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*Attention* Amateur wants nice garden!

• Message 1. 

  Posted by M1sterP (U3786035) on Sunday, 16th April 2006

  Long-term viewer of this site, first time poster. Well, I used to have an account on this site, but I've forgotten my user name. Guess I can't have used this site that much recently!!
  
  My partner and I want to sort our garden this year. By 'sorting' our garden, we need to do absolutely everything. Currently we have a lawn and nothing else, and we want to rip this up and lay a bit of gravel / patio, a patch of lawn and then some decking, with some nice lights dotted around the garden. We also want to build some raised flower beds. The problem is, we're both clueless! We've got good parents, who would love to help, but we don't even know where to start.
  
  We've put together a plan of what we'd like, but we're resigned to the fact that we need a professional opinion on our design. Our first problem is this - we don't know who to call. We don't just want to go through the Yellow Pages, a guy that was recommended to us has packed it all in, and a couple of people we have seen at garden shows have been so expensive!
  
  Our garden is only small - maybe 3m x 7m, and we think that if someone could point us in the right direction, we could do a lot of the work ourselves. For things like the building of the flower beds, we'll get someone in to do that. We also want a step up from the gravel to the lawn, so we might need some help with the logistics of this. Electrics / decking - my sisters boyfriend is pretty good and has said he'll help out.
  
  What should we expect to pay for a consultation / design with a professional company?
  
  With the raised beds, I'd like a smooth, modern look - not brick. Would this kind of thing be built with bricks and then rendered, or built with concrete initially?
  
  I've got loads more questions, and I'd really appreciate some help in general.
  
  Many thanks,
  
  MrP

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by clondalkingardener (U2328443) on Sunday, 16th April 2006

  Hi MP Happy Easter, on of the boarders has recentley set up his own gardening service. the person in question is LS. If you google Turn 'Em Green and check out his web page all relevant info there. Cheers and good gardening

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by phots-moll (U902248) on Monday, 17th April 2006

  Do you have any favourite plants, things you know you really want?
  

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by susie-snowdrop (U2989562) on Monday, 17th April 2006

  Hi there! As far as your raised beds are concerned, build them out of breeze blocks and then render and paint! It's quick (if you've got somebody to lay them for you) and relatively cheap. I's doing something similar in my garden and you can create almost any shaped bed you want. Don't forget though that it is the plants that will 'make' your garden!
  Hope this helps a bit.
  Susie

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by M1sterP (U3786035) on Monday, 17th April 2006

  Thanks for the tips guys.
  
  Turn em Green looks good, but I need to study it a bit longer...
  
  With reference to plants - we're not really sure. I want low maintenance, and something that looks quite modern. I really like different types of grasses, and bushes with spikey leaves. Then I like round bushes - either planted in the planters, or in chunky pots. I saw a guy on tv (maybe the city gardener) plant a bracken tree (?) once. That looked cool, but cost £1500 I think!

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by phots-moll (U902248) on Monday, 17th April 2006

  That sounds like a tree fern! They are expensive, difficult to get established and need winter protection.
  Cheaper plants are usually cheaper because they're easy to grow.
  Don't forget that plants in pots need watering at least once a week and more often in summer. That can be quite time consuming!

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