I would like to know how to go about having a garden makeover by one of the well known gardeners. Darmuid Gavin's creations blow me away!

Hi Jill. I guess it's no surprise that we get lots of emails asking for the talented Diarmuid Gavin to come and transform their gardens If you would like to be on a gardening programme, you need to contact the production company who make the programme (look at the programme's end credits) and find out if they're looking for people to take part. Good luck!

Thank you, Anna. Guess what I'll be doing today....... :D

i need some help in trying to get my daughters
garden sorted out it,s her first house, she is on her
own with an 19 month old daughter, and it,s in a
mess please give us some ideas on what to plant
in the front and back garden. thank you.

Help. My front lawn was bald so I was advised to rake away all debris and moss and reseed the bald patches. The grass has grown in the bald patches but now I've been told that I can't mow these areas.

Is this true??

Hi Brand,

Firstly, I would suggest that the easiest way of getting this done is to hold a gardening party instead of a house warming party. Those invited bring a tool (folk, spade etc) and a plant - the housewarming present. You and your daughter supply the food (BBQ) and drink.

You split the people into two gangs - one to clear up the front and one to clear up the back - appoint a supervisor who is a gardener for each - who knows the difference between a plant and a weed.

Once the plot is cleared up then it needs a dig over - at this time of year this is not going to be more that turning the top of the soil over - but it is good to let the air in.

Then comes the plants. I would suggest easy perenials - things which come up reliably year after year. Hardy geraniums, Heuchreas, Tiarellas, day lillies, astrantia, perenial sunflowers - helianthumums, scabious, knautia, perenial grasses, clump forming bamboos, then shrubs like Euronymus, Skimmia's, Choisyia, Viburnums and the like.

You should aim to plant in triangles, i.e. lowest at the front, medium in the middle, and tall at the back.

If the garden is prone to slugs and snails - I suspect it will be if its in a state then avoid plants such as Lupins and Delphiniums - as the young plants get eaten like lettus and will not survive.

Hope this gives you inspiration.

Angela

Hi Styleuser,

About your lawn query - no its not advisable to mow yet, the lawn has to become established first. So it depends on when it was sown as to when it can be mown.

Angela