What should I grow Next Year ?!

[rst]

Should I grow Flowering plants or vegetables ?!
My whole Yard is grass there is no compost borders it is really all lawn so I don't know how I would grow flowering plants , if i am going to grow vegetables then I am going to get raised beds ! What should I do?!

[Jeanied]

Whereabouts are you growing RST? Recommendations could vary, depending on your answer!

[rst]

Whereabouts are you growing RST? Recommendations could vary, depending on your answer!

I live in the south of England and have a north facing garden ... ???!

[Jeanied]

My courtyard back garden is North facing - front of house is south facing. I have loads of plants, all in raised beds around the side - and also some pots of veg growing quite nicely.

So where do I start - small trees in the east facing and west facing beds (a sorbus villmoranii and a small crab apple), honeysuckle, clematis, climbing roses and summer jasmine climbing up the fences - a bit of parthenocissus henryii and trachelospermum jasminoides growing up the end wall - I could go on for ages. All plants for a purpose and nice to have for a specific effect.
What sort of garden do you want? I go for a mix of evergreen and deciduous climbers for all year round interest, some berries for the birds and some scented white flowers because I like them!

[rst]

My courtyard back garden is North facing - front of house is south facing. I have loads of plants, all in raised beds around the side - and also some pots of veg growing quite nicely.

So where do I start - small trees in the east facing and west facing beds (a sorbus villmoranii and a small crab apple), honeysuckle, clematis, climbing roses and summer jasmine climbing up the fences - a bit of parthenocissus henryii and trachelospermum jasminoides growing up the end wall - I could go on for ages. All plants for a purpose and nice to have for a specific effect.
What sort of garden do you want? I go for a mix of evergreen and deciduous climbers for all year round interest, some berries for the birds and some scented white flowers because I like them!

Do you tend to grow Veggies or Flowers more ?!
I really want a colourful one but I odn't know how I could drow it because All of my garden is lawn and there is no borders or anything ...!! ??? Do you think I should grow Vegetables of Flowers ?!

[Jeanied]

I have the advantage of an allotment as well, so I do my veggies mostly there. If I were you I'd go for a flower bed border all round the sides and start to add what you like. Or you could go for a mixture - try a search on here for a potager garden which mixes veg and flowers.

[rst]

I have the advantage of an allotment as well, so I do my veggies mostly there. If I were you I'd go for a flower bed border all round the sides and start to add what you like. Or you could go for a mixture - try a search on here for a potager garden which mixes veg and flowers.

How can I make a flower bed border if It is lawn,
I live with my parents still and they don't really want any of their lawn dug up, but they don't mind me growing on top of it ...?!
Can you get very low raised beds or something ?! I don't really know what to do !!

[Jeanied]

Aha - well what do you want to grow?
I would suggest a small square metre raised bed in a corner - but don't pick a shady corner. Have a quick look on the square foot gardening thread - that would be a really good place to start. Here is a picture of mine a couple of months ago - each square is a square foot so you can tell the size. This one is on my allotment but it could easily go at the edge of a lawn.

[rst]

Aha - well what do you want to grow?
I would suggest a small square metre raised bed in a corner - but don't pick a shady corner. Have a quick look on the square foot gardening thread - that would be a really good place to start. Here is a picture of mine a couple of months ago - each square is a square foot so you can tell the size. This one is on my allotment but it could easily go at the edge of a lawn.

Persinally I really want to grow Veg
But am just really worried about bugs and insects !
Like as I said there are ants and beetle on my rocket at the moment !! and I was just wondering do I need to worry about any of the ants or beetle on my produce ?!
Do I need to take some action or anything or can I just leave it be ?!

[Jeanied]

Have a look back at your question on bugs and ants - some of them are a nuisance and some are not. Basically it is best to get into balance with nature which takes a little while...

[rst]

Have a look back at your question on bugs and ants - some of them are a nuisance and some are not. Basically it is best to get into balance with nature which takes a little while...

You said beetles were useful how ?!
and the beetles I am talking about are actually quite large ..hso Are they Flea beatles...

Soryr .. :P but I still don't really know and was wondering will any Beetles or ants destroy or harm my rocket ??!

[Jeanied]

Some of the large black scuttling beetles are called ground beetles, and they are the gardeners friend. They take out the nasties.
Flea beetles are small, black and ping round the place like fleas. They leave small holes in your rocket and radish leaves. They are a nuisance but you can still eat your rocket and radish, it just does not look as nice with holes in it!
Ants, as I explained on your other question, are not in themselves a nuisance (except they can sting) but they 'farm' aphis - and it is the aphis that do the damage.

[rst]

Some of the large black scuttling beetles are called ground beetles, and they are the gardeners friend. They take out the nasties.
Flea beetles are small, black and ping round the place like fleas. They leave small holes in your rocket and radish leaves. They are a nuisance but you can still eat your rocket and radish, it just does not look as nice with holes in it!
Ants, as I explained on your other question, are not in themselves a nuisance (except they can sting) but they 'farm' aphis - and it is the aphis that do the damage.

yes they are Ground beetles checked some pictures online and they look the same & the ones I saw didn't ping about nor where they small they just scuttled in the soil! !! .. Are they going to eat the rocket ?! Also I had never seen them before but as soon as the seeds starting to germinate in teh vegetable patch I suddenly saw them ... is that normal are they attracted to the plants ..?! What are they doing to the vegetables ?!

[Jeanied]

Ground beetles go after the slugs which are going after your rocket and other veg. Ain't nature wonderful?

[Two_Sheds]

All of my garden is lawn and there is no borders or anything ..!

You dig it up my dear. Lawn is no good for man nor beast

my parents ...don't really want any of their lawn dug up, but they don't mind me growing on top of it ...?!

Grow on top of it in containers for the first year. This will kill the grass and then they'll let you dig it up

Persinally I really want to grow Veg

If your garden is north-facing, that really limits you to green leaves (salad, cabbages). Fruiting veg (pumpkins, beans etc) need sunshine

yes they are Ground beetles checked some pictures online .. Are they going to eat the rocket ?!

Google them, and find out what they eat. Here, I did it for you

You can't avoid bugs & insects, they are part of the great web of (wild)life.