Very large paved front garden with border. It's such a pain to keep on top of the weeds etc. we are rubbish at gardening but really want to try and make this space look more attractive and less of an eyesore. Any ideas? Ideally some ideas that are lowish maintenance going forward. Thanks in advance
by Appropriate_Service9
5 Comments
How wedded are you to the paving slabs? Would you consider something like a clover lawn (robust, low maintenance, nice&green), or covering it with other low maintenance plants? What’s the aspect – does it get full sun, or less so?
i like your idea. it will be a wonderful garden, all you have to is to plant more trees and flowers
Pull out some of the slabs and plant some nice fruit trees or blossom trees. Leave some soil around the bottom of the trees and plant some daffodil bulbs?
Rent a power washer and blast the slabs clean. It would also be a good time to renew the sand between them which should keep weeds down for a bit.
You could lift some middle slabs and plant stuff in the gaps. And also between the slabs and the pavement. Low maintenance perennials are probably a good option. The RHS website will provide a good list of UK appropriate plants ideas.
Great space. If you want low agro I’d leave the slabs. Have a look on taskrabbit or similar to see if someone will pressure wash them for you. If you feel spendy then an above ground pond would be lovely – it’s sunny so you could grow water lilies.
Main focus though should be planting up the existing beds. The back beds are okayish, maybe pull out anything dead and replace anything that’s bare or messy. I’d focus on getting bushy shrubs with a good dose of evergreens. I quite like Japanese spindle, it’s tough and well behaved so you won’t be pruning it. You could also try other hedging plants such as beech or griselina round the perimeter.
I’d suggest the bed adjacent to the tarmac is planted with something a bit lower growing. Ground cover roses or dog rose, Bergenia, heuchera, perennial geranium, sedum confusum. Some ornamental grasses do well in dry conditions. You could slap some bulbs in too for seasonal colour – look up “bulb lasagne” ideas for long lasting flowers.
Bear in mind this space is hot and dry and it’s not very easy to water front gardens as there’s never any tap. Make sure the soil is covered (eg by foliage) to retain water and avoid stuff that needs lots of water. Regular roses wouldn’t work too well for example – just the tougher wild types such as dog rose.
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