Have always lived in flats and rented, never had any outside space or garden. Finally bought a place and this is the garden, any advice on ideas of what to do with it? I am primarily interested in making it habitable for wildlife. I have no children or pets. Thank you 🌱
by newjobquestionnhs
14 Comments
Oh just to add, the soil around the border is not great, very rocky and hard to dig
Even a small wildlife pond punches above its weight so to speak when it comes to helping nature so worth looking into (if you do build one it is also important to have a way for wildlife to get out). Good luck!
It depends if you want a lawn. If not you could just have a small patio somewhere or use something like gravel to make a seating area . And then fill in the rest with plants. Aim to use native plants. And a pond is great for wildlife. There is a really good fb group called wildlife and eco gardening uk . Think about layers, so you want climbers or high things next to the fence, and then medium and then lower down plants
You’ve got a beautiful space here! Congratulations!
If I were you… I would tidy up those beds, appreciate the soil isn’t great so take your time. It looks like you’ve got some established plants and shrubs there already which is great. There’s lots of options for wildlife friendly plants for you to try, and maybe even some wildflower seeds and seeing what takes?
It doesn’t look too dissimilar to what my husband and I faced with our garden, if you check my post history you might be able to find our ‘journey’ (🤢sorry to use such a naff phrase!), it has taken us some time but has been so worth it. Honestly, you’ve got a beautiful garden here so enjoy watching it change and getting it just how you like it 😊❤️
Plant something to break up the look of that fence at bit.
Congratulations — what a lovely blank canvas to start with.
If wildlife is your main aim, I’d personally resist the temptation to fill the whole space too quickly or clear everything out immediately. Gardens usually become richer for wildlife when they develop in layers over time.
In fact, one thing many new gardeners do is remove every existing shrub or patch of growth before they’ve had a chance to observe what’s already there. Mature plants often already contain insects, shelter, nesting spots and useful shade, so I’d be inclined to work with what you’ve inherited where possible.
Looking at the photo, I’d probably begin by softening the boundaries first. The fence could eventually disappear behind climbers and mixed planting. Things like honeysuckle, climbing roses, clematis or pyracantha would give shelter, nesting opportunities and flowers/berries for insects and birds.
I’d also create a couple of deeper planted borders rather than keeping everything as lawn. Even relatively small borders packed with pollinator-friendly plants can become incredibly lively. Lavender, salvia, verbena bonariensis, echinacea, foxgloves and hardy geraniums are all good starters and fairly easy to manage.
The lawn itself doesn’t need to vanish completely. Wildlife gardens often work best when there’s a balance between slightly wilder areas and calmer open space. A small winding path through longer grass or planting can make even a simple garden feel much more natural.
Water is probably the single biggest wildlife magnet. Even a small pond, half barrel pond or shallow water dish with stones for insects to land on will attract far more life than most people expect. Birds will use it almost immediately.
A bird feeder and bird bath positioned where they can be seen from the house or a seating area makes a huge difference because you actually get to enjoy the wildlife you’re encouraging.
I’d also think about one quiet, comfortable sitting area — maybe tucked slightly to one side rather than in the middle. Surrounded the sitting area with planting can make a garden feel much calmer and more established very quickly.
One thing I’ve learned is that wildlife gardens don’t have to look untidy to be wildlife-friendly. Some of the best ones combine structure, comfort and a little bit of managed wildness together.
You’ve got a really promising starting point there
Congrats on your first garden! It looks like a great space to start with.
For wildlife, key points would include a little pond, with an accessible shallow area for drinking and bathing. Food – native plants that attract insects and produce seed heads for birds, additional insect habitats like log piles and “bug hotels”, and cover – shrubs and hedges, maybe a little tree.
I would personally also have a look at your fences – if it’s possible for any neighbourhood hedgehogs have access! A sneaky little portal between gardens is becoming more and more important these days as folk seem to be more inclined to obliterate nature from their outdoor spaces, your garden could become a perfect oasis!
Good luck and keep the sub up to date with your progress!
Plant shrubs and bushes along the fence, and make a seating area…
Don’t feel like you have to do everything at once. Start small because you might regret spending lots of time or money on big projects. Research plants before you buy them to understand the conditions and plant stats.
Little and often is key. Nearly always something to do in a garden no matter the size. The last thing you want to do is leave it for to long and have the feeling of dread with all the jobs doing at once. Enjoy it.
Just get out there this summer and enjoy it, see where the sun goes through spring-autumn, and what your neighbours get up to, you may find original plans will change if one side is out all summer cooking away with charcoal, or kids knock balls against a fence etc.
You wouldn’t want to pay out for a patio to find it’s in a noisier corner or has smoke and food wafting through.
A small but important step to take…
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/link-your-garden/
Might sound obvious but I killed many plants in my prvious garden by not observing the light. Watch where the sun tends to scorch the soil in summer and where the shade helps to keep the soil moist. During raining season, get a feel for where the water gathers and stays (if anywhere). I wish someone told me this when I started on my first garden. I’ll second the pond idea. This time I got a no-dig pond, but at my previous place I dug in my son’s old sandbox. I had newts and frogs there within the first 6 months. If you want to have birds living in your garden, then I’d strongly advise a holly or howthorn or something similar. A fruit tree is also a great addition. What sort of garden do you want? Are you keen or growing vegetables or fruit? Do you want a wildlife garden? Do you want to keep the lawn? EXCITING!!
As far as enhancing the design, you could do it in steps. I’d have a neat separation of the lawn from the borders. While you can’t do much to the border on the right hand (it’s hard to dig because of the roots of shrubs there) you could have a nice planting border on the left hand (it is sunny there), and plant a nice tree in too (see my pic below).
https://preview.redd.it/6o6j67zt7izg1.jpeg?width=977&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93f6728c78ff70fab4cb9dea7da55521e339e007