"in the midst of winter, I found there was within me, an invincible summer" Potting shed chat continues here

[funnyperson]

So as agreed (by 2 other people!) I have started this thread for spring gardeners follwing on from the previous thread : Welcome one and all. experts and novices alike and draw up your chairs and join in discussion on all things garden related (and even not garden related)

I'm going well, SeaRabbit. Though heart-stoppingly envious when I see couples of my age together; DH and did so much together that didn't involve others that there's huge hole called stuff we did that I need to consider. DD, feels the same, said she felt envious of her mates who have dads, even ones that don't get on with them.

Here it's a more spring-like morning and though still dark, the birds are yelling their heads off. The native birds go in for lots of shrieking and cackling, though I can hear a single blackbird now. No rain forecast for two days, so an opportunity to do up the nature strip. I'll post before and after if I get it sorted

The thread I've been looking for! Just moved house and have a much bigger garden than ever before. Love it, but am clueless! It was v. well-established and then pretty much left for 10 years so v overgrown. Much has been hacked back, a shed built and the tree surgeon booked in, but I need to keep on top of things and hone my (poor) green fingers.

Echt I recognise your username (long time poster, frequent name changer), sorry to read your news.

That must be so hard for you both echt. Can I give give you a cyber hug?

Lorelei would you see the plants in the morning? They might cheer your day!

Welcome mumbo and congratulations on the new garden. You are very welcome to ask for advice/identification on here.

I will just pop in to say I saw a gardening programme showing a man growing plants and vegetables on a balcony. It was definitely on this year, and I think must have been on BBC2 - can anyone remember it? He had some great ideas. Could you rig up some sort of windbreak ( maybe netting) Lorelei ?
and maybe a bit of planting with hanging things on a wall ( if you have some space to hang them? ) You can also get plant pot holders which hang over the balcony, and home made ones fashioned from hessian sacks.

Cyber hug most welcome, SeaRabbit

Hello and welcome on board, Mumbo.

Well, I got half the nature strip down, which took all day, and clean forgot to take a before pic, so will do a half and half one tomorrow morning.

Thanks for the suggestions
I'm such a rush in the morning and of course light is limited so not sure

Starting to realise it's end of summer so I must make the most of it.

I'm on a high floor so the wind has nothing to hit before our building, so none of those work sadly. I'm going to just try a low shelf type stand but I was looking at this morning and it might be too cluttered. I tried a canvas windbreak but the noise of it flapping against the railings drove me nuts. It also didn't spare the plants from damage.

I'm wondering about going on the council waiting list for an allotment but I don't have a car and I don't know how I'd manage mowing etc.

I should probably just enjoy online gardening, lol.

looking at other ideas
gardening is expensive, yes? Even a good pot costs a lot of money.

Would anyone like to design my garden. After 40 years it is going to be destroyed. Almost every plant will go and I need a very low maintenance garden due to age problems. The existing patio is being pulled up and this week I will sit down with the make-over man.

It is 26 feet long by 15 feet wide and the 'garden' bit is 15x20. I want it mostly patio. This is the only thing I have come up with.

I want to keep top left fairly clear as it gets the evening sun

Lorelei gardening needn't be expensive. If you are near a Squires garden centre , they all have a pot recycling corner. I have acquired some attractive large pots (plastic, but terracotta colour) totally free from there and they had a mixture of sizes today. Growing from seed is dead cheap too. I sow my seeds into old Waitrose tomato trays with holes jabbed in them. They are about 4" square and are the best size IMHO.

Thanks Sea
I don't have one near but it might be worth a trip for that, thanks.

Re seeds, the problem is where I'd keep them, the flat is tiny. I literally don't have a handy corner to keep seed trays, well there's nowhere to put them without them looking really unsightly and much as I'd enjoy the work, I'd then have a bunch of plants and nowhere to put them, which seems a shame.

Loerelei - its always worth asking at your nearest allotment site. ( I have an allotment) On ours , people can share allotments as joint tenants. We also have a lawnmower that people can 'borrow' for a minimal sum. Other sites have extra helpers too. So don't dismiss it!
And it sounds as if you really want to grow things. Could you use a sheet of polycarbonate for a wind break (which is used for greenhouses) on your balcony?

Book, thanks, I am going to a plant sale at the allotments next weekend. I'm also going to ask if anyone just wants a helper, it would mean I got to learn stuff.

Re sheets, it looks like that's a permanent fixture of sorts and that's not allowed on the lease. But also the flat is boiling so a complete restriction of air flow from the balcony would make things worse.

Sosidge, I'm new to this but I guess you are looking at containers, trays of nice pebbles, maybe a zen garden type thing?

Sosidges - what sort of low maintenance. Would you still like to potter with plants, or have everything in pots to just look nice? At Chelsea this year I seem to remember them looking at one where the things were grown on (what looked like) kitchen cupboards. A presumably special draining tray / sink of soil and underneath in the cupboards, the equipment /compost was kept. I thought that was quite a neat idea if you are in a wheelchair, or can stand with some support.

My garden,for the past 40 years, has full of large shrubs. Climbers and the like, . We live very close to our neighbours on three sides, but when I go into the garden, I cannot see them and I could be living on a. Island. Now I cannot climb, can't bend too well, and the physical work of keeping it check is beyond me,

So I am looking at this as a positive opportunity to have a new garden, rather than the sad reality. So I am thinking of things like evergreens, and pots. In my shady area I have some really attractive low growing conifers, so I thought I might make a collection of them, Acers also do well.

My living room is all glass, so I don't want to look at just straight borders. I want to transform my East London Into a little French country courtyard

And this

And if it's not too greedy this (all in 15x20) I need a Tardis me thinks

You are of cours all invited to as many free holidays as you wish. There will be coffee and croissant, afternoon tea, wine and dinner cooked by two of my grandchildren who, very fortuitously,happen to be chefs.

T&C as follows.
Giveas much garden advice as you like, do as much gardening as you like, but no cooking, or cleaning. You may bring pets but no,children or partners. I should advise also that this Tardis is situated in an area complete unreachabke by moaning relatives, needy friends, work or Huns.

So you need a range of colours and heights
Are you okay to pay for large plants initially?

I'd happily come by and do garden care for you but I'm outer North London with no car. (I will check with volunteer services for anyone local who needs help though, I do some other volunteer work but I think it's time for a change on that front.)

Also wth pots on steps etc at different levels I've seen some nice outdoor cacti, combine in pots with say a section of dark pebbles and a section of pale ones, that might be nice.

I am happy to pay for large plants. I Am thinking of trees in pots. Trying to get things that are already the right height but are slow growing. Gardeners are like hens teeth here. I tried for 3 years to get one for my stepdad's garden.

I'm beginning to wonder if a career change is in order.
Do you need a gardener? Could you get a student in and instruct them? This is what my mum has, really nice late teens woman who just mows the lawn and then follows mum's requests. It's nice because they have struck up a friendship too. (I live in a different county to my folks, hence why I can't help in case anyone wondered). The student was new in the area as well and now has more work from mum's friends so I think she is well pleased!

I guess you need a range of trees in terms of colours and also how controlled they are. Would you consider putting a couple of artificial ones up? It sounds mad but it would probably go unnoticed and guarantees no work for at least a couple of them.

No definitely not artificial.

Oops I fell off the thread.

Welcome newbies.

sosidges I like your Pinterest ideas. On a recent garden makeover show -big dreams small spaces, I fell in love with a large olive tree in a raised bed. It cost a fortune though. Maybe you could apply to be on the show?