Ask Gerry

I recently bought a travertine statue for the garden. (How) Should I cover it in winter?

i have moved into my mother and father in laws house, i want to get rid of their overgrown garden and start a garden of my own but dont know what or how to do any gardening, i think would like to grow some fruit trees and bushes, as well as some nice easy plants and flowers, we are in the middle of cutting away the palm trees eventually, however we are planning on planting a beech hedge at the back of the trees, as there is a piggery about 30 feet from the house, the part of the garden is east facing so when we eventually take away the final row there will be something there, we will eventually will be renovating the house into a story and a half. please help me, i have some more pictures on my own page. please help as i have my moter in law telling me to do this and that to her bushes and i hate them

Could you please recommend flower bulbs that 1.grow in exposed site(wind problen) 2.have good flowering period 3.do not need to be lifted in winter

please suggest two or three specific plants for patio border. raised bed against limestone slate wall. slabs black limestone to be topped with granite capping. size of border 13m x1m grass on other side.

I have a small garden with a raised border. I have a few plants in the border which do not need tending too much: conifers, rosemary and a couple of others but there is a large gap in the border which needs filling up. Have you any suggestions on what plants would fill this gap, colourfull and don't need that much attention.

Please suggest colourful shrubs ( for all year round) that are suitable for a bed in partial shade, also can I put small bedding stones on this bed to stop the weeds comming up , even if I have delicate bulbs such as blue bells planted below.

We have Leylandii trees at the end of our garden which are about 20 feet high. However they take up a lot of room and are costly to have cut back every year. Also it is impossible to grow anything near them. There is a wall behind them aprox 4' high.We are thinking of taking them down but the house which backs unto us is very near the wall so they would be looking directly into our garden and we would loose our privacy which we love.We are trying to find something which we can replace them with which will be as high or almost as high and not cost a fortune. The garden is about 40' wide.Can you suggest anything that would be suitable - either hedge, trees or else some type of fencing which we could grow climbers on?

After making a large pond, I have a lot of soil left (some poor, some topsoil) and would like to use it in our 3/4 acre garden. The back garden is a long rectangle with pond (near house), veg. plots, flower beds but plenty of available space. Any ideas on incorporating this into the landscape of the garden, which is very level and has a great view to the mountains?

Do you know where I could get Concrete Screen Blocks for a Garden Wall?

I'm looking for about ten large stepping stones in random (circularish or oval) shapes approximately one metre in diametre to creat a pathway. I've tried all of the large quarries have been unsuccessfull to date. Can you please let me know if you know where I could try to find the stones? Many thanks,

I'll be traveling in Ireland in 2011 and hope to visit many of Ireland's wonderful gardens. I'd also like to stop at some really great garden centres. Any suggestions?

I've suffered from fibromyalgia for c. 12 years. Lately it's getting worse and I find it difficult to bend, kneel etc. I love my garden. Is there any way I can find aids to enable me to do more?

I have red and black patio slabs in my garden and they have faded to a very dirty colour even though they are well looked after . any suggestions on how to get the colour back ie paint ? also i have a wisteria 4 years and still no flowers.