Recommendations for new gardeners

[Dorothy rouse]

My son has just moved into first house and has been clearing garden, we are visiting next weekend, thought I'd take some bits for garden. What shrubs would you recommend, easy to grow, and won't grow too big? Someone has mentioned Aldi are selling roses at under £2.00? Any good?

Have bought them a bag of daff bulbs,for some Spring colour.

They don't have much time for sowing seeds, and have a 6 yr old, so need to be robust !

[Scarlet]

Do they cook? My must haves in the garden are rosemary and bay (along with all the other herbs!) but those two are evergreen and are available in most GC's and are easy to care for.
Roses need quite a bit of attention so if their not keen gardeners they wouldn't be my first choice of plant and they are often seen as a bit old fashioned

[Nicos]

Several packets of nasturtium and English marigold will add a vast amount of colour very cheaply and they can collect the seeds each year.
There are several varieties of both and can be sprinkled almost anywhere.
...so long as they like orange/yellows

[Dorothy rouse]

Yes they are keen 'chefs', so herbs good idea.

I also thought of nasturtiums, maybe in a pot, to keep them under control.

[veggiechicken]

I wouldn't buy roses with a child around.
Nasty vicious things - the rose, I presume not the child

[Kristen]

I think it needs some more Ground Rules ... what they like etc. I would avoid Thorns with kids (if the kids are not damaged their footballs probably will be!).

Shrubs are 5 years to get to decent height ...

They could choose a style of:

Cottage garden
Vegetables
Fruit trees
Roses
Shrubs
Climbers

or

Exotic

The thing that I have grown which has given me the most satisfaction, greatest Wow factor, and by far the fastest growth is Exotic. Things with large leave - Bananas (Basjoo is the hardiest), Tetrapanax papyrifer rex, Fatsia (hardy), Cannas, Bamboo (sadly not cheap, but maybe you could look out for someone digging some up), and some grasses ... may not be for everyone though! In its first year we planted at the beginning of June and by August it looked like it has been there for several years.

Here's the day before/after planting in June, and again in September

[Guest]

lavender and strawbs. If the only fruit or veg you get what could be better than strawbs and child friendly too.

[Feral007]

How about a small selection of things like herbs - italian parsley, basil, organo, rosemary, french tarragon, savoury, sage. And strawberries.

I would prob also give them an IOU - so many hours of planting weeding.

And perhaps some bright plant for the child specifically.

They will have lots of fun organising what they want later on, but having the beginnings of a herb garden, their first fruit plants, and a pretty one. Would be a lovely start

[Dorothy rouse]

Better get myself off to the GC then!

Thanks all

[Nicos]

^^^ * wonders what else will accidentally fall into her basket

[Dorothy rouse]

^^^ * wonders what else will accidentally fall into her basket

Couple of bottles of wine, gifts for grandson, that sort of stuff?


Already have large box, rapidly filling up with goodies, huge pumpkin, jars of chutney, jam, books for grandson, funny how things change over the years as your kids get older!

[Nicos]

Looks like you'll be needing another box then?

[Feral007]

Yes! Now that's someone who will be welcome in the house.
Keep the sprog amused with the gifts, stuff to plant, food and wine to have while you plan what you'll do with the garden.....awesome.

[WPG]

If you're looking for an easy to grow shrub which doesn't get too big, I'd recommend a choisya, or mexican orange blossom shrub. I've a few of the Sundance variety, and they're great for filling in gaps. It's evergreen and keeps a good shape with very little attention needed - it's also quite happy in sun or shade.

BBC - Gardening: Plant Finder - Mexican orange blossom

Edit : I've just noticed that the bbc guide says it grows to 250 cm....mine certainly isn't that big, probably more like 3 foot......maybe I've mistaken the variety.

[Martin H]

I agree with you, it's a great shrub, hard to kill, always looks tidy and the flowers have great scent. The yellow one doesn't grow as quickly as the plain green one (which I actually prefer). They are easy enough to manage though, once they reach the size you want you just take off all the excess after flowering every year.