Does anyone know anything about gardening?

looks great! is that a gravel+cellular stuff base?

Yeah this stuff is called Ground Guard by ACO. Dug the topsoil into some raised beds then double weed membrane, whackered 4” of type 1 aggregate, levelled 2” of sharp sand and then the grid which takes about 2” of pea shingle. Quite faffy compared to concrete tbh but I got given quite a pile and committed to it. I’ll be harvesting the rain so hopefully there won’t too much water run off to destabilise the edge.

@hugo7 cheers bud.

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Need to clear a load of ivy, brambles and other viney rooty twats (see the ever growing pile in the photo). Happy to rip it all up, but it's a pain in the dick to try and wrangle into a bag/sack to cart to the dump. Would a garden shredder be up to mulching this shit down to go into bags more easily or would it just bind up the second I start feeding it in? If so, which one/which type? Budget would be comparable to paying someone to take it away.

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Mine has been in a few months now through all kinds of damp weather.
I get a tiny bit of water in from one of the holes on the floor that is bolted to the concrete base, but kit/bike is dry. There are air vents hidden under the roof cill around the top.
I'd like to add a timber floor at some point.

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Anyone an experienced hard landscaper on here? I'd like to ask a question if so. Thanks

Dug a flower bed at the weekend. I’ve no idea what I’m doing but hoping for a splash of colour. Will do the other side of the lawn when I’ve recovered.

Any recommendations for small shrubs and flowers that appreciate shade would be helpful

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Ask away!

small shrubs and flowers that appreciate shade

I'll try and get out later and find what we've got. Ferns are the obvious ones and are very varied.

Also a nice rambling rose - not that they love shade, but they'll grow up and get the sun which will give interest along the top.

Also idk how these will work out, but I've just bought some to grow in amongst something

https://www.plant-world-seeds.com/store/view_seed_item/1293

Quite faffy compared to concrete tbh

Interesting you say that as I thought it was much easier given you've got to do 90% of the same prep for concrete. I figured I probably wouldn't use concrete again unless there was a specific reason they wouldn't be viable.

That said, I used them over a very small area for a small storage shed on an existing flower bed. So I just leveled, stamped with my feet, covered with membrane and sand. I found it easier to tidy the membrane once there was weight on it. Grass is now back to the edge and I'm trying to plant a few wild flowers, poppies and creepers in the gravel.

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Rhododendron Yakushimanum hybrids, Azaleas, Hostas.

Thanks @hugo7 @andyp @TheButchersDog

Working my way through the storage thread!

Mowers - I need one. Wheels or hover, collect the clippings or not?

We had an ancient flymo hover mower that was basically fine but left it behind in the house move. It's not a massive garden and the guinea pigs take care of most of it so I'm not wanting to spend too much, though I was looking at Makita LXT cordless ones earlier.

Are you anywhere near se24? I have a basic Flymo that is looking for a new home.

Free

Sadly not but thanks for the kind offer!

I got a cordless Bosch one which I really like Rotak 32. Not having cords is easy, light and nicely made.

What are the best climbers for a south facing fence which never seems to get much light?

Apparently grass clippings aren't very good for guinea pigs (although I assume it depends on how fresh they are). So if you have guinea pigs that might be on the lawn a few days after it was cut a mower that collects the clippings would seem like a good thing.

But obviously you want a robotic mower and they mulch.

best

What do you mean by best? Coverage, evergreen, flowers?

I think a nice rambling rose is a good shout. Jasmine would have been my suggestion, but as you don't get sun then you probably want to try collins suggestions to me the other week:

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/15832807/

Star jasmine is also an option, although mine basically just survived when they were on the north side and took a million years to start to get going on the west side (heavy sun) and east side of the house. But they may have been a bad batch. Also I think I've had maybe 2 flowers. Although it does look nice now it's established on the front.

If its a small area I'd just buy any old second hand one for cheap.

Otherwise battery sounds great.

Sorry yeah not a great Q

I was looking at Hydrangea's (serratifolia, seemannii, petiolaris) and holboellia coriacea as I wanted a consistent colour and relatively fast growing. Jasmine would be lovely but lack of sun as you say is an issue. Was also looking at Chillean Bellflowers as they seem to do well in full shade and look nice

If you can get an established star jasmine you may have better luck than me - mine were very small to start. Even with no flowers it's a nice plant. Then combine with some sort of camellia. There are so many varieties that you should be able to find something that suits your soil and location.

Idk if you know but GQT publishes the plant recommendations along with the questions. So you could browse the old questions as someone must have asked this.

@cozey

perfect ta. will sketch a scheme up and come back here for planting advice...

Out of curiosity are you watching your garden made perfect on BBC?

There's an episode about wheely-bins that made me think of you.

ha, was that the one in glasgow ?

I can't believe that one family spent 60k on their garden and it was... a bit 😶

I really want to go on that show to get the $$$$ garden design for free but would not want to be on telly