Mel wants to know:

"Diarmuid, the sun is out at last and my garden looks like a bombsite after the snow and rain. Where do I start this weekend?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Hello Mel, the first thing is to go out and take stock, see what damage, if any has been done over winter and what exciting possibilities lie in store. Are bulbs or herbaceous plants beginning to peep through the soil? How is your lawn? Is it dry enough for it's first cut of the year? Set your blades high, enjoy the sunshine, avoid the garden centre for a few days. Don't go at the weekend...everyone else is there - wednesday afternoons are generally quiet!

Colleen wants to know:

"My lawn is looking pretty ravaged after this winter and I'm on clay too. Any tips on improving the look or just dig it up and do something different?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

This depends on why it is looking ravaged. A good lawn would like an open sunny position and to be set on well drained soil. Most thorough lawn maintenance is done in the Autumn, such as aerating, scarifying and top dressing. For a last chance solution, try aerating now, stick the prongs of your fork through the soil at regular intervals, sweep in some silver sand and give the whole thing a good rake to collect as much thatch as possible.

John PT wants to know:

"Every year we are told that certain plants or plant types are in or out. What is this year's big thing or do you shun this convention?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

I definitely shun this convention, being in or out is all for the fashion pages of magazines and it should have nothing to do with gardens. Do whatever you want! I'll be growing lots of fabulous herbaceous plants and vegetables. If you do have to listen to anybody, make sure it’s me!

Mrs Willis wants to know:

"I live on a south facing slope of heavy clay in Kent. I've got a large garden full of the usual clay-lovers; philadelphus etc but I love acid-lovers. Should you go against nature or accept what God has given you?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

I would accept whatever God or science has given you, it sounds like you have a great degree of knowledge and that your gardening is successful. It is always easier to go with what your site and situation offers. If you are determined however, and you are passionate about rhododendrons and camellias, build some raised beds and fill with ericaceous compost. Good luck!

Olivia has just joined us and wants to know:

"I've just recently moved into a small semi-detached. The garden is very small and hasn't been worked on for a long time but I'd love to get some Roses and fresh herbs in there to make it more attractive but also because I absolutely love roses and have always wanted to grow my own, plus, as a chef, fresh herbs are a must-have! Ideally I'd like to have everything looking nice for summer, is it too late/the wrong time of year to start getting things moving?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

It is no problem at all Olivia, you just have a lot of hard work ahead of you. You can certainly make a garden bloom in a year and it is quite a good planting time now. Firstly though, improve the soil by digging in plenty of humus material such as well-rotted farmyard manure. Once you have the foundations right your roses and herbs will be jumping out of the ground.

Mrs R Johnson wants to know: "My husband and I are thinking of investing around £3,000 in transforming our rather drab back garden. How should we split the budget between plants, materials and labour, a third on each?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

It is a good investment, Ashley sitting beside me would probably approve of your logical way of financial planning and your thought process. I can plan a garden, but I am lousy with money! But what you are saying smells about right, you don't run an accountancy firm do you?!

Yvonne wants to know: "I'm about to start work on a new build house on a virgin plot of 1 acre in North Norfolk. I'd like to start planning the garden, any tips on layout, timing, plants etc?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Well, lucky you. New house and a virgin plot of land for a garden! First thing I would say is keep the builders equipment off as much of the plot as possible to avoid compaction and don't let them bury any debris on site. Autumn is a fantastic time for planting, laying lawns and trees can go in during the dormant season in Winter. Use the time before that to consider the style of garden you like, what your budget is, how much time you want to spend looking after the garden, as opposed to relaxing in it.

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay

...Ashley says this is obviously an exciting time for you Yvonne and it goes without saying that a project of this size requires careful financial planning. Set your budget, add a contingency and stick to it! Remember to speak to your mortgage lender about using your flexible mortgage to finance your garden plans.

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay

...Diarmuid adds…now you have been told!

Jamie wants to know: "Decking - naff or nice - discuss?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Neither, nice is such a poncy word and it is definitely not naff! It is just another good option, along with a range of options for hard landscaping in the garden, fantastic in the right situation, but not right for everyone.

Talking of decking Doreen wants to know: "Hello, I'd love to create a living space out of my drab back garden but I just find decking so common, is there another way of extending the house into the garden without destroying half a rain forest?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

You sound like Hyacinth Bucket! COMMON - it's perfectly reasonable material, just slightly overused by Groundforce! Go for soft wood decking, if you want to be environmentally friendly, as you should. Or try a beautiful natural stone or if you want to be really common....astro turf!

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay

Ashley says...creating an extra living space outdoors is a great idea, it could even add value to your property.

