What are the basics to keep a garden looking good?

[lechatnoir]

We've just moved house and are lucky to have inherited a gorgeous new garden that has obviously been lovingly tended by the previous owners for many years. Unfortunately neither DH nor I have a clue about gardening & whilst we will need to learn, I wondered if there are any basic 'month by month' rules that we could be following to just keep us ticking over? We don't plan on doing anything major with it but assume a garden won't stay looking beautiful for long if you simply ignore it!
Any advice much appreciated.
LCN

I've found "The Gardener's Year" by Alan Titchmarsh a bit of a godsend and it spells out exactly what you should be doing month by month. I also got "Learn to Garden" by the RHS which is good for the basics. Fortunately our garden was pretty neglected when we moved in, though so my hamfisted attempts didn't make it any worse . Good luck.

Don't start 'pruning' and 'digging up weeds' before you know what you are doing (voice of experience).

If you don't already know, trying to find out what you have growing is a good place to start.

Mow the lawn once a week if you have one, it can quickly go to ruin.

Get a gardener.

Was going to say... buy 'The Gardener's Year' by Alan Titchmarsh, but I see someone has beaten me to it. It was my bible when we took over a huge neglected garden.

Think of it as a new pet - you will have to find time to look after it, even if it is small. This is time you previously had available for watching tv/visiting art galleries/practicising tantric sex. Do you want to start gardening, or do you want to have a nice garden?

However, if you do go Bonsior's route and throw money at it be warned - it's hard to find a gardener who actually knows anything about gardening. You need one that loves gardening, not one that's just basically an outdoor cleaning person.

I am now a keen gardener but when we first moved here had no time and garden was a state so hired a gardener for a few months. He was a man that loved gardening so much it took him over an hour to cut the grass as he mowed around each cowslip in the lawn.

I think its hard to inherit a beautiful garden and not get the gardening bug if you have time. As for what to do each month, the book suggested sounds good. Research before you prune. Pull up what you are sure are weeds and get their roots whenever you see them but especially now in the Spring. Cut the grass from now til October. Provide any floppy plants with support eg bamboo canes/rings. Worry about everything else later and enjoy watching what comes up.

Decking. Paving stones. Anything but pebbles. I ingerited a garden full of c*nting gravel and it's like a cancer.

Firstly, can you invite the previous owners back to do a walk around with you: naming plants and giving hints as to care? We bought a house with a beautiful garden and the previous owner was only to happy to have the chance to make sure we didn't wreck her pride and joy!

Mowing the lawn. It transforms the garden.

..after mowing, strim the edges....also makes a big difference.