Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Jul 21, 2008 1:27 pm Hi there,
my wife and i have recently moved into our home which requires some work in the garden. This is my first time at this and am looking for somehting basic in terms of landscaping to bring to life. i want to create a border around my front lawn so as to plant some ferns etc. My questions are: 1) whats better? Rocks (river rocks etc) or bark or mulch? 2) What do you lay under the rocks/bark/mulch (if anything) 3) How much depth should I allow when laying it? 4) What do you recommend as a border between this area and the grass - eg sleepers, bricks etc. The area will be curved so I'd need something flexible perhaps? Or do you suggest I dont put anything between the grass and the bark/mulch. Thank you everyone. I feel better already as I really dotn know where to start. Also if anyone provides a basic service to assist me with my landscaping please let me know. Thanks Anthony Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 2Jul 21, 2008 3:51 pm Welcome Anthony, hope you find what you are looking for here .
First I think you should provide more info: * is it shaded where you want your ferns? Aspect, south north east west? *what soil do you have there: sandy, clay or nice crumbly loam containing a lot of organic matter? *how much water can you spare on your ferns? This is the environment in which your ferns will take up nutrients, water and oxygen. Plants are living creatures and they have to have their needs met to look good in the garden. Start with the soil having in mind what plants you want there read about these plants, lay out your beds, improve soil and last have fun planting. As to mulching it really depends on the plants you want to use there, for example ferns would prefer nice leafy mulch which will provide good growing conditions, keep moisture in and at the same time feed them gently while it is decomposing. You need to top it up twice a year, in spring and autumn. Dry country plants like succulets, catcti, and many Australian natives look very good with pebbles whatever colour you choose, I like red clay round gravel which is available in 3 sizes in WA. Roses and flower beds look good with sugar cane and luzerne hay as mulch, again needs frequent topping up. Wodland gardens look good with bark mulch, again you need to top it up though it lasts longer than hay mulches. People on tight budgets use shredded material they get cheap or even free from tree loppers. The only thing with this sort of mulch is that before you apply it you need to put some blood and bone on your soil as the uncomposted shredded material will take up nitrogen from the soil while it is decomposing robbing your plants from nutrients. And of course you can get already composted mulch which can be quite costly, it is cheaper to buy it in bulk that by bags in a garden centre. Soft mulches should be layed 100mm thick to protect your soil. Hard mulches like pebbles roks can be in a thinner layer as much as you need to cover your ground thouroughly. The soil should be moist before you put your mulches down. I do not recommend putting anything under soft mulches as they decompose and improve your soil, if you want to form a barier between soil and stone mulches you can lay 50% shade cloth to let water seep through. Cheers Maggie Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 3Jul 21, 2008 4:04 pm Well done Maggie!
You have been so generous in offering forum members detailed garden advice. I think Maggie is to gardens what Michelle is to colours and Ash is to carpets and Rodda and Matt are to home theatres and... They're all compliments Maggie. Jo I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 4Jul 21, 2008 4:25 pm Maggie, thank you so much for all your advice. It seems like I have a lot to consider... and a lot of work to do!!
Just one more question - any suggestions from anybody on what to use to seperate the area between my lawn and my bark - Im a bit of a minimalist, so want to know wether there is anything in the market that you can buy that is flexible, hardly visible, not too expensive but still effective. Thanks Anthony Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 5Jul 21, 2008 4:39 pm There's the standard jarrah edging.....which every man and his dog uses....
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I'm also looking at the FormBoss Metal Edging as it would suit the style of my house....and offers a lot of creative possibilities... http://www.greenlines.com.au/formboss.php they have pricing details on the site. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ And Jo I agree.....Maggie offers very informative posts... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 6Jul 21, 2008 5:32 pm Ah, thanks for your compliments but you have a crazy gardener here . I love my garden, my plants. They are like pets and children to me though my kids keep telling me that my plants come before them that I would rather buy manure than feed them and rightly so my children are grown ups, the youngest is 28 so they should feed themsleves .
I think the metal edging gives you more flexibility than the wooden one and the termites will not eat it. Maggie Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 7Jul 21, 2008 7:52 pm maggie Ah, thanks for your compliments but you have a crazy gardener here . I love my garden, my plants. I understand....can't wait to start on my blank canvas. maggie I think the metal edging gives you more flexibility than the wooden one and the termites will not eat it. I'd rather the termites concentrate on the edging than the house but know what you mean.....I found borers in the one of the sleepers in my old house fortunately the house was steel framed. The one thing to be careful of with the metal ones is that you want to know exactly where your irrigation hoses are and what depth - but that's minor. I do love the options it gives you particularly the sharp angles and the ability to fold it back on itself - it comes galvanised and ala naturale. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 8Jul 21, 2008 8:03 pm I like that! Maggie, may need your help soon - we have a beautiful established garden, but DH and I know nothing about gardens We were thinking of getting the local nursery to come and have a look, tell us what we have and advise when to prune and feed - yes we really have no idea. Paula Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 9Jul 23, 2008 12:46 am gotta agree with pretty much everything Maggie said there
It is good to know great gardeners have a strong knowledge base of well tried and tested experience. Plenty of Horts out there today. However of them, very few are keen gardeners and that is the difference. A great hort with good advice can only be a keen gardener as well. Someone who just studdied Horticulture and doesn't get into the garden because that is work will rarely give accurate advice. I have never seen otherwise in all my years. Some great stuff there Maggie. Although because I am organically stuborn I don't often recomend stones or otherthings Asthetics are just as important too I have to agree and it can be the very thing that hooks a new gardener when they love looking at their asthetically pleasing garden well done, and your spelling is better than mine too Re: Basic Landscape required for newbie!! 11Jul 30, 2008 4:09 pm Awesome info,
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