New garden - flower beds!

[familyissues12345]

Hi everyone

Total novice gardener here..

We've recently moved house , from a house with only grass and patio, to a house with several flower beds!

The previous owners appear to have really loved their garden, and I'd love to keep it going. They have also left loads (10!) empty hanging baskets.

Where do I start? Is it too early to start planting anything?

Lavender and Hydrangeas have always been my favourites, as they did well in tubs on my previous patio.

Any tips would be hugely appreciated! We'd love some colour in the summer

What’s in the beds already? I would leave well alone for now and see what comes up in spring/summer. If they were keen gardeners, there will be all sorts of surprises down there. Are there any spring bulbs coming up? Daffs etc?

In early summer you will then be able to buy bedding plants which will give you very easy summer colour.

When the threat of frost is over, you could plant dahlia tubers if it’s big, summer colour you’re after.

I would just be patient for now. Even the most ardent gardeners’ gardens look dead and empty at this time of year.

Thanks @Chickoletta , I'm so impatient

Hard to know what's already there, as I haven't a clue what some of it is , but it appears there are some bulbs, rosemary and some things that look like cactuses

I wonder whether getting a gardener round in the spring would be helpful

Read a bit about the conditions that the plants you like need before you plant them - so lavender likes hot and dry, hydrangeas like moist and more shaded.

If the previous owners loved their garden, there is a lot to be said for not doing much in the first year so you know exactly what you have growing already. Many perennials will be dormant just now. Maybe this is the year to focus on pots and hanging baskets, and watching Gardener’s World for inspiration?

I mostly avoid buying annuals as I think they are a waste of money and too much work, and I like to have a number of evergreen plants so there’s something to look at in winter.

When you do start buying plants, don’t buy everything in one trip in March as you’ll have a spring garden and then not much interest through the rest of the year.

I would echo @Chickoletta's advice. Leave well alone for the time being. In fact, I would not be planting anything until you've observed the garden for a year to see what comes up. If you're desperate to buy your own plants, use pots or the hanging baskets- you can always put your purchases in the beds next year.

I would spend that year really learning about the plants that appear in the garden - how to care for them, when they need feeding and pruning, how long their flowering season lasts, how big they will grow, what pests they might suffer from. If you are are novice gardener you will learn so much from doing this. You can explore why the previous owner chose each plant for it's position - shady or sunny, dry or damp; and how their design elements work within the garden. Make a garden map of where the perennials appear (plants that die down in winter and reappear in spring), and bulbs, and when they appear.

Perhaps use one of the plant identifying apps to help you get started. They are not perfect by any means, as not always accurate, but if you have no idea it's a good place to start.

Also, if you are eager to start a project - think about missing static elements that would enhance the garden for wildlife - something like a birdbath or bird table, birdhouses, insect houses.

I started a garden from scratch in a new build and no/low budget. Only 2 years later it is full and I have bought very little.

Cuttings and self seeded spare plants from friends gardens have filled it up. One friend who lives locally, most of her plants have taken well as we have similar soil and obviously similar climate. Lots have come from my sisters and these are a bit less reliable as she lives 250 miles further south.

Got some fabulous lucifer monbretia from her. They have taken a couple of years to get really settled but wow what colour. Another discovery is verbena. So easy, and when they flower (again may take a year or two to settle) Purple flireworks against the the sky. Some of mine are getting on for 2 metres high this year.

Following advice from previous posters, they will grown well in pots and although they need some watering, they aren't partidularly thirsty. I also have Rosemary and Lavender in pots