[Misc] Gardeners' Question Time

[Moshe Gariani]

"Good afternoon panel. I'm Moshe from Eastbourne in Sussex...

We have a terraced section of garden next to our house that I don't know what to do with and hope that that you can help with some good ideas.

We haven't touched it since moving in six years ago. It hasn't really been a problem but it is scruffy and there feels like a missed opportunity as it could be quite a positive feature visible from lounge windows and from the road at the front.

The problems are that it is very thick with weeds and the soil appears to be a bit stony and shallow. It also will only get a couple of hours of direct sun as it lies between the house and a high hedge.

What would the panel recommend? Is weedkiller a good option to help clear it out? The main thing that grows up in the summer is quite tall with a pink flower - I'm not sure if they are 'plants' or 'weeds' though...

I have brought some photos along with me."

 

[Deleted member 22389]

"Good afternoon panel. I'm Moshe from Eastbourne in Sussex...

We have a terraced section of garden next to our house that I don't know what to do with and hope that that you can help with some good ideas.

We haven't touched it since moving in six years ago. It hasn't really been a problem but it is scruffy and there feels like a missed opportunity as it could be quite a positive feature visible from lounge windows and from the road at the front.

The problems are that it is very thick with weeds and the soil appears to be a bit stony and shallow. It also will only get a couple of hours of direct sun as it lies between the house and a high hedge.

What would the panel recommend? Is weedkiller a good option to help clear it out? The main thing that grows up in the summer is quite tall with a pink flower - I'm not sure if they are 'plants' or 'weeds' though...

I have brought some photos along with me."

Once the weeds have gone, I would deck the whole lot.

 

[The Clamp]

That would make perfect terracing for a five a side football pitch or some sort of gladiatorial event.

 

[Jack Straw]

Option 1; If you're interested in butterflies and insects, it looks like you've got the makings of quite a nice little nature area. Just cut everything down and rake it off and embrace any weeds or wild flowers as us horticulturalists like to call them, that emerge in the sprign and summer. The only maintenance you would need to do is to cut and clear once in the autumn.

Option 2; Dig out any big tufts of grass and apply a Glyphosate weedkiller such as the old favourite, Roundup. This is assuming you mind using a chemical? Contrary to recent scaremongering, there is no evidence of yet of Glyphosate being carcinogenic.
Continue to apply as and when throughout the year and this should get rid of most weeds. You could then plant up next year. It is worth sacrificing a year to clean the soil, otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time weeding.

Option 3; Replace the soil. Your description suggests that it's not brilliant for plant growth. A lot of work but you would start with a clean canvas.

Option 4; Cover ground with a horticultural membrane and plant ground cover shrubs through it, that don't mind impoverished soil. No need to cover in wood chips as the shrubs would cover the ground in about three years, depending on how close they're planted. Cotoneaster dammerii for example.https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=c...UICigB&biw=1024&bih=488#imgrc=t02mY12xqZ_kAM:
You see this carried out in France a lot. The membrane doesn't look brilliant, but it soon gets covered up.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Dynamite..should sort it out..no charge for this suggestion

 

[Gritt23]

Spend this year clearing it properly, maybe stick some pots up there so that it's not looking like wasted effort this year, then plants a loads of short spring bulbs. To see that as a blaze of snowdrops, crocuses, dwarf narcissus (daffs) would be fabulous next spring. As they die away, I'd be tempted to sprinkly the ground with wild flower seed. If it all grows up as it is each summer, them it does suggest it gets enough sunshine for some tough wild flowers, but probably not enough for anything more. Otherwise, just do a bit of research into what would grow in partial shad through the summer, that you like.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Option 1; If you're interested in butterflies and insects, it looks like you've got the makings of quite a nice little nature area. Just cut everything down and rake it off and embrace any weeds or wild flowers as us horticulturalists like to call them, that emerge in the sprign and summer. The only maintenance you would need to do is to cut and clear once in the autumn.

Option 2; Dig out any big tufts of grass and apply a Glyphosate weedkiller such as the old favourite, Roundup. This is assuming you mind using a chemical? Contrary to recent scaremongering, there is no evidence of yet of Glyphosate being carcinogenic.
Continue to apply as and when throughout the year and this should get rid of most weeds. You could then plant up next year. It is worth sacrificing a year to clean the soil, otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time weeding.

Option 3; Replace the soil. Your description suggests that it's not brilliant for plant growth. A lot of work but you would start with a clean canvas.

Option 4; Cover ground with a horticultural membrane and plant ground cover shrubs through it, that don't mind impoverished soil. No need to cover in wood chips as the shrubs would cover the ground in about three years, depending on how close they're planted. Cotoneaster dammerii for example.https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=c...UICigB&biw=1024&bih=488#imgrc=t02mY12xqZ_kAM:
You see this carried out in France a lot. The membrane doesn't look brilliant, but it soon gets covered up.

