[MagicLady]

I'm  very new to gardening but have been growing some veggies in my new raised beds since the beginning of May and LOVING IT.  Just wish I'd started years ago

Not satisfied with the veggies at the top of the garden, I've made a start on the lower third of the garden yesterday.  I spent FOUR HOURS cutting down the huge shrubs which were there when we moved in 6 years ago.  Apart from a little trim every now and then when I got fed up with being attacked hanging out the washing, we've done practically nothing to them, and now most of them were practically dead.  So, I decided to remove them all.

I've taken about 2/3 of them out, and we're having a mamouth shredding session tonight.  So, once that's all done and the rest removed,  I'll have a lot more room in the garden.

We've got a rather large, very old dog who loves digging (hence being called Digger  ) so we're thinking of gravelling over the lawn (or should I say mud patch) and the beds, and putting round loads of pots, large troughs and hanging baskets so his nibs doesn't dig everything up.

I'd like lots of colour for as much of the year as possible, as I'm so tired of everything just being in various shades of green.  I'd also quite like to have some flowers which I can cut for vases indoors and things which smell great (don't ask for much, do I  )

We've got a south facing garden, and now the bushes are gone it's really quite bright (when the sun decides to grace us with it's presence).

Any suggestions on plants to grow??

TIA.

[Gwiz]

I've always liked roses. I think they're about the very best value for money you can get, and contrary to popular belief, you don't need to have a degree in horticulture to look after them.
There are so many varieties old and new that I don't think there will be a colour you can't get!

[AnnieB]

Suspect there are very few answers to this I wouldn't like to suggest what to grow as it depends on your preference, and what you want the space to look like. You could go for the perennial plants, annuals, a wild garden or cottage garden approach. Do you want it low or high? What is the shape of it.

[BobandJack]

Grow Californian Poppies (Eschscholzia) they easy to grow, really cheerful & you only ever have to buy one packet of seeds

[mumofstig]

I think you are quite limited in choice if you are only using tubs and troughs. many of the easy perennial flowers aren't that happy in tubs. If you go to the garden centre every month or so  for a year and just buy something that you like that is in flower then (and is perennial)  you will end up with a garden with something of interest all year, without having to buy any more plants the following years

[MagicLady]

Thanks for the replies - I definitely want to get a few roses as I love those.

Like your suggestion mumofstig - we've got a few good nurseries locally, so I'll pop along once a month.  Not sure DH will be so happy though  :blink:

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Magic lady and welcome.  I grew up in Slade Green where my youngest daughter still lives and my granddaughter lives in Barnehurst!!!

There is a lady with a lovely nursery in Essex, Beth Chatto. And she says we should be  growing plants indigenous to the area, as they will survive the local weather conditions better than exotic plants and the other thing is to start growing things that like drought conditions as with global warming, they say our weather is going to change even more over the coming years with longer spells of drought then longer wet spells.

I found a website once where you put in your postcode and it told you all the plants that are indigenous to that area.  Will have to look for it again!!!

I haven't tried this link yet, but have a look and see what you think!

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/plants-fungi/postcode-plants/