Does anyone know anything about gardening?

Awesome. Cheers for that. I'll look into it.

I think the pressure hose has a brush attachment that's I have a feeling is less harsh so I should probably look into that.

I was planning on using No Nonsense clear decking oil as its cheap and seems to be well reviewed.

The roof is a faded green so, the current thinking is using some charcoal coloured roofing paint. It's sort of rubberised, so should both look right and help weatherproof it. The roof is made up of planks so can't really put roofing felt on easily without getting into a load of mods.

Edit: just watched a Charlie DIY and based on price given what it's going on and what I paid I'm going to go with the No Nonsense.

https://youtu.be/ZOQ2L1TMayc

Bought a couple of kg of oxygenated bleach off ebay rather than specific product.

Seems nuts that with cleaning, treating and buying a base I've spent almost double the cost of the house. But then I guess you do this stuff so it'll last.

Got some of these coffee sacks as an attractive alternative to bubble wrap and string.

6 for £15

They're great.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Free-Delivery-6-Used-Coffee-Sacks-/284384361536?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Trial run with oxy stain remover proved successful. Active ingredient is oxygenated bleach.

My OH diplomatically pointed out the required timescale, so unfortunately I had to go the pressure washer route. I could hear the wood screaming and Collin the bald crying as I blasted the water into the wood, screws, cracks and crevices.

But it worked and its a sunny day.

Also gave the side panels a light blast and the roof a oxy scrub.

Annoyingly I didn't take the before picture but this one from the sale thread will do:

On a day like today, how long do I need to leave it before puttting on decking oil?

Glad I didn't pressure wash the roof as it was dry enough to paint after all the sun and wind.


Used this on the underside of the seams of my shed felt when I redid the roof. Still loads left. It's kind of rubberised when dry, so you've got to keep an eye on the brush strokes.

Looks a lot nicer now and should maintain its look.

Don't worry, you have done precisely what I would have done. Ideally leave it for a couple of days before applying decking oil (2 or 3 coats). A cheapo fence sprayer makes the job much easier, keep applying oil until it stops soaking in.

Looks excellent!

Ronseal deck cleaner is pretty good. That and a scrubbing brush then just hose off, dry then treat.

Edit: replied before reading the rest

Cheers guys.

Rain forecast for Wednesday has pretty much decided that the main deck will be done on Tuesday. The wall panels all fit in my shed so less worried about them. Good shout on the sprayer.

OH has chosen white to replace the orange shutter bits, and the green bits black. Which I meant to do last night, but was so knackered from the weekend I just fell asleep - which was probably a good call as child no1 woke up screaming with a blocked nose at 11.30 and I was relegated to the floor, followed by no2 waking before 5am and needing to be held thereafter.

Was going to paint the inside ceiling white to cover the current faded green as well as making it brighter. But I've just realised I'd not considered the overhang, so that might be a future job... but at the same time moving, cleaning and painting these little panels is so much easier while they're in pieces. Conversely, fitting inside as an adult is not easy.

Also wondering about some sort of battery powered light.

Most of it is now oiled.

Went for this air gun. It was OK. The No Nonsense decking oil is quite thin and the wood quite old so it just soaked up the layers. Not sure if use it on anything thicker. Got through, almost all of it, with just a bit put aside to treat the steps that I forgot about washing.

Definitely given it a patina.

Pretty much finished the shutters, just need a touch up here and there. I prefer it to the green and orange, I'm not 100%, but my OH likes it so that's the important thing.

Still have to paint the front door which I didn't manage to do in the nap time. Praying the tin lasts.

Ecobases also arrived today, but they'll have to wait until location is decided I'm still building my plant list, which is rapidly expanding and needs shortlisting. Thinking I may make an open Google sheet to crowd source ideas. Also wondering about writing to GQT. Had some left field ones like rhubarb as that used to grown in the corner and when fully out it has a jungle vibe

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Easy (but boring part) is now done* and it's up.

Next up is clearing the dumping ground bit of the garden and relocate it. God knows what I do with my water butts.

