OK
In progress indicator

Garden Landscaping and Design Forum Event

We are processing your monitoring request...

In progress indicator

Shoot hosts a regular online 'garden landscaping and design' forum event with award-winning garden design and landscape professionals from the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) and Society of Garden Designers (SGD). Three times RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold medal winner joined our last forum! See all the answers to previous forums below.

Total number of topics in this forum: 278


Herbaceous peony 1--- Goldfish in Pink Pool

General post from Bee

Goldfish in Pink Pool – Fen Chi Jin Yu
This pure pink double herbaceous peony with warn heart is like two goldfish swimming in the water, which is a big favorite among peony-lovers. Warm heart, bring warm living.

Herbaceous peony prefers to plant in full sunlight, but they will stand a moderate amount of shade. So it is easy to manage.

  • Views: 391
  • Replies: 0
  • Posted: Wed. 11th September 2013 02:06

I am a peony fan

General post from Bee

I’m a peony fan and have 133 hectares of nursery. I put all my efforts on my nursery. This decision comes from my love of flowers, especially peony flower. Feeling their changes from blooming to falling, but changes are the spice of life.
I grow rockii tree peony, Chinese tree peony, Japanese tree peony, herbaceous peony and Chinese rose. Then, I want to share stars in my nursery this year. And I hope that my experiences can give my friends wonderful feelings. If you are so interested in beautiful flowers, please follow me.

  • Views: 1313
  • Replies: 0
  • Posted: Tue. 10th September 2013 09:36

To plastic or not......

Comment from neil

Friend wants me to put wood chip in between young trees growing out of border. Will the trees suffer if I layer the beds with sheeting first to prevent weeds growing thru? Thanks ....

  • Views: 920
  • Replies: 1
  • Posted: Wed. 3rd April 2013 15:26
  • Last reply: Wed. 3rd April 2013 20:21

Landscaping How to's + tips and design ideas

Tip from alex

Dear everyone,

On my profile you can find a series of pictures of what I've got.
I've never done any DIY before but I'm keen to get my hands dirty to save on the budget and make the most out of it.

Here are my initial thoughts/points :

- I would like a much more contemporary look. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to install decking on the patio area (including the steps/area that leads into the conservatory). Attached is a picture I really like which could provide some inspiration and have a combination of decking/paving....would you combine decking with paving/walls?
Or would you rather replace/sort out the paving and avoid decking completely?

- Lighting...One of the must have is to install outdoor lightings in the patio and in some key areas (right outstide the conservatory and garage there is floodlight but I'm thinking at some softer/cooler illumination). I think lighting is key from the inside as I use the conservatory all year round and have some illumination outside would make a huge difference. Am I right in thinking that install decking would give a better more flexible/cheaper option ?

- As you can see everything is extremely square at the moment, would you suggest to introduce some curves into the layout ? If yes, how/where?

- Would it be worth to take off everything, lawn, paving, path,etc and start from a blank canvas ? Is this something I could do myself ? Could you redirect me to some videos/guides? I found the information on installing decking and paving....what I'm not sure is how I can come up/prepare everything ready to lay paving or decking (I suppose the advantage of decking is that I can simply install on the top of what I've got, which will serve as the starting point)

Any tips/recommendation would be very much appreciated.

Cheers,
Alex

  • Views: 531
  • Replies: 1
  • Posted: Fri. 22nd March 2013 21:00
  • Last reply: Thu. 28th March 2013 17:43

how to make areas of my garden softer and have a tropical looking seating area

Comment from fiona kerrigan

I love gardening but am inexperienced in my house newly bought I have a huge garden and it looks very hard and uninviting, how can I make a gravel area where we sit into a tropical oasis, what kind of plants most would need to be in pots and also I have a large border but a part of it is on a steep hill any ideas what i could do as I would like a few fruit trees but also for it too look bright and exciting in at the long side where the border continues down on the right side, I am desperate for some advice as I am dying to get going with it, thanks x

  • Views: 804
  • Replies: 3
  • Posted: Thu. 7th March 2013 16:45
  • Last reply: Sun. 10th March 2013 18:40

Ground cover question...

General post from Sonia frew

Hi, I am new to gardening with a new house and lots of questions! But firstly I am planning a border that runs all the way along my new post and rail fence (roughly 20 m long) it needs to give some shelter as its an open field behind and also has to take shade, it is north facing and I have four trees at one end, I have been researching evergreen hardy shrubs but what should I use as ground cover to help suppress weeds? Any help is much appreciated!

  • Views: 624
  • Replies: 3
  • Posted: Sun. 6th January 2013 21:44
  • Last reply: Tue. 15th January 2013 16:12

Trimming a hedge across a moat

Question from Allot-a-fun-ment

Hi all

How would you trim a hedge across an expanse of 15-18ft of water?

Standing on the bank, to reach across? Or would you go for a boat option? Waders aren't an option as the water is too deep. Also can't reach it from the other side down.

Suggestions?

Cheers

  • Views: 926
  • Replies: 4
  • Posted: Fri. 20th July 2012 00:19
  • Last reply: Wed. 26th September 2012 18:58

Drying up mud for a patio base

Question from Linda macdonald

Hi, I really need some advice. I'm trying to lay a patio with concrete pavers and I've got pretty heavy clay soil whic, with the heavy rain we have been having, is waterlogged. I'd read about the use of hydrated lime to "dry" and stabilise the soil. Does that work? Will it damage the pavers ( I'm going to put down hardcore and sand first)? Will it leach out and damage surrounding plants?

Any advice would be appreciated.

  • Views: 667
  • Replies: 1
  • Posted: Tue. 3rd July 2012 17:50
  • Last reply: Tue. 3rd July 2012 18:51

Hedging and walls advice please

Question from Sarah Jane Kerr

I am wanting to plant an evergreen hedge along the inside top of an old stone retaining wall.The wall falls away by 2.5m at the back of the garden to the lane below. Can anyone recommend something with a shallow or vertical root system that will not damage the wall over time?

  • Views: 5382
  • Replies: 4
  • Posted: Wed. 11th April 2012 18:53
  • Last reply: Fri. 13th April 2012 18:54

HLooking for ideas to brighten up a very dull area of my garden

Question from Kenneth Crowley

Hi

A section of the back garden is part concreted and part covered with slabs - see pics.

The area gets little sun and the concrete is 6 cm in depth.

Has anyone any ideas as to how I could lighten the area, take the dullness away etc I would particularly like to hear of any ideas where the concrete doesn't have to be dug up.

Thanks in advance.

Kenneth

  • Views: 1189
  • Replies: 2
  • Posted: Thu. 22nd March 2012 21:39
  • Last reply: Tue. 27th March 2012 14:27


Our awards:
Follow us

Get expert info and easy to follow monthly care reminders for the plants in your garden by signing up for a free Shoot account.