Any tips for an over-full, inherited garden?

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

I'm just wondering whether you have any general good advice really...

Our garden was largely planted by the previous owners and also got a bit neglected during the first year or two after we moved in (due to new DD!). I was also trying to "take stock" a bit of what was there before doing too much.

Since then I've been trying to get on top of it a bit more and also plant some more things that I particularly like, not just what they chose. However - especially as this year seems to have been a good growing year so far - it is just getting a bit crazily full now! It is hard in some places to work out what's what, and some of the plants I'd otherwise quite like are trying to take over and elbow everything else out of their patch. There are also some things I'd like to get rid of but which are so big I'm not sure how to go about it (looking at you, ginormous scrotty snowberry...) and some I'm not that mad about but would feel a bit guilty about ripping out.

So, does anyone have any tips on how to get it a bit more under control and maybe even make a bit more space for my own favourites? Thank you!

[BoulevardOfBrokenSleep]

I have no idea, but we have similar issues. The first summer, the garden was ok , and i was trying to work out what was what; but now everything has gone mad and there are plants everywhere.

[catellington]

Another one in the same boat. It's difficult because I feel guilty to take things out, especially as the plants are so well established, but it's just too full. There are trees within two metres of one another, including a leylandi in the middle of the lawn.
I'm planning to basically get someone to take about half out, it will be expensive as will need trees cut etc, and empty and fill the pond which is there, then see what it looks like.

[AnsonsVoyageRoundTheWorld]

I it might be worth getting a professional in for a quick visit. I used a local nursery that did an hour consultation for £60 (refundable if you spent a whole load). It was deffinitely width the £60
I think it's often worth being quite brutal in the garden and getting rid of things you dot like (like ANY leylandii)

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Mm maybe I should, although DH would grumble about spending lots of money on it. But then it's not him doing 90% of the work on it so of course he would grumble!

Boulevard "everything has gone mad and there are plants everywhere" Exactly!

[lljkk]

Cut back & remove everything you don't know what it is or don't like.

We butchered back some thorny unknown once. It came back the next year with the most beautiful roses, we'd done it an enormous favour.

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Why feel guilty? They're your plants, get rid of the ones you don't like.

Life is too short to be concerned about plants you don't actually care for.


Great to have some mature plants in there, but yyy you want to mix it with some of your own favourites.

[lolalotta]

I didn't like much of what was in our established 140ft garden so we have spent 18 months gradually taking it ALL out except for the old apple tree at the top of the garden. We have two small children and couldn't manage the upkeep so are having it levelled and reseeded this autumn so we can start from scratch and make it out own over time. Veggie beds for the kids etc! It's been exhausting but am looking forward to a clean slate!

[Purplewithred]

My garden is like this by design, but I know it would be a nightmare for anyone else.

Just rip it out if you hate it! If you feel that guilty then cut it right back, dig it out with a decent bit of root and put it on freecycle.

Its in a plant's nature to grow. Stuff will get bigger. If you want to keep it in a bit of check then cut it right back just after flowering, whatever time of year that is. But it's your garden - you wouldn't keep wallpaper you hate so don't keep plants you hate.

[TheSkiingGardener]

My gardening improved enormously when I got the gumption to rip out and dump things, rather than thinking "it's a plant! let it live!"

Be ruthless, but make a note of what grew where to get to know your garden better and help you choose suitable plants in the future.

[MotherBluestocking]

I lived with exactly this problem for about seven years, fiddling with borders and putting in the odd plant I liked, which almost invariably died. Two years ago adopted the strategy of ripping out everything in stages and replanting to my own design (apart from approved trees and roses). Much happier - garden looking much better, and it's all mine!

[mineofuselessinformation]

Give everything a bloody good haircut (so that all shrubs have a good space between them). Don't feel guilty - they'll look raggedy at first but will soon look better.
If there's anything you really don't like, offer to friends and family to come and take away - but remember you will need to re-fill the holes left behind.
Take out completely or take the crown out of any trees that are too big / big enough - this one's a professional job!
Tackling a bit at a time is a great idea. Give yourself a year (if your garden's anywhere like my old one was!)

[Rhubarbgarden]

For gods sake get rid of the snowberry. My garden and the neighbouring lane's verge is infested with the bastard stuff - I've spent nearly two years chopping it down, digging it out and poisoning it. I'm only just starting to make an impact.

[Clayhead]

I had the same problem.

