I have decided to stray into the realms of Alan Titchmarsh and plant some stuff that looks half decent around the side of the house just to give it some interest, but thats where my creative talents begin and end.

I have absolutely no idea what to do.

So todays task for the bored is to help me come up with some ideas.

Below is a pic of the house - can't do anything in front of it as we are building a deck there later this year, but wanted to do something with the sides to give a bit of colour.

The large lawn in front I eventually want to do something fabby with but thats a long way off.

Help would be very much appreciated because although its a beautiful place - its kind of - well - a bit plain

wish i could help but I'm crap at gardening - the only things i don't kill are weeds. OH no help either unless it involves a chainsaw.

sorry - hopefully somebody will be along soon to help!

Look up to see which hardiness zone you live in and then go out and buy some perennial shrubs and plants to put along the side. This year you may want to supplement with some annuals for instant colour but once the perennials settle down then you will have less work to do.

If you look for native plants then you will also have more success.

Round here it's quite rocky and sandy so many houses have raised beds with flowers or veggies. They are great as it makes gardening less back breaking. Make some square beds using thick timber and fill with topsoil and compost. Then stick in some annuals etc.

Have fun. I am going back out now to put some more veggies in.

Thanks L I like the idea of making some square beds

Here you go, some basic ideas to get you started.

I also noticed the current colour scheme used on the house exterior sort of blends in with the sky. So I took the liberty of repainting it.

Holy shit i'm not getting married


Note to add thats cool how you did that though, how did you change the siding colour? (thats another job for later this year and we can't decide what colour to go with so that would be a wicked tool!)

Seriously though, I'd probably just start with some easy maintenance features e.g. groups of shrubs (different heights and shapes), with a mulch and edged off from the grass (with rocks or edging of somesort).

You can then add bulbs and seeds as time goes by to give some colour through the warm seasons.

Weeding isn't much fun, neither is mowing around an obstacle-course-of-a-garden. For me weed barriers, mulch and mower-friendly edging are big recommendations.

Good old Photoshop

Maybe grow a few tomatoes, they'll add a splash of colour.

We have something of the same problem except that the walls (except the one I haven't got to yet) are dark brown. I'm planning on a shitload of sunflowers, instant colour and, I hope, a nice contrast with the brown.

...and excellent camouflage for those other plants.

Well yes, we too have tomatoes.

currently downloading a google garden design type programme - lets see what we can do with that!!!!

For some reason we can never get sunflowers to grow. yes I know they are supposed to be kid's stuff, but nothing ever happens. Tomorrow the seeds are going in, it would have happened this evening but it's mosquito central at the top end of the garden so I decided it was time to drink wine and contemplate where to put the sweet peas.

The house we in now has glorious establised flower gardens so all I have done this year was plant some herbs by the back door, and do raised beds for some veggies.