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hiya I'm new here.I have just got my first garden but I am clueless about gardening!!it is a small garden and it gets no sun at all.it is all paved and I want to create some borders and get some container plants.I have a dream of a lovely little cottage type garden but where do I start and would that not work as I have no grass!!
I have a oil tank to hide too and young kids and a dog so I need non poisonous plants and nothing too prickly!I would also like some small fruit trees or bushes.
any advice would be great as I have never done any gardening before
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Emmava,

Welcome to The Helpful Gardener. Congratulations on your new home!

it is all paved and I want to create some borders and get some container plants.I have a dream of a lovely little cottage type garden but where do I start...

You would have to remove the paving or some of the paving to be able to plant in the soil.

...it gets no sun at all.

Is the shade from buildings or from trees? There are plants that will grow in shade.

I have a oil tank to hide too and young kids and a dog so I need non poisonous plants and nothing too prickly!I would also like some small fruit trees or bushes.

Do you want to grow all these in containers? Most fruit will need at least some sun.

Are you in the UK or Canada?
Newt

Great shade plants that come to mind:
Hostas, periwinkle, artemesia, heuchera (some NICE colored ones too!), hellebores, ferns... there are many to choose from but these are my favorite full-shade plants.

Hello Enmava. It sounds very exciting and with all that enthusiasm you cant go wrong! I was interested that you are in West Sussex as I used to live there. There are MANY lovely plants that enjoy shade, but for now I don't know if you have heard of Rushfield,s Garden Centre, Henfield Rd. Poynings. W.Sx. I have always found that if you ask for advice at these centres they will always be willing to help. Have a lovely time!
Annette.

This is my first posting on here so I hope this is in the right place.
There are lots of plants for shade and semi-shade conditions and the end result can look very lush and exotic. Blue bells and snowdrops will thrive in shade. Daffodils in semi-shade. Lily of the valley but I would confine them to a pot as they can take over the garden if they like it. Here are some more to try; Astrantia,Bergenia,Aucuba,Philadelphus "Aureus" (semi-shade),Tiarella,Pulmonaria,Euonymous,Camassia,
Aruncus (beautiful),Anemone x hybrida,Sarcococca (wonderful scent),Digitalis and Epimediums.
For climbers try; Hydrangea petiolaris, Lonicera japonica "Halliana", Akebia quinata (my fave) or Humulus lupulus "Aureus".
Those are my favourites plus the ferns and hostas already mentioned.
Have fun!!