March - 2002
Gardening for beginners
This page is for the benefit of those of you who
are, like myself, in the 50 plus age group, and who have decided to take up gardening for
the first time in laterlife. I hope you will find that this pleasurable activity will
give you a healthier lifestyle, the satisfaction of creating your own garden and hopefully
even a passion for gardening. I have known several converts..
First, get a gardening book. I have about twenty, each one covering
a different aspect of gardening, such as greenhouses, vegetables, lawns etc.. There are
several good books dotted around both of my gardening pages. Choose one specifically
for beginners, such as the one that accompanies the television series mentioned below.
Then watch gardening programmes on the television, for instance,
Alan Titchmarsh has a new eight-part series just started on BBC 2 on Wednesday evenings at
8.30pm called 'How to be a Gardener' which
is a real back-to-basics approach. I am particularly pleased to see that we are going back
to gardening for `every day folk` on the television, and I shall be an avid viewer of this
new series...
You can also buy gardening magazines and visit garden centres, all
of which will keep you up to date and enable you to have a view of all aspects of
gardening, whilst keeping current with trends. You can read previous editions of this
column by looking at the Index Page
Where to start then..
If you have an existing garden, it is a good idea to take some time and
see what grows in it each season, and get the feel of what needs doing before getting
started. It may only need a tidy up, a few new plants and regular TLC..
The following will explain what I do when I am asked to plan or re-design
a garden from scratch. Don`t be put off by the enormity of the tasks I have outlined.
If you DO have to start from scratch it could take about three months for the work
to be done, unless of course you`re lucky enough to have the Ground Force team do the work
for you in two days..
Start by asking yourself the following questions:-
What is the aspect? For example: Does the garden face North,
South, East or West? Is it open to the elements or sheltered. And in which part of the UK
is the garden. (Some plants won`t grow in certain parts)?
Once you have answered all those questions you will have a very good idea
of the sort of garden to suit your lifestyle, and the aspect of the garden will to an
extent dictate what you can grow in it.
Next you will need to measure the garden and draw a very simple plan,
putting in features such as seats, pond, flower beds, decking etc. If you are as bad at
drawing as I am, just write the items in the space where they are to go...
You will more than likely get a landscape gardener to do the heavy work
for you, so be sure to choose one who`s work and credentials you can see. Get a
written estimate for the job and make sure it is clear what is included in the price. It
is a good idea to get three or more people to quote for the job..
If you are having any structures built it would be wise to check with
your local planning department to see if permission is needed...
OK we`re halfway there now..
While you`re waiting for your gardening books to arrive from www.amazon.co.uk nip down to your nearest garden
centre and buy yourself a spade and fork, a rake, a hoe, a wheelbarrow, secateurs, hand
trowel and fork. Don`t buy too cheap as it is false economy. Most important too, on your
list of purchases is a soil testing kit. I covered soil testing
in January`s edition. While you are there you can be looking at some plants, trees
and shrubs to get ideas, but don`t be tempted to buy anything yet, as planting is the last
thing to do once all the hard landscaping has been done.
Whilst that work is being carried out you will have time to read about
soil types and testing, planting methods and the plants themselves.
Pay particular attention when buying plants to choose a colour scheme that
will blend together nicely, also note the eventual size of trees and shrubs and the
growing conditions they will need. It is no good growing shade loving ferns in a hot
sunny border! Assistants in garden centres are helpful people and just love advising
customers, so do ask for help...
Gardening is a vast subject, and I cannot possibly put the building of
a garden from start to finish on to one page. I have given you a sequence of events to
follow. Get some basic gardening books and magazines for ideas, watch gardening on TV.,
and have a peek over the garden wall to see what your neighbours have done in their
gardens...
Above all, enjoy your garden and don`t worry if you make mistakes, it`s
all part of the fun...
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