Has anyone DIY prepared the entire flower bed from scratch? Please share tips!

[Return2thebasic]

I don't even know how to ask with proper terms. Completely new to gardening. Basically, we just had the rear garden cleared with some old shrub and small trees. The stumps were not removed though.

My hands are quite itchy to make a proper flowerbed myself and landscaping a bit. But on the other hand, looking at the weedy soil and with the knowledge of the existence of a million tree/weed/plant/ivy roots beneath the surface (very narrow garden in mid-terrace house), I feel completely paralysed with the idea of making a start.

Can someone who has experience doing this give some tips and advice? I've looked up for some guidance online. But all sounds very labour intensive and complicated. On the other hand, my neighbour lady simply suggested that I just dig a hole wherever I need to plant. But her garden is rather mature and establish. I'm not surprised that's how she would do in her garden.

I only have 2 hours in the mornings in the week to do any serious work when DS is in the nursery. Is this feasible in terms time?

What kind of tools do I absolutely need?

@MissHoney85

For veg I'm using the No Dig method. The same principles might apply to flower beds. Basically you lie some cardboard over the grass where you want the bed and spread compost over the top, then plant straight into that. Over time the cardboard will rot away and the grass underneath will die off. Then every year you just keep adding compost on top. There are loads of videos on YouTube, look up Charles Dowding.

I've watched the Charles Dowding video and some others. Very interesting. I might well give it a try...

@Hughbert

I'm pretty much doing this at the moment, the flowers beds exist but are totally overgrown and filled with crap. I'm doing a section (about a metre) at a time. I'm pulling up all the weeds, digging out roots and taking out all the stones/shells/broken pegs/glass etc. When completed, I'm covering each section to prevent my cats using the newly dug soil as a huge litter tray. My garden is v small, but I have little time so taking longer than it should. I also wanted to wait to see if anything grew or flourished before removing the lot, but other than a rampant rose and a couple of daffodils, nothing.

@Hughbert, how did you cover the section with fresh compost/top soil? This is one thing putting me off from starting. We have foxes and cats as regular visitors. Animal stools are spotted picked up every now and then. I dread of thinking they turn the new flower bed into a loo.

@WheresMyClint

If you don't dig out the tree roots etc, you may find quite frequently that the hole you'd like to dig to plant in has a great big tree root underneath it. We have a mattock for digging out tree roots etc and it is invaluable! My husband uses ours though, I cannot lift it. If you're a weakling like me, could you rope someone in to get the stumps etc out for you before you start?

Thanks for reminding me this. I was sort of dodging the topic... But ok, I probably do need to investigate how deep/extensive the roots go...

@MotherOfCrocodiles

I have done this for a border that was full of small trees and brambles. I dug out roots with a big fork and spade. Axe and long handled loppers to help. Cheap loppers because cutting roots in soil spoils them.

It was hard work but excellent exercise, lost loads of weight.

I do think it's a good idea to get rid of the roots as far as possible of things may grow back. Mine has been easy to keep weed free since I did it.

It's a LOT easier if the soil is not too dry so if your weather has been similar to here, now would be the ideal time to start.

Thanks for the tips about starting in wet days. If not, I might well just water the area thoroughly beforehand.

@JackieWeaversZoomAc, how deep did you lay the compost/top soil on top of the cardboard? By sqm? I guess it does cost a small fortune.

OP, unless you are sure there are no large roots, I suspect the only way is to dig. (There nothing worse than going to plant something and finding roots just where you're digging.)
It's doable, but as you said, labour-intensive.
I made a new border, starting just over a year ago. I dug out 19 shrubs, all terribly snail-eaten, and the whole thing riddled with bindweed. It was a never-ending job, seemingly, but with perseverance, I dug it all over and estimate I took out a bin-full of bindweed root, never mind anything else.
I did move some shrubs and perennials but most of it I did from scratch.
Think about the structure first (and don't think you need to rush and do it all at once).

I planned it in this order, ordering plants and putting them in as I went:
Trees / shrubs
Climbers
Perennials
Bulbs

You can add annual bedding if you want. It might look a bit sparse for the first year, but next year you will really see the fruits of your labour!

Look at whether the area is in shade/sunny, if the soil tends towards clayish or what, and what you like. Then, a bit like your neighbour suggested, I would make pockets of perfect gardenness by improving your soil wherever you find you can, and just skip over a bit that seems too rooty.

I'd get bonemeal, well rotted horse manure if you can get it and gravel to put beneath the root ball (our soil is clay and it's hopelessly wet).

I'd buy good quality, good-sized plug plants and grow them on in a sunroom/window sill/green house while you get the ground ready. Foxgloves, verbena bonariensis, dahlias, cosmos are all quite straightforward and satisfiying. Apart from the cosmos, they would probably all reappear next year too

And delphiniums.

Of you've got a spare corner ( find one, this is important!) then make a compost heap. I've got one of those plastic bins ( evergreener sell them online) and in it goes veg peelings, grass cuttings ( limited amounts) garden clippings ( leaves, spent flowers etc) and then every December I spread the nicely rotted contents on the flower and veg beds. No need to dig in: over the winter worms and weather do the work for you, and it really improves my clay soil.

Oh and watch Gardeners World with a notebook in hand to write down names of plants you like.
And make friends with gardening locals. Stuff that grows well in your garden will be flourishing in theirs, and they'll probably be happy to give you extras.

I've put in a new bed this year. We had to take off the top layer of turf, clear weed roots mostly by hand, then I used a small rotavator to break the soil up more as I have clay soil. I added compost in at that point. Then the fun bit of putting in shrubs. I am waiting for weather to improve to put in bedding plants. Was a big job but hopefully will be worth the effort as everything starts to grow.

Carol Klein’s programme on Channel 5 is excellent too. Very relatable and cost conscious. Ignore the garden makeover in a day programmes.

This is just over a year on. The two shrubs on the left are the only plants I already had, but they were moved.

[quote Return2thebasic]@JackieWeaversZoomAc, how deep did you lay the compost/top soil on top of the cardboard? By sqm? I guess it does cost a small fortune.[/quote]
not as deep as I thought I would need too.

I took delivery of a minimum bag of topsoil and large bag of compost (cost £157 inc delivery) - it probably was 3 inches thick, plus I had enough compost to add healthy layer to my veggie beds. Its been settling down nicely and I've planted a few seedlings in - it very early still and the seedlings are small but they are ones where the cats have destroyed the pots so they will survive or not!

I've probably added a few random bags of supermarket compost too.

Pics

I hope to get a lot more mini plants in the ground this weekend