gardengirl6

hardy pot plants

Hostas are lovely for their foliage, but they do flower as well.   

Help needed to create a new garden

I think you need some overall plan, even if you attempt it one stage at a time.   If you don't have such a plan, you mgiht wish you had put things in different places half way through completion.    I did a complete redesign of my garden, by drawing it out on graph paper.   I made a list of all the things that I wanted in the garden, such as patio, water butts, compost bin area, etc.    Will your daughter want a shed to hold her tools and lawnmower, for example?    How big will it need to be?    If she has a wheelchair, how wide will her paths need to be, and she will need access to all areas.     Will she want raised beds?     List out all her needs, and then play around with the plan, making everything accessible for her.

There are gardens open to the public that cater for disabled people, so maybe you both could visit one to poach ideas? 

Good luck.   Let us all know how you get on. 

Small Urban Gardens and Water Butts - Advice Required

There are small slimline water butts available nowadays, as well as the large ones.   I am not sure about folding one up or putting it away when not needed.     When is water not needed?     I have a total of nine water butts, and often it is a problem to keep them filled!

herbs in oil

When I saw trhe price of garlic oil in the supermarket, I started to make my own.     I only make up a small amount at a time, enough for about a month, and keep it in the refrigerator.   No problems so far, and lots of money saved.

Planting clematis - distance?

No, I don't think so.    I have clematis planted on two obelisks, about four on each one.     They are less than a foot apart, and give a lovely show in the summer.

watercress

Why not try growing Land Cress or American Cress, as it is also known.     This can be grown in pots or in the ground, and it tastes the same as watercress.    The seed is sometimes difficult to find, but a good garden centre should have it.

Belts and Braces.

Well, it looked mauve to me - but it might be the same as the blue slate that Lawrence G asked about!

Small tree for front garden

Three years ago I planted a small magnolia stellata in my front garden.    It faces due north, and is subject to strong north winds, but the magnolia has flowered beautifully each year since.     I believe they only grow to about three metres, but if it eventually outgrows the garden, I will be long gone!

Belts and Braces.

I once moved to a house where the flower beds in the front garden were all covered in mauve slate.    Ghastly stuff.    I couldn't mulch the soil to improve it, and planting anything into it was a nightmare.    I spent four years trying to remove it, and then moved house!

Watering Garden from 1st Floor Apartment

If you can't cut into the drainpipes, maybe you could put guttering on a garden shed?    We have two waterbutts attached to our greenhouse, and they give a plentiful supply of water.    If you have the space, then, you can link waterbutts together to collect even more.    It is quite an expense to start with, but well worth it, especially if you are on a water meter.    We also have seven butts attached to our house, and never need to use mains water now.