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starting a garden from scratch

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Posted by ANGE_DUSTY 12 Apr 2010 - 8:32:00 PM

We have built a house and now we have to start the garden...Help! There are no trees or grass or plants of any kind except weeds. Any suggestions would br greatfully received!

Comments (7)

Re: FALZIESGARDEN 15 Apr 2010 - 8:05:00 PM

I'm a big fan of ROUNDUP for weeds but it can be quite expensive/overpriced if you by it from the hardware shop. It's very helpful if you know any farmers that use the stuff. Otherwise you can lay down some plastic sheeting to suffocate the weeds till they die. I like using old newspapers to lay down then I put a thick layer of sugar cane mulch over the top, this helps on gardenbeds or be used as a begining of a gardenbed.

Re: GREENGRUB 24 Apr 2010 - 3:37:00 PM

It can be so daunting when starting out. I like to have a plan. I look at things like, available water/rainfall for watering, what plants I like, the aspects I have in the garden North East South and West. Where there will be shelter and shade, where I want to make shelter and shade and then where I want screens, flowers etc. What is my soil like. What grows well in other peoples gardens, what hard landscaping like paths and retaining walls I want or need. Then I look through books, and make a list of plants that need the same sort of care. Grouping them together with tallest at the back and shorter at the front. I usually plan a herb or vege garden at the same time. Using this website will help as an online resource. It does seem daunting but with a plan and some elbow grease and some patience it will all come together. Here is a shot of my garden before and after this took me 12 months to achieve but it's worth it in the end!
Happy gardening!

Re: Re: GREENGRUB 24 Apr 2010 - 3:41:00 PM

Sorry here is the before shot :-)

Re: ROZ 28 Apr 2010 - 1:23:00 PM

DO NOT PUT COUCH GRASS OF ANY VARIETY IN.... or else it will take over your garden beds... if free landscaping comes with your front yard, do not accept the free couch, but rather pay to have a soft palmeto (soft buffalo) which is easy to keep out of garden beds as it is rhizomous not stoloniferous (grows along top of grass rather than above and under the soil like couch), less issues with allergies, handles most aussie conditions.

I have the best tip for when you buy plants, especially when you are buying a number of the same kind for mass plantings hedges etc.. ALWAYS PHOTOCOPY OR SCAN THE PLANT TAGS. If the tag doesn't have the botanical name on it, look it up straight away and add it to your gardening file. This way when a plant dies in your hedge or your feature, you can replace it with the correct plant without too much difficulty.

Also remember that many tags are produced in Victoria, so be careful of the full sun listings, as in WA or other hotter states, full sun may be too much.

With your garden... start with your soil, build it up with organic matter and ensure it is the right pH for the types of plants you like, ie.. acid loving ornamentals, or native etc. You also need to look at how the sun affects different parts of your garden at different times of year.. this is VITAL to planning a successful garden. I personally would start with the trees, as these will then provide cover for understory and groundcovers, while giving you time to assess how the climate works in your garden.

Re: JENK 16 Jan 2011 - 3:26:00 PM

Hi! We've done this twice now and the phrase 'never again' has crossed my mind more than once! :) Starting with a tree or two is a great idea, so down the track you feel like you have achieved something - it gives the most impact. Soil wise, we are in sandy soil so had a load of good garden soil and /or soil improver delivered. The first house, we dug it over by hand which was back-breaking work. The next time, I hired a bloke with a bobcat that had an attachment for tilling the soil. That was the best thing I did - the ground was compacted from the builders, and it loosened it nicely while mixing our soil improver into the top 30cm of soil. The plants in those areas did much better than where this was not done. A no dig garden would be another good option of course. Throwing down some easy grow seed in a garden bed can be nice as a starter - e.g. everlastings. Again, gives instant garden while you work on other areas. We also used fake grass (the strips like carpet) to keep the sand down temporarily - just laid them around the back patio. Little things like that stopped us feeling overwhelmed by all the sand, lets you break it up into manageable chunks.

Re: 333ZIN 22 Apr 2011 - 4:37:00 AM

JENK you got it :)

Re: PALIPERTH 8 Nov 2011 - 12:21:00 AM

HI ANGE
Please look at my post if you have time it is under need help to find right plant
i am sure you will be able to provide me right help

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