Feeling hopeless about my garden

[weedsbegone]

I'm a total gardening novice with a garden that's about 60ft long. There are two large flowerbeds in the garden but they're constantly full of weeds. Last summer whenever I de-weeded they were back within a couple of weeks and because I've done nothing over the winter they're now worse than ever. I know it's normal to have weeds but is it usual to have so many?

My second question is, can I start getting my garden ready for spring/summer now or is it still too cold? Looking at the weather, daytime temperatures here are around 7 degrees for the next week or so, whilst at night it's getting down to 0 or a bit lower.

When it is time to start tidying the garden and preparing it for spring, what should I be doing (other than removing the weeds!)

Also, the flower beds have very few plants in them at the moment - what can I buy that's cheap and will give good coverage? I have a lot of space to fill but my budget is tight.

The garden is north facing and has quite a few large trees around it so probably only gets several hours sun on the flowerbeds per day. The soil type is clay.

Thank you!

Forgot to add... Peter Nyssen for bulbs.. consistently excellent quality and good value. Lots of ideas and advice on website.

No, don’t turn the soil over. We’re beginning to understand the soil is an entire microsystem, with strands of fungus mycelium and a myriad of microorganisms, which are disturbed every time you dig.

What I’d do is start a compost heap with lawn cuttings, kitchen vegetable and fruit waste, weeds, cardboard etc and use that to improve the soil, putting it in a thick layer on top and letting the worms mix it in. But you can also buy stuff in to improve the soil - I’ll leave others to suggest what and where to get it from.

Manure is not a huge problem as horses don’t share many parasites with humans. But compost, “soil improver”, bark etc would be better as a children’s playground

once your soil is in good condition, it will look better.

Snowdrops are an exception to the rule about planting spring bulbs in the autumn. They don’t like their bulbs drying out, so are better planted now, “in the green”.

You sound like me last year with lots of empty space. I've managed to make a real impact for not too much money by getting cheap plants from wherever I could. Have a look on places like Facebook market place people will advertise shrubs they don't want as long as you are willing to dig them up.

I've also found allotment shops great for cheap plants. There will also be plant nurseries that aren't as obvious as big garden centres - ask around and look out for adverts. I can think of two local to me that are simply in someone's back garden. Again you will get advice and cheap plants.

It's also worth talking to friends and neighbours with gardens. A lot of plants spread and self seed and they will probably be happy to dig you up a clump. I've got verbena, geraniums, lungwort and cornflowers from various friends. It helps to fill the garden for free and it's a nice reminder of the person who gave it.

Great advice here on leaving the insects their shelter for a while yet.

Sounds like your north facing area would be good for hosta. They're low maintenance & you can divide frequently to fill more space each year.

If you ask on Freecycle or the like,people might share their extra clumps.

Agree that hydrangeas would suit, too.

What size are the flowerbeds ( not 60ft I hope).

Forgetmenots will grow from seed and are happily taking over any bare ground in my beds. They are biennial so wont flower in first season but they are easy to thin out as don’t have deep roots

If you want snowdrops for next year then now is actually the best time to get hold of some to plant as planting them “in the green” ie with this years leaves still attached is supposed to help them to establish. Have a look on places like eBay and buy a clump of bog standard snowdrops. Don’t get tempted by the fancy £20 a bulb ones, lust for them will come later in your gardening life . If you don’t want to plant them now then bulbs will be available in the autumn with other spring flowering bulbs.

Lots of good ideas above so just a quick one from me.

At this time of year there are often those multipacks of daffodils that have gone over, they are dead cheap - you can buy some of those and pop them in now (deeper than they are in the plastic trays) and they will come up next year and look lovely.