I'm with the wait and see brigade We moved in July and I've already dug up a couple of patches of unidentified bulbs by mistake Just been away for a week and when I got back I found a couple of clumps of Nerines that had just suddenly appeared under the tree

well I've waited 10 months and I aint waitin no longer

The fuchsia will take cutting back quite happily Tara, you can take cuttings now - semi hardwood or hardwood cuttings, but personally I woudn't bother. Cutting back before winter will promote a whole load of new growth in spring and give you loads of new softwood material for cuttings

Flippin eck,

I do agree with the wait and see what comes through, cept being in a rented property I don't know how long I will actually be here, so ideally I want to sow some seeds and spend as little as possible but have as much colour as possible.

Thanks for all the advice folks Now I just need to find time to get going and have an Attack the Brambles afternoon

I've only ever really done flowers (grew my first ever veg - beans in pots - this year ) so if you want more flower ideas, Del - let me know! I also have lots of packets of flower seeds - would be happy to send on any spares in the spring, once I know what I'm doing with my garden (if I have a new garden by then ). As you don't want to spend a fortune, seeds are definitely the way to go - most flower seeds won't need to be planted until spring though so you can spend the winter planning. I'd also wait & see what comes up - some perennials & lots of bulbs flower in the spring & die down completely by summer, so you'll inevitabely stick a fork through them or dig them up if you do too much now. The other thing you could think about, with it being rented & you not knowing how long you'll be there, is planting things like bulbs in pots & then planting the pots - that way, they are easier to find when you need to divide them & if you do move again in the near future you can just dig up the pots of bulbs & take them with you.

Other than that I'm with the second half of Reedos advice - the tape measure & soil test kit bit - get some paper & coloured pencils & have fun over the winter thinking about what you want where, & checking whether the things you like will grow in your soil or not, & working out which bits of the garden get sun or shade.

Oh - and I have a friend on another board who's just dug out his lilac tree on the basis that it drips nasty stuff which kills anything you plant underneath it ... sorry.

there was a jungle (including lovely arum lillies) growing under the lilac tree here when we moved in

Maybe it's just particular types. Sorry, can't find the thread now - think it's been hoovered

My - admittedly small - standard lilac has annuals under it every summer and they've been fine The lilac itself wasn't too happy this year, actually, all that rain in June nearly did for it and half the foliage died off... cue serious haircut and crossed fingers

haven taken some piccies ..............and measured up

just doing as I'm told you understand

you do that Del

Tara, take fushia cuttings now, in G2 type propagating box.... It works, honest Take a few cos not all survive Well, they don't with me

I can't decide where to put em now