Ideas and inspiration needed (First Garden)

[tyranical]

Hi All,

So i've recently purchased my first home and spent the past 6 months sorting the inside out, with that done i'm now moving onto the garden but really don't know what I want to do or where to start with it.

It is a quite a mature garden if that's the right word, alot of plants that have clearly taken years to get to where they are including an apple tree which we think was put there when the house was built in the 60's (only reason we think this is because neighbours both side of us also have an apple tree in the same place in their garden so we figured maybe it was something they put there when they were built?) - The woman who has had it since has for some reason decided it was a good idea to plant 3 other trees (I think 1 is a pear and 2 are cherry blossom trees, I think they'll all probably go) - Also just for information, the bamboo across the end of the garden is hiding a footpath that runs along the canal, we do intend to get a fence and gate put in for access onto it but as a temporary measure I put the bamboo up as the woman before us had a 2m high mesh fence put up which everyone could see straight down the garden through.

In terms of my own ability, I'm not a complete novice to gardening we did a 2 week makeover of my mums garden as a surprise when she was on holiday which involved some basic landscaping (Dug out an old garden section to fit in an inset wooden bed, laid a garden path which was just some gravel with stepping stones etc), I'll try my hand at anything though - don't really want to pay people to do it I've got quite alot of spare time to do it myself.

Anyway, I've posted some pictures below and would really appreciate any ideas you guys have on what to do.

View from back door down garden

Picture near bottom of garden

small patio area behind apple tree

View looking back up the garden

Vegetable patch next to old shed

patio area down the side of the house


A few ideas we have had so far:

- Remove the random trees (apart from apple tree) and fill in some of the flower beds (like the one in the middle of the lawn)
- Knock down the old shed (we don't use it, asbestos roof so a bit of a pain and not sure what we would do with the space once it's gone)
- Mrs. wants a pond, i'm skeptical.

Much appreciate your thoughts!

Kind Regards,

Matt

Edited by tyranical on Tuesday 28th June 17:35

[longshot]

When we first moved in we had an old shed so we knocked it down. A year later we were buying a shed. Just saying.

Ponds are fun if you can get wildlife to live in them otherwise they are a smelly pita. Ask me how I know.

I wouldn't personally chop down any trees if you can avoid it. If you change your mind they take decades to get back, unless they are only small of course.

It looks like a nice garden. I'd be tempted to live with it until next year and you'll probably have a better idea what you want to and not want to do with it.

My 2 cents.

[tyranical]

Hi longshot,

Thanks for your response.

Our thinking with getting rid of the shed is we have the garage which is quite big, we don't store a car in it as the door isn't wide enough so it's just sitting empty so lawnmower and such can go in there. There actually used to be 2 sheds in the garden, there was another on the patio behind the vegetable patch but she took that one with her when she left.

I am in your thought pool when it comes to the pond but my mrs. knows better apparently...

The trees we meant to get rid of are the small ones you can see, there is 1 in the middle of the garden halfway down which is a cherry blossom tree, a random pear tree to the left of that in the middle of the lawn and then another one to the right by the border hedge, they're all small trees probably only been in 2-3 years.

[chasingracecars]

I would take down the screens and to make only the planting as dividers. Where the old shed was I would think about a pond gets this area clear nice and easy. As for the existing shed I would keep it.

Changing the patio slabs might lift it without major cost.

[DocJock]

I agree with Longshot. Give it a year.

You'll be surprised what plants pop up through out the year. Once you know what you have and what you want to keep, it's easier to plan.

[FlossyThePig]

Make a plan of what you have now. Ask yourself what you would like to have. In my opinion curved paths and borders add interest.

Watch the "Nigel and Nelly" show on Friday nights (Gardner's World for the uninitiated).