i have a new house and a builders yard as a garden. they have put topsoil on the rubbish (probably) the base is sandstone 500mm below. i wish to create a good green lawn / flower beds (shrubs, honeysuckle, jasmine, summer bed flowers)What can i do / add to the prepare the soil over the winter ready for grass seed / planting in spring?
Contact some of the tree surgeons in your area and ask for free wood chips. Mix the chips with peet moss after the chips are dried and no longer producing heat. If you use them when they are fresh, they can produce so much heat that they can kill the plants. Try going to local flea markets to look for plants. You know that these are locally grown, plus the price is much less than the garden supply places. Graceful curves vs. straight lines make for more interest in the garden. You can buy edging at all the leading hardware stores and such places as Big Lots! and that type store. Early fall is a good time to get it on sale. Check with your state and county agricultural service to see what type grass grows best in your area. Seed takes longer, but costs a lot less than sod. If you use sod and cost is an issue, then cut the pieces in fourths and plant them the same distance apart as the pieces of sod. (Example: If they are 3 X 3, then plant them 3 apart.)
Depending on where you live would have a lot to do with the grass. Right now, you can use lots and lots of mums, get some perennials like a butterfly plant, rhododendrums. Everyone I know likes to plant petunias for summer. I like moss rose, jacob's coat, mexican heather, elephant ears. I know that logging on to Home and Garden would help you about the mulch. Everyone has different opinions about the best type. Check out a local Home Depot or nursery for help with your soil preparation unless you get a good response from someone else. Good luck and happy planting.
We live in Michigan started our soil ammendments about this time of year also. You first have to rake out all the tree roots, nails, building materials, etc. Then we tilled the soil up raked again. We went to our local grain co-op purchased 50# of rye seed. In the spring, we mowed tilled it under to add nitrogen. We then added cow manure tilled again really well to break up the organic stuff. After planting, we mulch with straw in the veggie garden stone or shredded decorative bark. Plants just love it!
