Wildlife Garden

[nightshade]

The Basic thing is to make sure of your compass points where the sun rises where it sets so your trees (for instance) dont screen the early morning sun or the pond but give the patio shade. Don't forget the Bats A raised border with stone walls that will store heat and make a real hot spot for moths and butterflies

[Jeapesy]

Thanks to everyone for all the great advice, i'm getting really excited now. Only a couple more days then i get the keys to my first house beginning the long ascent up the property ladder.

[cutecoot]

Great stuff, jeaps, good luck

[thunder]

I would caution against planting Elodea canadensis. It can be very aggressive () and might fill your pond up and not leave room for much else.

henrya

[Meta menardi]

You have lots of things to think about (as well as the garden), but I would try to get some idea of the soil type you have and the drainage of your garden. The comment about waiting a year is one I would have added, growing things means understanding what you have as a place to grow things. Best of luck with the new house, hope it all goes well.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

The comment about waiting a year is one I would have added, growing things means understanding what you have as a place to grow things.

Certainly it would be wise to wait before making large investments in time and cash, and in making difficult to change design decisions, but actually getting down to gardening is an important element of finding out what does or does not work. So experimenting with some cheap, easy to propogate 'favourite' plants is a good way forward. Researching the soil - doing ph tests, checking a gelogy map etc is sensible, but actually digging some holes and finding out how clayey, rocky, and deep a soil is, is also important - is it full of builders trash, has been lovingly nurtured by a previous occupant, is it the remnant of greenfield meadow ? - one can only find that out through practical gardening.

CM

[Wildlifegardener]

Wow I'm so jealous! A new garden! We are waiting to sell our house so I can't really do anything in the garden at the moment apart from keep it 'tidy'. sniff

Stuff in pots is always good - you can move them around, change them, have colour through the year while you discover the exciting things in your garden. You can always plant the stuff out in the garden later

I would also second the caution about E. canadensis (its listed as an invasive plant) therefore I would avoid if possible. I'd also recommend 'No Nettles Required' although I'm still tempted to have a big patch of them in full sun.

You can always feed the birds to bring some life into your new garden - make sure you do it regurlarly with good quality foods. (Although a word of warning - I found it can be quite expensive).

So much good luck to you in your new garden!

Oh, you can also have a 'tub' pond. I have one of those (I'm not allowed a real pond as the neighbours kids might fall in....hmmm). I have a small water lily in it which flowers from mid summer to early autumn. Plus the birds can drink out of it too. Theres some ramshorn snails in it, a leech or 2 (ewww) and some sort of daphne things.... I don't think its big enough for surface whizee things but its a temporary arrangement!

[Jeapesy]

Hi guys thanks again for all the input.

I got the keys last monday but have been busy decorating and haven't had a chance to even start considering the garden yet. I have asked my ma for cuttings of certain plants from her garden to which she has agreed.

Can't wait to get started on the garden just need to get the inside sorted first so i can actually move in.