The answer is simply to have a go. It is like

most things, if you don't try you will never

succeed.

1. But you have to be born with green fingers?

It is inevitable that some people will be better

than others. That goes for most things in life.

You can have enjoyment picking out a tune on a

piano without having to play a Beethoven concerto.

The same is true of gardening.

2. I like to plant and create but all I seem to

do is weed and deadhead.

This is a common complaint but the weeding and

deadheading, in other words maintenance can be so

relaxing. Once planted, a garden needs time to

mature and it needs some tender loving care to

attain the best results. Don't make it hard work

and tackle large areas all at one go and mix up

the jobs. Working like a Trojan weeding the whole

garden in a day can be very tiring and although

you will see the fruits of your labour it can

produce a mental barrier for the next time. Take

it slowly and it might surprise you how your mind

drifts off onto other things. It is called

relaxing your mind. You begin to work out many

things that are subconsciously worrying you.

3. I don't know a weed from a good plant

The majority of us who started without any formal

horticultural training do not either. They say we

learn by our mistakes and this applies to

gardening as well. You have what you think is a ?

good one? and as it matures you recognise it as a

weed. Next time you will recognise that seedling,

well maybe! If you grub a good one, well again

you have to put it down to experience.

4. Gardening is an expensive hobby

Gardening is only an expensive hobby if you make

it so. If you are starting a garden from scratch,

buy some packets of seeds.

Start by growing hardy annuals. As the name

suggests you can sow the seeds directly into the

ground as soon as the soil has warmed in the

spring. Sow thinly into shallow drills and when

they germinate carefully remove any where you

have overcrowding and replant.

If you have enough window space and large window

sills try sowing half-hardy annuals. They need to

be sown indoors and given protection until it is

warm enough to plant out. Even very experienced

gardeners still get a thrill and sense of

achievement seeing seeds germinate and grow into

beautiful flowering plants. Get results this way

and will give you all the encouragement you need

to go to the next stage.

5. But if I need perennials I have to buy them

Sometimes but not always, growing perennial

plants from seed is very rewarding and cheaper

than buying containerised plants. You can get

many plants for the price of just one container

grown bought from the garden centre. Some

perennials if sown early enough will flower the

same year but more often than not it will be

their second year before they mature and you see

the fruits of your labour. It is worth the wait

though, be patient.

The other downside is that you may not find the

seed for the variety you would like to grow. You

will look at the seed catalogue and see hardy

geraniums but not the one you have seen when

visiting a garden and admired.

Go to the garden centre and there it will be in a

container. Look through the stock with a keen eye

and you will find yourself with a bargain. If you

are lucky the one plant you have bought might

split into three. If so, split it, pot each and

grow on. Again it will be the next year before

you benefit but will be worth the wait.

Another way to get value for money is to take

cuttings from the plant you have purchased. Some

species take easier than others from cuttings but

just have a go. There are cuttings that some

people find really easy but will not work for me

and vice versa.

Gardening can be a relaxing and rewarding hobby.

Take that first step, you will have failures but

you will have more successes than failures.