Help - Finishing a garden on a tight budget!

5 years ago

After having a 6 month 'break' (doing snagging jobs) after doing our extenison, I finally have the urge to get the garden tidied up b4 spring. The only issue is: we have no money left!!! :-) So how can i get this looking better without spending too much. We are currently saving up for a deck area which will run along the back up of the extension and will join up with the exisiting decking area around the other side (which you cant see in pics) This will have glass balustrade. How should we edge the borders? What should we do with the bank along the field fence? I would like to tarram and bark the borders. I have spent all day out there today cutting back all the shrubs which have been left for the last 10 yrs so not aure if they will survive!!! Sorry for the ramble but would love to hear your budget ideas!!!

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Lauren Jade

5 years ago

Amazing area you have there! We did renovations and I was so disheartened looking out onto our neglected garden so finally got to sorting it. ours is very contemporary but I loved the charcoal bricks that were used to edge the lawn on one side (just up to paving on other). if you can zoom in on this picture it’ll give you idea on how it looks. The brick keeps wood hip off garden and makes it easy to mow and makes edges smart. Hope this helps your decision. Before and after pic

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Comments (27)

User
Original Author
5 years ago
Oh and here is some pics of the huge patio area which has areas od small stonea which causes a completr nightmare as my 2 little ones LOVE playing with diggers and dumpers. But would hate to think of the cost to get that area relaid.
User
Original Author
5 years ago
Ive just been out there to measure the edging and there is approx 45 linear metres of edging of some kind required. Any ideas would be awesome.
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User
5 years ago
Hello, I should start by saying I'm no gardener, but have inherited a similarly large and unmanageable garden (without the stunning view unfortunately) and have had to maintain it on the cheap while doing up the house. A cheap option to edge the borders is brick or stone. Brick sunk into the ground will give something to mow up to and keep the border from creeping into the garden and vice versa. An even cheaper option is the plastic edging strip you can buy. Not particularly attractive, but it does the job and if done properly you shouldn't really see it. You obviously don't want to obstruct the view along the fence overlooking the field, so why not buy a few packets of wildflower seeds, chuck them along the border and see what happens in spring? As you have no budget to deal with the patio at the moment, I'd just hire or borrow a jet washer to clean it up - you'd be surprised how much that can help - and wait till spring to put out some seating and pots.
rachelmidlands
5 years ago
Think I’ve said this before but “what a fabulous view!”:) For the border I agree with previous comment that you could use bricks, plastic edging or maybe re-use some of the paving slabs broken in half (not sure if that’s possible, I’d experiment with a sledgehammer), roof slates make good edging as well. Dig a small trench, sink in halfway then fill back in, should be enough to keep everything separated. Wildflower seeds by the field fence sound good, might be an idea to check with the farmer who owns the field that any variety’s don’t interfere with their crops/cattle, some wildflowers are invasive. Spring bulbs would also look nice, should still be time to put some in now, I’d go lots of big yellow daffodils to match your amazing yellow summer house!
Sonia
5 years ago
I think a large garden is easier to maintain if things are kept simple - shrubs, trees, bulbs and a lawn. You don’t need anything to distract from that stunning view. An incredible garden designer called Capability Brown always designed gardens with the vista taking centre stage. I’ve never used edging on a lawn. A lawn will creep into a border but it can be cut back with a half moon edging iron a couple of times a year. However, if you want to try bricks or broken paving you can, but if they poke up above the lawn it will prevent you from being able to cut the grass close up to the edge. i wouldnt do much this winter (no one gardens in the winter!), wait until the spring and then tidy up.

