Ok, gardening advice needed for complete newbie

[ilovelibraries]

We’ve lived in our house for about 5 years and, I’m ashamed to say, apart from hacking back plants occasionally, I’ve done very little.

We have a south facing garden, but the only bed is north facing. We have a small bed with climbing hydrangea, climbing honeysuckle, some clematis and a few other plants. They flower later than other people’s (guessing because it’s north facing). Occasionally I’ve used Gro-sure (when I’ve remembered, which isn’t very frequently).

I’m guessing my plants need some TLC. So, do I just need to use a feed more regularly or do I need to add more compost round the roots?

Any advice for this clueless person gratefully accepted!

I’d definitely top dress with some new compost and feed with a scattering of growmore in the summer.

Thanks @Beebumble2. Does “top dress” just mean place on top of current soil?

It does seem a bit daft that the only bed is north-facing. Could you face doing a re-design so you have south-facing plants?

Yes, if you put a deep layer of mulch on top of the soil (but not on top of any emerging plants), you can leave the worms to do the work of pulling it down into the soil.

@senua yes, it’s a bit strange but it’s a thin garden and south facing would be on the patio, next to the house. If I did it in front of the patio, we wouldn’t have any lawn! I do have flowers in pots each year, but think I need to start getting sensible about pot sizes and knowing what I’m doing! The small east facing part is also patio and the west facing against a garage wall my son uses as a football target (I’m dreaming of a bench and roses in the future - but fear roses might be too advanced for me!)

@NineOClockOnASaturday thanks so much. So mulch not compost?

Just got back, glad you got an answer. Roses won’t be too advanced for you, they’re very forgiving. Go for it!

It's both! Mulch is a term for a layer of organic matter added to the soil, to improve it. I mostly use composted bark, because it's a good source of humus (organic matter) but around roses I might use rotted manure (you can buy it in sacks as "farmyard manure") as that has slightly more oomph. If you have a compost heap, you can make your own.

I mentioned roses because I have lots - they like the clay soil here - but have just noticed your question about them. Some are fussier than others about how much sun they want, but on the whole they're pretty easy to look after. The pruning is straightforward and most new varieties don't succumb to pests.

Great. Thanks so much everyone!