How to salvage this soil into something beautiful? (pics)

[EwanHoozami]

This is my front garden. As you can see there is the occasional tuft of grass, the odd bulb and a load of rocks and weeds.

If I want to plant a rather random mixture of flowers, herbs and (controversially for a front garden) vegetables, how do I prepare the soil?

I think I need to rake the shit out of it, pull out the weeds and the big stones and sow some seeds when it gets a bit warmer...

Is this overly simplistic and ambitious? Can you tell I've never owned a patch of land before?

are you feeling strong enough to dig it over and take out the larger stones and any rubble or old tyres you might find? best to do that before you start.

Yep I'm up for some graft. Guess I'll need a proper spade rather than a trowel though, right?

I'm such an amateur..

at old tyres. There may be a shopping trolley under there somewhere.

I think my rather prim neighbours might expire if I don't do something about this mess soon.

Join freegle and keep your eyes out for free plants and check out the telegraph offers as well

You can get a garden sieve to help get the stones out - I think the holes are about 0.5cm across. This is really good for getting the lumps and rubble out. I have a similar size front garden and it took me about a full weekend to go through the whole lot and take the junk to the tip in rubble sacks.
Then you need to mix what's left with something to enrich the soil: horse manure, compost or similar. Otherwise what you plant will not thrive.
What an exciting project!

you might find a fork easier for rough digging.

If you are weedy you can get a "border" fork or spade which is a bit smaller than a manly one

I have used a sieve but it is very tiring on the back. If you can lay your hands on a discarded supermarket trolley, or put a sieve on top of a bin, it is a more convenient height. Your garden does not look big enough for it to be worthwhile making a wooden frame with a wire mesh top.

If you want to make it look presentable quickly, dig and rake it smooth and put some big pots at the front with a colourful display from Aldi or Wilkinson (very cheap for bedding plants) and control the weeds. I like hoeing, but you have to do it weekly. Try not to have any deep beds where you can't reach the back with a hoe when standing on your path or paving stones.

you can put weedkiller down up to the day before you plant it (disturbing the soil will make all the weed seeds germinate)

p.s.

for herbs, especially ones like mint which spread, use tall pots which will put them out of reach of cats and dogs.

p.p.s.

A spade is a useful housebreakers implement, so don't leave it outside.

Aldi are about to have bedding plants on offer,20 for £2.69 I think,
if you're on a budget, pop to your local garage, fluter your eyelids at the man and ask for a couple of old tyres. Look great planted up, and large so take up room.cheap and look good.:)

Hardy annual seeds are your friend if you are a novice. Once you've dug over your soil and raked it smoothe, sprinkle some packets of Nigella, Calendula, Escholzia, Nasturtium etc around. You will have colour all summer and they will self seed for next year.

You are all splendid - thank you.

Apparently Lidl have loads of garden tools on for cheap so I'm off up there later. Good old Lidl.

Now I just need to wait for a sunny day :)

I personally primarily dig with a fork as it's more forgiving than a spade; I used a spade to dig a hole, a fork for turning the soil. Gardening gloves are good for taking some of the friction away from hand/handle contact. Do you have room for a dwarf fruit tree? My neighbour grows veg in his front garden (he's elderly) - I love seeing the different produce that rotates from growth to harvest! Alys Fowler is a good one to reference when you want ideas for mixing flower and produce gardening.

Please put photos up when you have your garden established. Have fun!

I have an insane neighbour who complains at great length that I grow tomatoes in my front garden, which is the sunniest place.

Also complains when I dig it over for the winter that it doesn't look elegant

That's the thing PigletJohn. My street is 90% retired folks with immaculate borders and lawns. Whereas my idea of a good use of a front garden is a mix of veg and flowers in a non-fussy layout.

They might not like it much but I think as long as it's well looked after and weed-free it's got to be better than the current rubble-fest.

Hi Ewan, this does not looks unlike the border at my Mum and Dad's that I sorted out toward the end of last year, and I am no expert. I dug it over a bit, got rid of any bigger stones and weeds. I then dug in some compost from the Garden Centre and then let it sit for a week. Then I put another bag of compost on as a top layer (weeds need light to this stops them growing for a bit). I then left it another week and planted some bulbs for Spring bulbs for my Mum - she has been ill until recently with cancer and other problems (getting better touch wood) and their living room is at the back so she likes to look out there alot. Lo and behold the border is still weed free and the bulbs are absolutely shooting up - I can't wait for them to start flowering. I will be there at the weekend and if I get the chance I will take a couple of photos and post them on here. I promise I am no expert (total amatuer, but keen)and am AMAZED at the result. If you want to learn a few basics then go to youtube and watch the Alan Titchmarsh show called "How to be a Gardener", it is brilliant. If you decide on planting carrots and veg etc then have a look at companion planting - it is quite simple and can help keep away the pests . Good luck.

Thanks Geoff, how lovely that the bulbs are coming through so well for you already. Your Mum must be really chuffed with all your hard work. I'll definitely check out that Alan T show :)

This book sounds like it would be up your street OP, see if you can borrow it from your local library
www.amazon.co.uk/Thrifty-Gardener-Create-Stylish-Nothing/dp/1856267776/ref=la_B0034PKT2W_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394111545&sr=1-4

Yes just have a look at the videos. If memory serves me right they are a bit less than 1/2 hour each. Take your time with the Garden and enjoy it. If you decide that you wanted flowers you can now by this sachet of gro-sure that has a spout and you simply shake it onto the soil and water it - hey presto lots of colourful flowers - don't even need to dig it in. Or go for some veg and if you need a hand with the planning of it then have a look at the dobies of devon website - it has a vegetable garden planner. Either way it is a nice hobby and hopefully your kids will enjoy it too

Some useful info here
www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/10673079/Urban-gardening-how-to-go-green-in-the-city.html

I got out in the garden yesterday and I bloody loved it. As did 4yo DS.

Feed your soil well OP and you will reap the rewards later - especially if you want to grow veg.

Just thought I'd post an update and a slightly crap picture.

I sorted out the soil as per your splendid suggestions and threw in whatever seeds Lidl had on cheap. And I love it! Nasturtium, sunflowers, cornflowers and marigolds have all popped up. Whatever that purple stuff is smells incredible in the evenings, sweet and aniseedy.

Thanks all! Now to tackle the back garden...

Blimey, Ewan - that's a massive transformation!

Thats lovely, especially the purple stuff!

Thanks :)

I think there's a lot of stuff in there yet to bloom. No idea what most of it was as I planted a summer flower and wild flower mix. Exciting!

That's lovely. Is the nice purple stuff some kind of hyssop?