Pruning haphazardly can stop shrubs flowering properly, so it’s worth finding out what shrubs you have and check the correct pruning times. As a general rule early spring/summer flowerers are pruned immediately after flowering, pruning them now means you cut off all next years flower buds. Late flowerers like Buddleiah and roses are pruned around March.
PRO
Thomas Stone Horticulture Services Ltd
5 years ago
what a stunning site!

there are a few things to edge the borders with, but it all depends on what you have lying around if you haven't got old bricks or stones lying around then wood edging using 100mm wide gravel boards and posts cut from 40mm square posts can be the most cost effective way of edging. another way that is more natural looking is to use tree branches cut in 4ft lengths, size wise about 40mm is ideal but can be any size tbh, if you know anyone having tree work done, these can be free, fixing is either by digging the branches into the ground a little and screwing each one together or using small posts or offcuts from the beaches that may need trimming to fit together

plant wise, why not give yourself a year to save up and come up with some ideals of what you want to achieve from the plants? I recommend buying a annual flower seed mix and sow onto the bare soil, this will give you a summer long display of flowers pretty cheaply
User
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks everyone. loads of great ideas. im especially loving the latest idea using charcoal bricks as we have a pallet of them left from our building job so wouldnt cost me a penny. Ive pressure washed the patio and will hopefully spend some time out there next week if the weather stays dry. Any more ideas for our space ... keep them coming as i love the inspiration!!!
Irene Spinks
5 years ago
Lovely garden with a great view. If money is tight I wouldn’t bother with edging your borders, just cut them the shape you want and keep them trimmed after mowing. In terms of planting look for bargains in garden centres and nurseries, I rarely buy a full priced shrub or plant preferring to buy late season and hope for the best. Similarly if you can gang on wait until the garden centres have reduced their pots of spring bulbs, you can plant them where you want them and enjoy the last flowers and they will be there again for following years. Build these up on an annual basis. I also wouldn’t bother with weed membrane, get rid of as many weeds as you can by digging them out and then mulch with as much compost or bark as you can afford to put down, the more the better. Buy plants and shrubs throughout the year at car boots and fetes and if friends and family have plants to spare make the most of them. With time and patience and a bit of free hard graft you will have the garden you want. Enjoy
PRO
User
5 years ago
I put a line of block pavers around my borders, makes it easier to keep the bark off the lawn and make mowing and strimming easier . There are a load of products around these days for edging lawns. I put some of this in for a customer last spring:-

However, there are loads of different ones out there.

Thankfully, you've picked a great time of year to hit the garden centre for perennials...........they'll all look like little brown, dead sticks and be marked down. Pick some mid height plants and some ground cover too, and job done.

Snow in Summer

Basket of gold

Aubrieta

Myrtle
PRO
User
5 years ago
This year i put some of this lawn edging in for a customer, there's lots of different types available, but it helps keep the bark in and makes strimming and mowing easier

here are some others

Luckily you've picked a great time to hit the garden centres as all the perennials will be marked down for winter. I'd chose a few mid height plants and then a load of ground cover .

Snow in summer spreads like wild fire

Basket of gold

I'd paint your fence with Ducks back in black, it's a great product, goes on really easily and lasts for years. Plus the Black makes all the plants, grass etc stand out brilliantly.
User
Original Author
5 years ago
Weve made a start... still far to go!!! Would love some advice on what shrubs on the border in front of the playhouse. It is direct south facing but can be very windy. There is quite a few clumps of peonys in there.
User
Original Author
5 years ago
i meant to upload this picture
User
Original Author
5 years ago
I love nice full borders like this.... but not sure how to acheive it. And are they semi low maintenance?
User
5 years ago
Loving it so far! We're re-planting a large border this year and found this website: crocus.co.uk. You can buy ready to plant borders that come with a planting plan to suit any conditions and budget. A tip I learnt from a proper gardener was to plant as much as possible. Paradoxically, this Is what makes it low maintenance. The more gaps you leave between plants, the more the weeds will grow though.
Sonia
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Perennial flowers are a bit of work but not a massive amount. The important thing is right plant in the right place. Aspect is vital so if it’s a sunny spot then search for plants that like sun. Wind isn’t a problem for many plants, but Acers (Japanese Maples) shrivel up in hot sun and wind. Also check your soil to see if it’s Alkaline, Neutral or Acid. You can get testers from garden centres for a couple of quid. If you plant acid lovers like Rhodenedrons or Cammellias in alkaline soil their leaves go yellow and sickly.

i suggest you plant come sun loving perennials with tall ones at the back, down to smaller ones like Aubretia or Geraniums at the front. They’ll look lovely tumbling over your retaining walls. Intersperse with some grasses (check their height) which will flow this way and that in the wind and make a lovely rustling sound. Lots of gardening centres do planting schemes or have a look online.

