Botticelliwoman

Looking for ideas to mini-landscape..

Emma is right, annual bedding will give you great colour and sowing seeds is the cheapest option by far. Otherwise, have a look at the neighbours gardens for the kinds of things that are thriving.  Lavender is a good goer if you have gritty well-drained soil , it doesn't take a deal of looking after and smells great; rosemary likewise.  I tried one of those cheap 'bee and butterfly' seed mixes a couple of years ago and it did really well - just scatter on and rake in or you could go for the posher modern meadow mixes.  Yank it all out at the end of the season, couldn't be easier! 
If your parents live in a place that has quite mild winters you could try hebe's which you can usually buy in packs of 6 from the garden centre, if they're happy, they'll eventually fill out nicely and you can still plant round with annual bedding and a few bulbs until they get big enough.
Good luck, whatever you decide

Aitch

Slugs and Snails

Encouraging birds, beetles, frogs and hedgehogs  Beer traps work too, but it's a terrible waste of beer!

Looking for ideas to mini-landscape..

Hi Hugo,

What kind of soil do you have there? Is it exposed or quite sheltered? How much sun/shade?  Are you selling/renting the house and need a quick fix, or planning for the long-term.  Are the residents gardeners or need something very low-maintenance?  How much can you or do you want to spend? From how you phrased your question, it doesn't sound like it's your patch of soil so it really depends on who it's for

aitch

Where to find the Glass Balls used in the TV Show Opening credits

The nearest thing I've seen to them is on Neil Wilkin's website.  Just google his name.

AItch

Helping Primary School

Hi Debs,
Polystyrene and cardboard cups (the kind you sometimes buy take-away coffee and tea in) make great little plant pots when washed and a hole punched in the bottom with a pencil. The plastic trays that supermarkets sell some of their veg in make good seed trays, again with holes punched in the bottom.  Plastic pop bottles can be used as mini cloches, watering devices and lacewing hotels (check online for ideas).  You could sign yourself up to your local freecycle as there's generally lots of garden-related give-aways such as pots, plants, sheds etc. The woodland trust is offering a free native hedgerow collection to schools this year if you have the space.  You could also google The Big Wildlife Garden for ideas and try getting in touch with the education officer at your local Wildlife Trust and look at the RHS website as this year there are lots of events taking place during Gardening Week.
Hope this helps

Aitch

Talkback: Toad In A Hole.

They tend just to all meet up in ponds to breed and spend most of their time outside the water

Talkback: Toad In A Hole.

If you have any large ceramic pots going begging, half bury one on its side in a cool spot in the garden, these make great toad houses.

Aitch

Re-using polystyrene for veg seedlings

we use polystyrene cups too valerie, like optieight says, it keeps the roots warmer.  Also the large polystyrene boxes that meat or fish sometimes comes packaged in make great cold frames

New Plants, New Seeds- Ragged Robin & Sweet Rocket

You can plant them out from summer on through to autumn, meiow

Aitch

Re-using polystyrene for veg seedlings

If you're concerned, give the boxes a good clean first before using them again, and as meiow says, they make great drainage for pots and tubs when broken up

Aitch

Buyer Beware

Courgette Black Hawk

Gunnera

Dahlia Giving up the Ghost

Millstone Water Feature

Bees, Butterflies and Blooms

Plant Labels