Busy Lizzy 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2009 Hi everyone So this is totally off topic. I'm looking for gardening inspiration. I've spent ages looking for simple low maintenence and cheap ideas to improve my garden. I've got photo etc on my blog Liz's Knitting if anyone could help I would be very grateful!! Thanks Liz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maggie50 13 Report post Posted July 9, 2009 Hi Liz a few pot plants with bright flowers would make lots of difference and some climbers :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knittingporky 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2009 Hi Buzy, Just had a look at your blog and I think planters are your answer . Your OH does things with clay(?) perhaps he could custom make you some long planters to sit along the fence at the back and you could put things like lavender, rosemary, lemon balm marigolds or,your name sake, buzy lizzies in them. Alternately you could get some old tyres (if you ask a tyre place they will often give them to you free)and stack them up along the fence to make planters. Ive done this out by my front door and put a tub of parsley(from Tesco) in the middle and lobellia all round the out side. The girls painted the tyres so they look pretty and the lobellia is growing out and down the sides. I also have fresh parsley to hand whenever I want it. If you want to hide the fence try something like a passion flower - they grow like crazy and there are ones that give edible fruit in the autumn (BE WARNED - passion flowers a fast grower and a bugger to get rid of :cheese: ) or a honeysuckle. They are both ones that you can stick in then leave to their own devices, cutting them back/trimming once a year or whenever they threaten to take over. If you have a good Freecycle group in your area, ask on there. Mines brilliant and you often get people offering plants - I got some lemon balm and some pink comfry earlier in the week from mine Also look online for free seeds-Ive gotten loads this year, sunflowers, wild flowers, veggies, allsorts Hope this helps Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Busy Lizzy 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2009 He keeps saying he wants to make us some garden ornaments etc - not holding my breath though lol Other ideas sound really good. Esp like the idea of growing parsley and rosemary, they'll smell lovely! I've bought them from Asda before and kept them on the window sill, (in my flat) never thought about buying them for our garden....see I need ideas like this!! I saw some nice cheap fushias and strawberry plants in Morrisons this morning. The strawberry plants were in hanging baskets which I thought was clever! I'd like a nice climber round the frame separating the 2 back areas. Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knittingporky 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2009 Another thing you can do (i saw this on a website but haven't tried it myself) is get an old bucket. Make a hole in the bottom just big enough for a young tomato plant to poke thru. Put the tommy plant into the bucket so that the leaves stick out of the hole and then fill up the bucket with soil/compost. Hang the bucket from a branch/beam/trellis (if strong enough). dont forget to water The tommy plant will grow up around the bucket until the fruit starts to form. then their weight will bring the stems back down and you can pick them. Its a great idea if you have a slug problem in your garden as it keeps the plants well away from them. You can get bags that hang on the fence too (Kleenezey do them) with little pockets in them that you can put plants in so they drape down (nasturtiums good or strawberries), again REMEMBER to water!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knittingporky 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2009 Climber over the frame - again passion flower or clemetis or honeysuckle or grape or jasmine or wisteria or (my personal fave) roses Share this post Link to post Share on other sites