Once planted keep them watered. Dead head regularly to keep them flowering (not the grasses though). When the perennials finish flowering cut them right back, and they will green up and may flower again. Once winter arrives there’s little to do, but in the spring cut back to the ground any dead stems. You can do this with the grasses too, except the evergreen ones. Sorry, I’ve probably waffled on too much! I’ve used Crocus and they have excellent plants. However you will get plants more cheaply at markets, nurseries and even supermarkets. I’ve got some lovely plants from my local Morrison’s! Here’s a few plants that will look good at the front of the border.

CAMPANULA

AUBRETIA

GERANIUM ROZANNE
User
Original Author
5 years ago
I was amazed to look back at this post and see how much progress has been made in the garden since i posted. Albeit a long way still to go!! Here some pics of progress so far.
R Hughes
5 years ago
Gerty what a site! Well done on progress. You have a large site and will probably be enjoying/maintaining it for years to come so many be consider doing a gardening course through your Council’s adult education provision as they are usually cheap and a fantastic way to learn especially if you are on a tight budget. I am an avid gardener for years and a few of my lessons learnt: the mantra ‘right plant, right place’ is a mantra for a reason, a wonderful book by Roy Lancaster is an investment; many shrubs/plants hate wind so choose carefully; learn how to take cuttings; plant shrubs for their eventual height. Happy gardening!
User
Original Author
5 years ago
Another beautiful day in the garden. We decided to seed the back bank next to field as we just need low maintenance! Has anyone any good ideas to stop all the wild grass coming thru from the field. Ive just been in there today trying to strim it back a bit but there is a lot of mess coming thru. Short of a new fence... what else can we do?
User
Original Author
5 years ago
Oh and forgot to mention fence painted grey as suggested in december!! and patio is pressure washed which makes a great imrpovement even tho its not the nicest!!
tamp75
5 years ago
Instead of plain grass there, how about a wild flower meadow area. It will look beautiful, blur the boundaries & be great for bees & butterflies. Lots of wild flower seed mixes around right now.
User
Original Author
5 years ago
I like the idea of meadow flowers. I will maybe seed a row of them on the boundary line. And that will solve the awful fence line issue too! We have planted a beautiful butterfly garden out the front this year so cant wait to see that coming up!
E D
5 years ago
Looks like you're making great headway and with those amazing surroundings and views I don’t think everything needs to look *too* perfect or neat.

For instance your patio itself may not be the best looking in the world but in the context I think it is actually perfect.
User
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks E D. My hubbie actually relaid the slabs in left half in the pic and it looks 100 times better so when he nothing else to do (unlikely) he can perhaps relay the rest so at least they are level!
PRO
Stu About The House
5 years ago
have you got a £1 shop nearby? they have some great garden bargains in there with perennials and bulbs and other bits and Bob's to fill some of those areas for a fraction of the cost it would be to buy them elsewhere. worth a little look in any case!
Pat Auld
5 years ago
If you don’t already, I recommend you watch Gardeners World, BBC2 on Friday evenings. Monty Don and co always give great advice and inspiration.
Another possible source of plants is Freecycle/Freegle. You can post a ‘wanted’ but people sometimes offer plants. I’ve seen everything from large shrubs to perennials when people split them up.
What a beautiful view you have and an amazing garden space. Quite daunting at this stage but exciting too.
If you have any shady, damp areas ferns look lovely. They do need cutting back once a year but I find hardly any weeds grow amongst them
Sonia
5 years ago
Grass is usually spread by airborne seeds (achoo!) and some, like couch grass, can also creep along spreading itself. A very difficult problem to overcome, so maybe embrace the annoying grass? I love the suggestion of planting a meadow grass area with seeds. Hardy annuals are really easy, just rake the soil a bit, scatter the seeds, lightly cover with soil and water gently and up they pop! I got some seeds free from a magazine and they did very well, especially the Cosmos. Seeds are so cheap too!