Gardening... Preparing the site

Where do you start?

Lets start with what already exists. Are there any plants in your garden that you wish to keep?  Treated with a little TLC, most plants can be moved.  In the meantime they need protecting so they don’t get damaged.  Tie branches in on shrubs.  Diseased plants need throwing out; don’t put these on the compost, as this may spread the disease. Healthy plants that you don’t need can be composted, thrown away or given to your friends and neighbours.  Perhaps they could give you something back in return.  This is a good way to introduce different plants into your garden.

Having decided which sort of garden you require, the hard work begins.  First and foremost designate a “dumping” spot.  This is the place where you are going to gather materials; earth clods for example can be turned over and be used to make rockeries, once the grass roots have died back. 

Now start clearing the site.  If you are taking a grassed area away, this has to be stripped, either by hand or with a specialist stripper.  Alternatively the area can be sprayed or burnt.  Levelling the site can be a daunting prospect.  To make things easier, knock in wooden pegs with a taut string in between.  Work to the desired level by either flattening or raising the ground, keeping to the level of the string.

Once the ground is level, you can then start to lay your lawn, lay your paving slabs or make your planting area.  Whatever you decide to do, you now have a blank canvas to work from.