low maintenance gardens...

Hi, don't have any pictures of my garden, it's still at the before version.

But here are some links to some websites that might give you some inspiration.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/modulargarden/

http://www.olivebay.co.uk/portfolio-projects.php?cat=1

http://www.modulargardens.com/

Excellent, thanks. I have been googling but hadnt really found anything. i really want to look out at the garden and not feel horror?

I laid a patio of blue pennant stone. I would try to keep things simple and use only a couple of landscaping materials. I used the stone and gravel and mostly different shades of green for the plants. Try to stay away from garish wood stains and bright paving and you should end up with something classic which will help you sell on in the future

Oh thats fab Fraya. i wouldnt be able to do it myself but my Dad and my Husband will have to give it a go. i am the ideas woman!!!!

where did you get the stone from?

Pots! I have moved this year to a larger house with a smaller garden and have ventured into container gardening, it's so fab. My garden would be pretty uninspiring to you as it's just a small lawn with a load of pots, but I've grown runner, broad, borlotti and French beans, peas, sweetcorn (minipop and big cob - well, these are a work in progress but are looking pretty good so far), round carrots, lambs lettuce, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, potatoes, sunflowers (dwarf), sweet peas, strawberries and raspberries. If container gardening grabs you, get 'Crops in Pots' out of the library, it's beautiful and inspiring.

The stone came from a local quarry but you can try somewhere like Travis Perkins for paving like Marshalls or Bradstones. Their catalogues can be handy for ideas as well.

I must admit Ginni, something i have said to my H a few times is, that i would love to have a herb garden. I think our issue is that we dont look after the garden enough, so it soon looks totally untidy. I think once we have the patio sorted, the pond filled in, the grass re-sown and the concrete nightmare outside the back door sorted out, i will venture into container gardneing and the like, and may emply a gardener?

I've been working on our garden for 2 years and we now have a smaller lawn, raised deck area in the sunniest part and gravel side beds with ornamental grasses and herbs with oriental plants at the back in bark such as bamboo and acer palmatum - a small red leaved tree. I love www.crocus.co.uk for ideas esp plants.

Wow fraya, excellent. so it can be done?

Xchampagne, that sound lovely, do you have any photos? i may need to copy!

Been meaning to take some piccies for ages so just popped outside!

Thats really nice Champagne. our garden is probably about the same size but on 2 very distinct levels, so looks smaller. actually, you have given me some inspiration for the crap concrete outside the back door.

Hey no prob and it's certainly low maintenance only requiring lawn mowing, weeding and the occasional pruning according to each plant by season. The gravel helps keep watering and weeding to a minimum and is laid over weed suppressing membrane to help further. The deck was around £3k and will need oiling every couple of years but our patio is in permanent shade so not great.

Thanks Champagne, i really appreciate that. Just need to get some cash together now to put my ideas into practice.

Ours is low maintenance, it has two flower beds with evergreen shrubbery and everything else is in pots. We have 3 tiers, green slate chippings, then patio then grass. Not much needs doing to it (that was the plan) as I want to be able to sit and enjoy it rather than spend all my time tending it.

We have slate tiles on the steps and large slate style slabs on the patio and pathway

WT- what a lovely view you have.

thanks for the photo. i think chippings and gravel is the way to go, the only issue in the dog shitting on it!!! i think all i need is structural plants etc and that makes it feel more 'done'.