Show us your challenging gardens (pics)

[sarah_rance]

Hi everyone,

On another thread, I've got talking about my "challenging garden" and I thought it might be fun to see other people's challenging space and perhaps we could give each other ideas on how to manage it.
I have been amazed by the ideas I've found on here in such a short time. You guys are so clever.

Apologies if this has been done already (I'm new you know )

So here's mine - taken today so you can see how my pots and things are doing.




Stood on terrace facing raised bed ( carrots, radishes, beetroot, spuds, onions, strawbs and salad in planter)


From bottom of garden looking up the slope


From the top looking down (a flippin' long way down it is too)


Stood on the terrace looking toward the growhouse and pots (spuds, beetroot,carrots x 3, rocket)


So here are my challenges as I see them -

• The slope
  The soil - very heavy clay
  The trees - Conifers on 3 sides which suck the life out of the clay

Thanks for looking guys and I;m looking forward to seeing your challenging spaces and ideas for mine

[VirginVegGrower]

Grapevines for you with a slope like that

[Terry1968]

In the right hands that slope of yours could be developed into an attractive and usefull growing space..

Havent you got a handy husband there who could do some good with it?

even lower level you could have some staging built that you could either incorporate raised beds or just somewhere to put more pots etc..

[donnakebab]

Looking up the gradient doesn't seem too bad. Looking down is worse.

How tall, mature are the conifers and are they likely to grow much more? How much sun do you get on the slope and will further growth of conifers affect the light?

I would terrace if I really wanted to grow more but if you are in shade there's not much point.

[Jamesy_uk]

Maybe do something Incan, cut steppes into the hill

[Bigmallly]

B@@ger the garden, I want a go in that hot tub...............

[sarah_rance]

Dont know why but the quote thing isnt isnt working so apologies for strange answering method

VirginVegGrower
Grapevines for you with a slope like that

Someone else mentioned fruit bushes - Do they like a slope? Why?

Terry1968
Havent you got a handy husband there who could do some good with it?

Properly laughed at that - he's handy in alot of ways - like for mowing that lawn, but that as useful as he gets in the garden - I'm on me own there!

donnakebab
Looking up the gradient doesn't seem too bad. Looking down is worse.

How tall, mature are the conifers and are they likely to grow much more? How much sun do you get on the slope and will further growth of conifers affect the light?

I would terrace if I really wanted to grow more but if you are in shade there's not much point.

It is even steeper than it looks in any of those pics - The Conifers need major surgery every year to keep them down. They do block alot of light but also alot of noise from the dual carriageway I back onto. The left side of the picture (looking down) gets the most sun so I could do more with that side but the right side is in the shade most of the time.

Jamesy_uk
Maybe do something Incan, cut steppes into the hill

I think thats the only option really and continue the terracing up the slope and use the terraces for pots perhaps - Its a money issue though to be honest. It would cost a fortune

Bigmallly
B@@ger the garden, I want a go in that hot tub...............

Proper made me chuckle - thats a fast set pool - cold water only. I set it up at the end of March knowing the hosepipe ban was coming in early April - Kids have been in it once and since then the cover has become a giant water collection system - Hence all the buckets all around it. You're welcome to a go in it but when my son foolishly leapt in head first he mentioned that he thought he may have lost his.......... (**ahem **)............ "manparts" it was that cold . It has been covered ever since

[Falkirk Bairn]

Havent you got a handy husband there who could do some good with it?

Why, is there something a man can do that a woman can't when it comes to dealing with slopes with a steep gradient?

[Terry1968]

No course not. well obviously not in this case

[Potstubsdustbins]

Why, is there something a man can do that a woman can't when it comes to dealing with slopes with a steep gradient?

No deffo not. But would SWMBO do it. Thats a big NO. She would just tell me to get on with it "after all thats what I married you for"

Colin

[taff]

i've had a lot of books out of the library recently, todays book is Bob Flowerdews organice bible thingy. In there somewhere is a passge that deals with tree roots, that if they're taking too much moisture from your soil, to dig down a hips depth, then put some plastic sheeting or similar, then back fill. Supposed to help your soil stay moister...it's another thought...but them, the roots might be all that's keeping the hill where it is...
maybe it would work further down the sides though...

[VirginVegGrower]

i've had a lot of books out of the library recently, todays book is Bob Flowerdews organice bible thingy. In there somewhere is a passge that deals with tree roots, that if they're taking too much moisture from your soil, to dig down a hips depth, then put some plastic sheeting or similar, then back fill. Supposed to help your soil stay moister...it's another thought...but them, the roots might be all that's keeping the hill where it is...
maybe it would work further down the sides though...

My soil is rubbish up the top of the garden as there are tree roots everywhere. Two eighty foot lime trees, a copse behind them. Old oak roots from a felled tree. Oak, yew and pines next door, but within thirty feet of the house. Conifers are notorious for sucking life blood out of the soil. I had a JCB in many years ago to scrape out the rubbish, lots of shale. I put in sleeper terracing to three levels, banked up with top soil and planted into that. The reason I suggested grapes is that they need slope growing for water to drain down and away. They like poor soil/growing conditions apart from sun. Do you like wine?

[taff]

it was the blithe way he said 'jut dig down a hip deep'....
I'd prefer wine myself

[VirginVegGrower]

So would I.

[sarah_rance]

My Quote thingy still isnt working....

VVG - I love wine so now I know they like my soil - I should grow grapes!!! Genius Idea.

Taff - I'm keen - but I aint that keen. I dont think I'll be digging down to hip height any time soon
I too prefer the wine idea