Lavender would be nice ..easy to maintain and attract bees and butterflies...colourful and lovely scent

Hedgesdirect.co.uk if you decide to go this route ...cheaper than a garden centre ...I planted fifity for a customer last year in partial shade and they have established themselves nicely

 

[Titanic]

You could put Eastbourne on the horticultural and indeed cultural map of the world and recreate the Hanging Gardens of Babylon!

 

[Marshy]

Spend this year clearing it out, and start fresh next year.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Firstly, that plant with the pink flower, it's only a weed if you don't want it there.

Given the lack of sun you're limited to the type of flowers you can plant.

I'd clear the whole lot and then plant some shrubs - check they are evergreen and their spread and height are suitable. Looking at the picture a 30-50cm spread and around 1.5m high should be good. Space them out and then planet loads of spring bulbs in between - daffs, tulips, bluebells and snowdrops. Then bark the earth. All you'll need to do for upkeep is the odd trim of the shrubs, pulling out the odd weed and tying up the daff and tulip leaves after flowering to allow them to die back.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Thanks for suggestions so far. Dynamite is marginally more tempting than decking.

I like the idea of an amazing show of bulbs each spring and then a lovely sort of "wild flower" nature area each summer.

How realistic is that? How much gardening nous involved? Rough costs involved?

 

[Titanic]

Firstly, that plant with the pink flower, it's only a weed if you don't want it there.

Given the lack of sun you're limited to the type of flowers you can plant.

I'd clear the whole lot and then plant some shrubs - check they are evergreen and their spread and height are suitable. Looking at the picture a 30-50cm spread and around 1.5m high should be good. Space them out and then planet loads of spring bulbs in between - daffs, tulips, bluebells and snowdrops. Then bark the earth. All you'll need to do for upkeep is the odd trim of the shrubs, pulling out the odd weed and tying up the daff and tulip leaves after flowering to allow them to die back.

Snowdrops are a great suggestion - one of Archie's favourites

 

[Moshe Gariani]

You could put Eastbourne on the horticultural and indeed cultural map of the world and recreate the Hanging Gardens of Babylon!

LOL. Perhaps you can come and help with the conversation with Mrs G about a nice water feature cascading down towards the house...

 

[AmexRuislip]

Some Acers would look nice, like shade areas.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Thanks for suggestions so far. Dynamite is marginally more tempting than decking.

I like the idea of an amazing show of bulbs each spring and then a lovely sort of "wild flower" nature area each summer.

How realistic is that? How much gardening nous involved? Rough costs involved?

Buy the bulbs in the autumn - the garden centres sell them dirt cheap. You'll get around 100 daffs for a tenner ish. The other bulbs are more expensive but they do last years. You can also add more each year. Buy wild flower seed online - about £8 a packet. The only problem with the wild flower beds is that birds sometimes nick the seed and they can look a bit scruffy leading up to flowering and after flowering. They do look fantastic though and last quite a while.

A guess at cost based on your picture :

> Bulbs - £50
> Seed - £80

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Buy the bulbs in the autumn - the garden centres sell them dirt cheap. You'll get around 100 daffs for a tenner ish. The other bulbs are more expensive but they do last years. You can also add more each year. Buy wild flower seed online - about £8 a packet. The only problem with the wild flower beds is that birds sometimes nick the seed and they can look a bit scruffy leading up to flowering and after flowering. They do look fantastic though and last quite a while.

A guess at cost based on your picture :

> Bulbs - £50
> Seed - £80

Thanks. Is your advice to clear it all out to clean soil and if so what is the best way to do that? Do I need to improve the soil? I think I read that wild flowers like poor soil but will bulbs be OK with that?

Sorry to ask more questions bit I am confused about what the aim is in terms of a "look" for different months of the year and my best timeline for the initial project.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Lovely

 

[knocky1]

Sounds like you have Rosebay Willowherb. Good time to pull out this and all weeds as ground is soft and wet. Should easily get done over a few weekends between now and spring. Then the choice of shade loving plants is yours. Good luck.

 

[LamieRobertson]

View attachment 93606

Sounds like you have Rosebay Willowherb. Good time to pull out this and all weeds as ground is soft and wet. Should easily get done over a few weekends between now and spring. Then the choice of shade loving plants is yours. Good luck.

I wonder if he’s got that pink flowering thing with a fairly thick tuberous root that has pink flowers ..name escapes me but it’s fairly invasive

 

[Thunder Bolt]

As it's quite shady, I've found that Elephants Ears grow quite well (Bergenia) with lovely pink flowers in the Spring. They spread too.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/89222/Bergenia-cordifolia-Purpurea/Details

In between this, I've got some Lizard's Tail which has some lovely coloured leaves (although the flowers are little and plain) all through the summer. They come back year after year, and spread.

https://garden.org/plants/view/77066/Lizard-Tail-Houttuynia-cordata-Chameleon/