Hi from an ex Saffa.

[Stackrat]

Hi All.

I've been nosing around this forum for a while, enjoying all the pictures and garden design ideas, so thought I'd introduce myself.

My name's Tim and I currently live in Harlow Essex. I'm originally from Johannesburg and grew up surrounded by stunning tropical gardens. My parents instilled a love of gardening in me from an early age and I have many fond memories of those Saturday mornings spent browsing the garden centers.
It's taken me two years to save up enough to put a deposit down on a house here in the UK, but now, finally, I have my little piece of land to play with.

I never imagined that you could grow such a wide variety of tropical plants in England, so it was a huge bonus for me when I found this forum.
Currently I have a tiny patch of weed infested ground, a lawn that looks like it's been hit by mortars and a falling down pergola covered in an enormous vine.

The design of the new garden is already in my head (mostly nicked from you guys ), and the plan is to start from scratch in the new year. Plenty of before and after photos will be taken.

I look forward to getting involved in the forum with you all.

[kata]

Welcome Tim,

Its never too early to prepare the ground, allow frost to get at the bare soil, we used to half turn ours and leave it to the elements all winter. In spring it was really nice to work with.

Don't get too carried away with tropicals or say goodbye to the full CC.........

Look forward to pics as you go.

[grub]

Welcome to the madhouse Tim

[Dave Brown]

Hi Tim, and welcome

Yes, it is amazing what you can grow with a bit of management. One of the most important things for my style of gardening is to have somewhere to overwinter stuff, or to start things off early.

I understand some of the higher areas around Jo'burg can get down to -6C. We are a bit colder in an average year, and can get clobbered by things like December 2010 where temps were as low as -14C in Essex, however, that was an exceptional freeze, and we hope not to get them often.

Look forward to hearing your plans

[Steph]

Nice to have another local on board even if you aren't quite truly 'local', welcome.
May be able to assist you with some bits and pieces come the spring, lets see what you are looking for, where your interest lies.
I look at the plants I grow and one by one, realise they are from RSA...

[GREVILLE]

Welcome, Tim

Saffa is one of our sources of inspiration, so all our eyes are on you, Stackrat

[tropicalwon]

Welcome Stackrat to the wonderful world of tropical madness......

All the best in your new home and loads of fun designing, constructing, planting and finely relaxing in your own piece of exotic heaven.... .

Can't wait to see the before & after photos

[Stackrat]

Welcome to the madhouse Tim

Thanks Grub.
Like your profile pic by the way. That's what my Jeep's going to look like next year.

[Stackrat]

Its never too early to prepare the ground, allow frost to get at the bare soil, we used to half turn ours and leave it to the elements all winter. In spring it was really nice to work with.

Thanks for the input Kata. That's a great idea. I think I'll leave the lawn for a bit, but will dig the soil over. It's heavy clay. Will mixing a ton of good compost and sharp sand in and then just leaving it over the winter period be ok, or should I compost it in spring?

[Stackrat]

Hi Tim, and welcome

Yes, it is amazing what you can grow with a bit of management. One of the most important things for my style of gardening is to have somewhere to overwinter stuff, or to start things off early.

I understand some of the higher areas around Jo'burg can get down to -6C. We are a bit colder in an average year, and can get clobbered by things like December 2010 where temps were as low as -14C in Essex, however, that was an exceptional freeze, and we hope not to get them often.

Look forward to hearing your plans

Hi Dave.

Unfortunately I don't have a greenhouse and also don't have any space for one. My house does, however, have a weird "2nd dining room" that serves no purpose whatsoever. This has become the landing ground for plants that I've collected. I'm not sure how far I can push this with my wife though. She's grumbling already

Joburg does get cold in the winter as it's altitude is so high. It's also geographically unprotected by nearby mountains so it takes it's share of cold winds.
Having said that, my garden was always full of Hibiscus, Banana trees, Palms, Bougainvillea etc and they seemed to cope extremely well.

I can't wait to get the garden started now.

Cheers
Tim

[Stackrat]

Nice to have another local on board even if you aren't quite truly 'local', welcome.
May be able to assist you with some bits and pieces come the spring, lets see what you are looking for, where your interest lies.
I look at the plants I grow and one by one, realise they are from RSA...

Hi Steph.

That's very kind of you. Thank you.

when my garden is done the way I want it, the only thing I'm going to miss is the size of SA gardens. A normal house sits on a quarter of an acre. My current land is about the size of a very large handkerchief.
I'm going to have to do a lot of squeezing in of plants.

[Stackrat]

Welcome, Tim

Saffa is one of our sources of inspiration, so all our eyes are on you, Stackrat

Hi Greyville.

Oops! I may have to use photoshop on my pics then

[Stackrat]

Welcome Stackrat to the wonderful world of tropical madness......

All the best in your new home and loads of fun designing, constructing, planting and finely relaxing in your own piece of exotic heaven.... .

Can't wait to see the before & after photos

Hi Tropicalwon

Thanks. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in.
I really enjoyed a thread on here a while back showing all the before and after pics of members' gardens. It's amazing to look at these and many of the gardens on here have given me great ideas.

[GoggleboxUK]

Welcome aboard Tim

[kata]

Ok, in my small garden (old house) I used to combine the clay with loads of compost so I have looked at RHS on this...more experience than i'll ever have on the subject.

First of all I would know not to stand on it or it compacts.

RHS

Dig in autumn and early winter when relatively dry. Once wetted by winter rains, clay soils often cannot be worked or walked on until mid-spring
Allow winter frosts to work on clay and break it down
Where digging is required, it is traditional in wet regions to dig clay into narrow ridges to allow more frost activity and better drainage
There is often only a brief period when clay soils are workable between waterlogged soils after winter and baked hard clay from late spring
Avoid early planting or sowing unless drainage can be improved by making raised beds or the ground dried and warmed in advance (for at least six weeks) by covering with cloches or clear polythene sheets
Trees, shrubs (especially roses), climbers and many bulbs are easier to grow on clay soils than plants that require frequent sowing, planting or dividing; annuals or bedding plants, for example

Planting woody plants on slight (25cm/10in) mounds can help avoid root damage from waterlogging

More here Tim on Improving clay soil.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Pro ... px?pid=620