Resources for a beginner

[Ealaigh]

Having lived in London with tiny gardens (mostly suitable for plants in pots only) for years we have moved and are hopefully completing on a sale in the next few weeks. New house is detached on a 0.6acre site so there’s a reasonable amount of garden. Currently it’s being used for football practice by the vendors kids- it’s essentially just a large lawn with a garage in it. It’s quite wet and acidic soil I believe. Would love some tips on how to determine layout and get starter ideas for planting etc. Any book/website/(cheap) online courses you can recommend?

First advice is go slow. You need to get a feel for which bits of the garden get sun or shade, and when. First, pick where you want to be able to sit out, it's good to have sunny and shady spots. We migrate up the garden to chase a shadier area on hot afternoons.

I would let a year go by while you plan, before spending any proper cash.

And watch Gardeners World when it starts up! It's very helpful.

Really think about what you want from your garden: pretty flowers, veg, wildlife. Space for parties, or just you? Do you want to garden, or just maintain?

empressofdirt.net/
This is a lovely gardening website.

Good advice above, also if the kids have been rampaging for some time the probability is that a lot of plants have been beaten into submission, but could well still be viable, though invisible. A year will give you a chance to see which are prepared to put their shoots above the parapet again. Spend time walking around your new neighbourhood, if you see plants you like and which are thriving try to identify them, they probably suit local soil/ rainfall/ wind conditions.

Bring your London plants in their pots, at least you will have something to enjoy and look at, and plants in pots are very flexible. Have fun with your new garden, lots of room for lovely things, veg plots, a mini orchard, a wildflower meadow, a pond ( you did say it was wet!), a greenhouse, a potting shed..........

I’m definitely not spending much money for the first year apart from investing in a good lawnmower- because I won’t have any cash initially! Long term I’d like an area for outdoor dining, a vegetable patch and a play area for the kids. About 1/3 of the garden is in front of and to the side of the house and 2/3 behind.