I have a very large area that I want to make into an english garden
by
Marcie
+3
I want to turn a large sunny area in to a combo of an english garden and a potager garden. I am a professional gardener, so the plants are easy. I'm looking for ideas
on how I can do this for a very low budget, and keep it gorgeous but simple. I already have a birdbath for the center circle, and I've started some boxwood from cuttings (they take forever to root!). I've also collected some bricks for the walkways, but by
the time I get home from caring for other peoples garden, I'm tired to do the heavy walkway work. I'd love ideas that will keep this job within my energy level to finish. Thank you!
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If you advertise on a community watch site or even Craig's list that you're looking for plants for an English garden...you'll probably get lots of people who are dividing and thinning out their plants and would happily give them to you for free.
What about pea gravel or cinders for the walkway. A square foot garden would be easy to take care of. There is no weeding if you use your own mixed soil like 4 cu ft peat and vermiculite then 5 different natural composts. I have a square foot garden. I'm 67 and it is super easy to care for after you get it set up. The soil will last for about 5 years. I followed the instructions on the seed pack and the nursery plants for spacing of plants or used more than one square foot for more tomatoe, etc. I even have a grid over my soil to make it easier for me. I did a 4x4 plot. I have flowers and vegetables growing together also herbs. I think the next might only be 2 squares wide but along my fence. I water each square by hand. I'm also thinking of putting in drip irrigation. If you do square foot garden you won't need walkways because you can reach everything from outside of the plot. I used cinder blocks for mine. I can sit on the edge and reach everything. The herbs and flowers can deter the pests.
Have you done pea gravel? I've thought of that , but would love to hear more. I don't use peat moss, as it depletes the boggs that it's taken from, but have my own dirt combos, as I'm know many gardeners do. The squares fit well with an english garden, so that's already in the plan, with curves so they circle around the middle. THe garden part is very easy for me, but I'm thankful for the feedback on how easy it is for you to take care of your garden!! I love walkways, as this is the english garden part... but walkways go well between the squares.
I do think i'll look into pea gravel. Great idea!
Any time one uses gravel expect to have to weeds growing through the rocks. I used severa layers of newspaper under the rocks. Worms like the newspaper and aeriate the soil and leave castings (worm poop) to enrich the soil. You could also use weed block which has none of the above.
THanks, Estelle, I am not worried about weeds, as I know how to take care of them, just the ease of getting this english garden built. I use worm castings in planting, but can always use more!
And I like the 7 layers of newspaper - I've been collecting thin cardboard, but if
I can't find enough, newspapers are good. I'm really looking for ideas on how other built their english gardens, shortcuts they used, or materials.