Would it be this easy?

[OutComeTheWolves]

Hello - I'm hoping someone can advise me. I'd love the idea of a lovely garden but I don't know the first thing about gardening or know any keen gardeners who can help me.

Dh and I moved into a new build a few years ago and the garden is basically a rectangle lawn. Ever since we've moved in, I've been 'about' to start transforming it into something a bit nicer but I haven't worked up the courage.

I now have a few weeks off work and I've decided to dig a border which I can then start decorating with different planters. My plan is to dig up the border, put that sheeting on top to stop weeds getting through, then put pebbles on top of that and buy one of those little things to separate the border from the lawn.

Ever since I announced my plans, dh has been taking the mick saying I'll fuck it up and he'll be left to fix the mess. Am I likely to mess it up? I feel like I've purposely started with something simple and then once I've built my gardening confidence up, I can move on to more exciting things. Or is there something really obvious (to a gardener) that I've forgotten about or any pitfalls I need to be wary of?

biggest pitfall is your twat of a husband. second is new builds are often built on rubble, as they chuck all the crap in the garden and turf over it.

what is the point of the border? are you planning on planting into it after cutting the sheet? or is it just to be in plant pots? if so, forget digging it, just go straight for the sheeting and pebbles, as the turf will soon die once the light is restricted. put the edging in before the pebbles.

I'm sure you won't mess it up!

One pitfall is that new builds often have loads of builders rubble buried in the garden so it's very hard to dig through and the soil is poor quality. Would be well worth improving the soil with manure, compost etc to give your plants the best chance.

Thank you for your replies. I have a feeling the soil might be poor quality. I planted some lavender (my favourite plant) at the front last summer to 'test' my gardening abilities and they all just died.

So my plan was to just make the border and then over time fill it with an 'eclectic' mix of lots of different plant pots. Some with flowers in, some with herbs in etc. Basically with just the aim of adding a bit of colour to my garden while learning how to look after plants. I've also bought myself the gardening for dummies book to try and pick up some tips!

I'm not sure if either of you have ever been to the north east, but I visited the walled garden at gibside the other week and it was so beautiful, it re-inspired me to just try and learn how to garden. Alternative that's music to my ears about not even needing to dig it up. I feel like I can definitely manage just laying the ground sheet, then adding a little border and some pebbles.

Its true - My DD has a new build , bought last year. To plant some things for her, we had to pick axe and use a masonry drill to get through the compaction. - The top layer of soil they put on the top isn't really deep enough for anything but small stuff.
If you go for Alternative's idea ( which may well be the way to go) them I would suggest getting a hose pipe, or washing line to lay out on the grass where you want the border edge to be. You can then tweak it around to see what shape works in the garden, and for you :)

I agree, don't make the borders straight make them curvy. Keep the plant in pots but don't forget to water them. Lavenders usually do well in poor soil, so there might be something going on below ground so pots at good. What I would recommend though is woodchip rather than pebbles, firstly it is lighter to barrow and secondly as it breaks down and you get better at gardening, it will slowly turn into compost which, if you do decide to cut through the weed fabric, will add nutrients to the soil underneath and will be a benefit to the eventual border. Stones won't. Plus if you do forget to water the pots, woodchip does retain moisture which might be the difference between a plant dying, it being able to hold on.

If it were me, and I have done this many times, id put the weed fabric down, design the border shape, and use bricks and fold the excess weed fabric under the shape you want with the bricks holding the edge in place. Then backfill with the woodchip. Then pop your plant pots on top.

My tip would be - ignore husband ,congratulate self on making a start .

Buy pots that match .Lovely earthenware type ones are expensive and heavy ,need watering more in the summer .

I'd go for black plastic from wilko ,large as possible .Well perhaps one size down from as large as poss . Believe known as half barrel. B&Q ,Homebase also sell ,or check on line .

Can Use polysterene in bottom for drainage ,make sure the filling is free draining .I add vermiculite to compost ,which makes it light and I think has magical expanding and shrinking properties so also retains water ?

Stand pots on something to keep off ground as if planting up now plants will overwinter and need to drain so don't rot in cold and damp .Maybe line pots with bubblewarap inside .With holes for drainage . Coold also make holes in sides of pot near bottom for drainage .

Agree about bark/woodchip and not bothering to dig lawn up .I guess you could just turn over the turf ,so only dig enough to do that .And about rope/hose /for marking border .

You are going to have such fun .Loads of stuff on line for hardy evergreen perennial plants .

Alan Titchmarsh's 'How to be a Gardener' book is always recommended on here! Covers all the basics. It's on YouTube too but the quality/audio isn't great.

Have fun and ignore the husband, you'll be picking it up in no time! Make sure you plant for sun and shade (figure out your aspect) and don't let your pots dry out/ get waterlogged.

An easy way to put boarders in is to draw a large circle for the lawn, use string and a fork in the center and a bag of flour to mark where to cut. It's very effective.

I have been gardening for several decades and I think what you are planning sounds great for a beginner. New builds are notoriously hard work for planting into the ground. I would look at an alternative to pebbles as they can be expensive.

Maybe lay pea gravel on the membrane and then slate pieces. Pale purple works very well. You can then add statement pebbles later. maybe great big ones, or Scottish pebbles (my favourite) once your planters are in place. You can't buy lots of different heights and sty,es of planters And don't worry about little ones at the front and big ones behind. The thing about your scheme is you can mix, and move your pots around if something does not work.

One last thought, not sure how tall your husband is, but a trench about 6x4x4 might solve the problem😄

The bigger and deeper your containers are the better to minimise the amount of care your plants will need.

There is good advice above about not bothering with digging up the turf. I would recommend going to a public garden you like and seeing what sort of plants they have and copying them. Try to have the same aspect if you want them to do well.

If you have a new build with poor soil I might save some time and effort and just buy a massive container and order compost online to be delivered to fill it. Pebbles on top can help avoid wedding and stop squirrels digging up your plants.

But of course you do what you like because it's your space. Ignore your twat husband.

Ignore your dh. Have a look on the internet for garden inspiration, one that's the same sort of size and shape of your own. Do a drawing to scale where you want things to be. Oh and read the finished size of the plants you choose - when the tag says it will grow to 1.5m x 1.5m it's hard to believe, looking at a stick in a pot but give it a few years and you'll have a tree dominating your delicate flowers! And avoid conifers, even tint ones. They grow and grow from 18 inches high to very tall and when you want to dig them up the roots are too big and awkward. Unless you want them on the border for privacy.

Loads of lovely container gardens on Pinterest :)

This was the sort of thing I was thinking of if you don't want to do lots of watering.

If you stick to no more than three main flower colours (e.g. Pink, blue and white which would allow for a bit of straying into purples and reds) it will look more planned but I always think you should plant the plants you love.

Also leave a few gaps big enough to put a chair or a small bench in. If you have some tall plants, like scarlet willow or a thornless rose or silver Birch you can create lots of little arbours to sit in.

Our Wilko have lots of good plants at the moment.

That should have read you can buy, not you can't buy.

This advice has got me raring to go now- thank you so much.

I have a day to myself on Monday so think I'll get started then. I like you're idea about the trench pansy .

I have a new build and dug all the borders my self - really hard work but very cathartic. Found loads of old bricks and a tyre!

In hindsight I would have got someone in to do the digging though.

I routinely add a few bags of top soil and dig over. Our soil is very clay-y but not too bad as was built on a field.

Ask friends for any spare plants they might have as I got loads given to me.

Avoid tiny stones as cats think it's one giant litter box

It'll take a bit of time but 4 years on we're enjoying our reasonably established garden.

Hope you managed to get a start!