I would like to plant my first English garden next spring, but it looks pretty bleak right now. We just moved into our first home a month ago and my yard now consists of lots of knapweed, some grass and some other random field plants. So where do I begin? Do I need to kill the weeds first? How do I get rid of the grass? Do I till? I could really use some basic info on just what to do to get to where I can plant. I am planning to dedicate our front yard to the english garden as it is not very big, so there won't be any lawn at all when I'm done. (hopefully)
Looking forward to any suggestions!

kat

Hi Kat,
It is best to get rid of all the weeds first if you can!
It will make your life easier later.

You can get rid of the grass by lifting off the turf and then use it for composting.

If you clear the space it will be easier for you to plan your Enlgish Garden.

If there any plants you want to keep then pot them up or move to a bed of their own while you sort out the garden.

Hellie
English Garden
Walking

Hello kat,

We took a big step and got rid of our front lawn (we seem pretty radical for our neighborhood due to that- and for painting our house periwinkle blue with white trim). A small yard will look beautiful for an English garden, looking forward to hearing more from you as yours comes along. Have you got any books or MZ about english gardens? I've recently been hunting some down, and have been printing off Hellie's wonderful articles to save in my garden ideas file folder. Good luck with your garden!!

careytearose

Best English Garden Magazine is from England and called:
Ready for this?
"THE ENGLISH GARDEN"
IT COMES OUT 6 TIMES A YEAR.
http://www.theenglishgarden.co.uk

Simply put, I'd start nearest the house with climbers, not too close, watch where the rain line is and plant about a foot from it. Go to DAVID AUSTIN ROSES http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american
you can either order from there or order their catalog. Once you get your climbing roses in, your next row will be shorter than the front (ex: a climbing rose that reaches 8' against your house, your second row should be about 4' high)
Use a mixture of perrenials and English Roses (these roses are much easier than roses used to be)
Keep lowering your rows until you reach your walkway or grass, that row should only be about 6 ' 12" high.
Water, water, water and don't put the garden in when it's going to be hot the following month.
Enjoy.

Why do they call it an English garden? I love wildflowers and some of my gardens look like your avatar pic, but I wasn't sure what makes it an English Garden?

Best is to get rid of the weeds first, then rake up or dig over the soil, and let the frost break the clods up, this prepares the soil. Then find out what kind of soil you have, because that will affect what type of flowers that you can grow. Example to boggy you will need certain plants, same as neer the sea, you need very hardy ones, cos of the salt. When you know, then you can coose the flowers that will thrive there.
Doing it well and praparing the ground takes time, we have had ours bare for a year, but it is so worth the wait.

Hi kitiaraj.
Welcome to Gardenplanters.
This prepares the soil. Then find out what kind of soil you have, because that will affect what type of flowers that you can grow. Example to boggy you will need certain plants, same as neer the sea, you need very hardy ones, cos of the salt. When you know, then you can coose the flowers that will thrive there.