I hacked away at stuff and did soooo many trips to the tip.

Also paid someone to come and do some (love the fact that they take the waste with them...). Definitely worth the money. Also paid a stump grinder to come and get rid of the bottom of the shrubs I hacked off myself.

[FunkyBoldRibena]

All the above, but maybe decide on your top three to remove each month, do one every weekend with a weekend off to either take a break or put something in that you do want.

My advice though is to decide on your colour scheme so that everything fits in, and to check the final sizes so that what you do put in doesn't grow too tall in the wrong place (tall at back unless floaty, medium in middle and low at the front, with a good ground cover to keep the weeds back.

Also, what is your feature plant/s? Make sure you have one that is a stunner and the rest just supports and shows that off.

[LillianGish]

If a plant is too big cut it back, if you don't like it dig it up. Start with a small area and I think you'll be encouraged by the result. Periodically I will go out with the intention of doing some light pruning and will end up filing three garden waste bags - I always wonder why I didn't do it it sooner. Even plants you like can look better with a bit of tidying up. No need to feel guilty - most things will grow back anyway and you'll need to do it again. If you are left with any holes you can fill it with something you like - that's how gardens evolve.

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Thanks for all the tips!

OK so the snowberry has to go, any good suggestions for the best way though? - I've tried a bit but it's a massive bush and the roots are very tough and deep so I've barely managed to chip away at the edges.

I have taken out some things (gave away some giant achillea that was just in the wrong place, dug up the scruffy ancient asters and giant fern, and having to use chemicals on invasive alstroemerias) but maybe I do need to get tougher. I have my eye on the tidal wave of geraniums... and maybe the giant poppies too, except DH likes them (they have reasonably nice flowers for a few days, but the plants are enormous and raggedy and I'm not sure they're worth it!).

We've had some big pruning sessions too, the trouble with that is the things just tend to grow back bigger!

I am wondering about the back hedge too, it's a tangled mix of forsythia (according to my dad), something that I think may be a sort of philadelphus, ivy, and more snowberry (and possibly other stuff too) so it's been hard to prune it properly without being able to work out which stems belong to what (and which are the stuff we want to keep). But maybe I should do one very big chop back after the philadelphus-ish thing finishes flowering, to make it easier to sort out what's what?

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

I like the idea of doing a section at a time and being a bit more drastic actually, that might make it seem more manageable.

We are lucky we have a council garden waste collection every other week, so at least it's not TOO bad getting rid of stuff! Although I have had words with them about why they stop the collections totally over the Winter (helloo - pruning season...).

A lot of the plants are things that should be nice, in theory - or that ARE nice, some of the time (but just too big or too many different ones), I think that's one reason I've had trouble getting rid of them. Like that hedge, which has usually been a scruffy mess but then suddenly came up with loads of yellow flowers this Spring from the forsythia, and now has a mass of gorgeous-smelling white flowers at the top. Or all the currant bushes I've suddenly started finding!

[MotherBluestocking]

I have found working in stages has really helped. Last year I completely dug out and replanted (well, replanted - I have to admit to outsourcing the digging) two borders at the front which are looking good this year (despite having been underwater for about six weeks in the winter), and another one this spring which is settling in. Later this summer the back is going to be turned into a bomb site, which I'm somewhat nervous about...
I'm not a very experienced gardener, so doing one area at a time has really helped me to get to know the plants I've put in and discover what works where. Anything that dies or I decide I don't like has been easy and cheap to replace.
Good luck!

[Lambstales]

I've struggled with this problem for so long. The inherited garden had apple trees, blackberry, raspberry and gooseberry. All good.
It also had brambles, ground elder, bindweed, marestail, ivy and annual weeds galore.
The previous owner was elderly and the garden really was rack and ruin.
We kept the weeds at bay but could never get on top of them, ever. The brambles were the worst. When they are in the middle of shrubs and other garden flowers. Pffff.
Tree houses and swings on the trees all came and went and now at long, long last I have had someone in to grind the whole lot up

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

See I have a love/hate thing with the brambles, they're a pain but we do get some good blackberries! (And picked a lot of raspberries today too, which is making me feel a bit better about the general overgrownness).

[XiX]

I had a hate/hate thing with my brambles when I moved into our house with a jungle garden. I have got rid of them completely. It took a lot of work but I don't even get shoots anymore.
I go for walks in the countryside for my blackberries