Then I need to get the heights level for the Ecobases under the feet and install. I stupidly forgot about getting bases for the steps and slide. Less worried about the slide, but for the steps I think I'm going to trim off a bit of each of the four tiles, drill and cable tie them together. Or maybe just order more. But I'd prefer to spend the money on plants.

Once that's done I can plan how to plant it up. Although given the time of year there's not go to be much planting. Did buy some cyclamen tho.

*could do with a couple of touchups and reinforcement.

Current thinking is a mix of a couple of bamboo varieties at the back in a sort of a flat V-formation to draw the eye behind and square it off a bit. Lots of ferns under and around the entrance / exit points, then big jungle-like plants that'll stand the conditions rolling out from there with some flowers interspersed - thinking fushuas as they grow well in a similar spot at the other end and have that vibe. Within that or in between I'd like to work out some little rat run type routes or hiding places if possible.

Just to add to the moon-on-a-stick vibe I'd like to plan out year round interest. We were lucky to inherit an established garden from keen gardeners, but I feel they dropped the ball on the autumn to early spring period... or maybe took those plants with them.

If anyone knows of a sort of UK heavy clay suitable plant that looks sort of like a cheese plant please let me know. It's quite a hard thing to serach for as everything is about creating really impractical "true" jungle gardens, usually in enclosed terrace gardens. I'm fucked if I'm growing anything that you've got to bring in for the winter.

Try Fatsia japonica

if you like the rhubarb look then go for my favourite Gunnera Manicata. I love it although it can get man size

(stock pic, that is not me)

Can second this. Ours is looking good right now, in full flower (the flowers look a bit like ivy flowers I guess).

Good suggestions. Keep 'em coming.

Tetrapanax papyrifer, euphorbia mellifera, cannas, melianthus major.

The Christopher Lloyd book on exotic gardens is good. Search terms 'exotic' or 'tropical' will go a long way.

'hardy exotics' in particular but if you're in London they won't need to be super super hardy. melianthus major is probably the most Swiss cheese - a like.

Oh and hardy scheffleras

Cheers. We're just outside London, and there is definitely a difference in the lows compared to being in amongst the city.

I've now got a very scruffy long list in a Google doc, that I'll share once I've made it vaguely readable. Almost 70 rows* so will need to do some whittling.

*some is variation of the same varieties

I'm planning to plant some bamboo at the end of my garden to cover an ugly fence. I have a border that's about 4m by 0.4m. Is that big enough for tallish (2.5m) bamboo plants?

Is it a matter of digging the border out to a couple of foot and then lining with the root barrier (just the sides so far as I can tell from online guides, assume they must have shallow roots?), filling it back with soil and planting some bamboo?

Any recommendations on which to look for? The spot is normally in shade but it does get some sun at the start and end of the day. Would prefer a clumping one, just in case.

The bamboo I had saved as being non invasive and recommended was Fargesia robusta 'Campbell' (Campbell's form).

I think I've got a list of some others I can dig out.

Bamboo multiplies sideways rather than over the ground or sending out roots underground. That's why people contain the edges.

I'd be curious to know whether the less invasive ones still need to be contained if anyone has experience?

Here it is

[ ] Phyllostachys Nigra
[ ] Fargesia Robusta Campbell
[ ] Fargesia Robusta ‘Pingwu’
[ ] Borinda Papyrifera ‘Blue Panda’
[ ] Fargesia Murielae ‘Umbrella Bamboo’

Obviously double check and do your own research on them. That is my shortened down, but still rough long list.

Jungly front garden near me. Cannas and melianthus major looking great. Photo taken today and still looking v lush, although we've not had a hard frost yet in Bristol.

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Cheers.

You've reminded me to post the link to my google doc list.

Still needs tidying and a bit of filling in, but it's in one place and roughly ordered.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gc5gWKshyLirTg2TcK7uPlcbUjTyqtvUOfMZ4Pq1By4/edit?usp=sharing

Cheers, that's given me a a few options. The Fargesia robusta 'Campbell' looks like a likely candidate. Just need to work out whether I can get away with the foot or so depth or if it will end up too bushy and cover the garden.