Christmas! Cuttings are easy to take and they grow quickly to make a great show. Anything else though....it's a sad story in my garden!

Oh and that lovely blue geranium that covers the ground and never stops flowering - I haven't killed that yet.

Thanks all, I'm glad to find people who agree! My in-laws are mad about gardening so I guess I feel like a weirdo for not enjoying it! Thanks for the posters who've given reading recommendations, I'll check those out! I think we'll just have to spend a bit of money filling out the border and that should stop some of the weeds there. The garden is south facing, but we've got a shady bit down the side that gets all the slugs. Little and often it is though, I'll just have to suck it up to an extent. And no clue what the weeds are; our last garden had bindweed and it's nowhere near as bad as that at least!

I love gardening! But for me it's wildlife gardening. I'm also quite lazy. Come nice weather or spring and summer and autumn, I like sitting out with a drink watching the birds rather than actually digging around actively 'gardening'. I only weed every so often. Cover as much ground as you can with plants, or if not weed membrane and bark chips, to stop the weeds. Get a greenhouse, a proper little glass one, and grow your own from seed, it's so exciting. You win some,.you lose some. I think gardening as a word sounds boring and something your grandparents do, but if you can put a twist on it and go for a theme, like wildlife gardening or exotic or Japanese or colour or trees, it's lovely to see your concept come to life and to bring so much more life into your garden

Me too OP. And there is an assumption in my family that I should like gardening because I have one so I find myself drawn into endless conversations about it.

I have a garden but I am just crap at gardening, nothing seems to grow, I have no idea what to plant & can even seem to grow a 🌻 sunflower! I mow the lawn & put 3 day green on but I just don’t have a clue! I live on an estate if the most keen house-proud gardeners so my terrible garden is highlighted even more!

Some love it but I think it is dull as.