Very Overgrown Huge Garden!

[crisgal]

Hi all. Just moved into a rented property with a huge garden. It's very neglected but interesting with lots of trees and bushes. I like it's wildness but does need tidying up. I'm no gardener and haven't a clue where to start. There are loads of bluebells? Crocus? Do I just strim them? There are exposed roots from a huge tree that I think is dead but the birds love it. They are definitely a trip hazard.  Is there a way of shaving them, to make them flatter? I've no money to pay a professional so will have to do it myself but it's all very overwhelming!

I have photos but don't know if I can add them on here.

[Old_Geezer]

To show photos you need to upload them elsewhere and then provide a link to them 

[Buenchico]

This guy seems to really know his stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/@AacornsMaintenanceServices/videos

(Look for videos there in the series 'Clearing and Tidying Up an Overgrown Garden', starting, obviously, with 'Part 1 Season 1' and then working your way through the videos in sequence)

[Buenchico]

To shoew us pictures, upload them to here: https://postimages.org/

Copy the links and paste them into an AB post.
(Hint: Give each link a line to itself, so that it doesn't end up getting corrupted by additional text).

[crisgal]

I think I've managed to post pics on Instagram.  Crisgalcrisgal

Thank you 

[Prudie]

Bluebells don't come out until late April and crocus have probably finished now but either way they are both bulbs that should not be strimmed, the leaves need to die back naturally so the 'goodness' goes back into the bulb. Leave them until they are brown and withered before you strim or clear them up.

[Toorak]

Blue flowers that are blooming just now and look a bit like bluebells could be Glory of the Snow - also bulbs

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scilla_luciliae

 

[crisgal]

I hope this works!

https://postimg.cc/gallery/QXHqLnL

[Tilly2]

That garden doesn't look so bad. Just keep the lawn in trim.

[Maydup]

I had a look at you insta and it really isn't as bad as I expected! 
Personally I would leave it this summer and see what comes up and blooms. 
cut the grass once it needs it and live with it until you know what's wgat

[crisgal]

There are loads of dead looking things. Can I mow over the tree stumps?

[DDIL]

The main patch of grass can be strummed and tidied up.

the bushes can be tidied up and trimmed back just to make it look pleasing.

the big area of what looks like tall grass is more likely to be daffodils or iris type flowers, it's a bit difficult to see. But I would leave them for the next month or so to see what grows out of it.

As it's so early in the season I would just tidy up the bushes and leave the grass for another couple of weeks.

Tbh it's not that bad.

[DDIL]

A lot of things will look dead because it's still so early in the season.

[Tilly2]

Good advice from Maydup there.

Most things look dead at this time of year. You can mow over the tree roots but take care of your lawnmower!

[237SJ]

Doesn't look too bad to me.  Make sure there are no hedgehogs in there before you strim it.

[Tilly2]

...and DDIL. 😀

[Atheist]

Blue flowers could be grape hyacinth.

https://gardenerspath.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/How-to-Transplant-Grape-Hyacinth-Feature.jpg

 

[Prudie]

I can't see any blue flowers on any of the pictures, were you just guessing about what the long leaved things could be?

From your description I was expecting some huge country garden but your pictures just look like a normal back garden at this time of year.

[Canary42]

On no account strim the crocus or bluebell, let them die back completely for fresh flowers next year (P.S. my bluebells have yet to flower this year).

[Captain2]

It's certainly not as bad as I was expecting to see.

Like others have alluded to, I would do more, this year, than keep on top of the grass (mindful of said flowers) and let the garden blossom, bloom and grow so that you'll know for next year, what and when to prune, cut back, etc/

[crisgal]

Thank you everyone. I've never had a garden so to me it's huge!