Lynn Wilson wants to know:

"I have an old Victorian fruit and vegetable walled garden approx 200 yds square. I wish to modernise it but keep the fruit trees, which currently run along one side of the garden. One thing I did see on one of your programmes, which I would like to incorporate into my garden, is a firepit, surrounded by patio. Can you please give me advice on how best to construct this."

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Not meaning to be flippant, see if you can source a book that we did about four years ago called 'Planet Patio' (BBC Books). The most important thing with the firepit is that you sink the pit into the ground, so that it has protection and holds heat. Create the whole feature from a material suitable for the project and include drainage, so that the pit doesn't become a pond in the depths of Winter! It is a wonderful romantic thing to have in a garden it brings people together and your situation sounds like heaven.

Welcome to Gary Jones who has just joined us, he wants to know: "I have to plant 200 metres of hedging, any recommendation on plants to use to keep maintenance down?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

If you weren't too concerned about something looking neat and tidy and prissy, go for a native plant such as hawthorn, hornbeam or beech.

Gerald wants to know:

"I'm thinking of leaving Sussex and retiring to a large house and garden in Western Scotland. I've spent years planting a range of herbaceous beds - many of them based on Christopher Lloyd's schemes at Great Dixter. I would like to take many of the plants with me but will the local conditions in Scotland allow this?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Large house in Western Scotland, how fantastic, you want to keep away from the Eastern side - people are a bit strange! Your inspiration of Great Dixter is a fabulous one, but it all depends on the site and situation you have, will the soil be light and free draining enough for all those billowing grasses and exuberant herbaceous displays. Not forgetting the tender plants that Christopher Lloyd to such great effect. So it really all depends on where you end up.

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay

Ashley says as an Edinburgh native I can certainly recommend the East of Scotland or indeed anywhere, as Scotland is a fantastic place to live!

Diarmuid says: Especially for the climate!

Wendy wants to know:

"Hi, you are obviously keen on challenging traditional garden thinking with your use of unusual materials and designs. This all looks very well in a detached garden but doesn't it look odd with steel pyramids and the like when you live in back to back semis?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

No, have you seen the architecture in the back to back semi'? Generally they have no distinguishing features, I think it gives you a great excuse to be individual. I only did pyramids once and they were copper.

Tara wants to know:

"We seem to be turning our gardens into rooms without walls. Is it global warming, changes in social attitudes or both?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

We are seeing more and more of our customers realise that the garden is a hugely important space in their home. Many people across the UK have told us that they will be spending up to £4000 this year in making improvements to their gardens. It can, if done properly, add considerable value to your property and just think of the pleasure that it will bring you. Gardening fever is certainly sweeping the nation.

Talking of outdoor rooms Rhiannon wants to know:

"How important are gardens in London properties? Do they really add value? Should I choose a property with outside space over a second bedroom?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Diarmuid says: Wow, there is a difficult one. I would say the second bedroom is financially more valuable, but I would go for the garden...

Talking of outdoor rooms Rhiannon wants to know:

"How important are gardens in London properties? Do they really add value? Should I choose a property with outside space over a second bedroom?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Ashley says: Many of our Freestyle customers who live in Central London are looking at the roof space and balcony space as an alternative to the traditional suburban garden. This is a fantastic way to get the best of both worlds, and should you come to resell your property, you will get the added value from both the second bedroom and your garden space.

Mary Seaforth wants to know:

"Hello, can you please advise me on how to cheer up a drab small suburban back garden - 50 ft by 20ft, all grass with 1ft borders round the edge with nothing in and half a dozen concrete slabs masquerading as a patio?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

A small garden but big question. It sounds like a blank canvas, with enormous potential. Check out the aspect - is it sunny or in the shade? Find out your soil type, heavy clay or light sandy, and then decide on the styles that you like. The most important thing is to create a plan. With any style, in this size garden, simplicity is the key. Best of luck.

KKdowning wants to know:

"I have a young family and a large garden with 3 ponds. I'm worried for the children's safety but don't want to lose the magic of having these water features. Short of putting a great big fence round them do you have any ideas?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

No, in all honesty I don't have better ideas. The danger doesn't really come from your children because they tend to be aware of the ponds, most drownings happen with visiting children. The fence is certainly an option, perhaps a fountain or waterfall, which has an underground reservoir. Think safety first.

Gertrude J wants to know:

"I notice you love using sculpture to liven up gardens but they all look so expensive. I have a large garden in need of something interesting to draw the eye, any ideas that aren't wallet-breaking?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

But Gertrude, I know your garden in Surrey! I know you love plants, I have even visited your grave...! Ask me again when you use your real name, but really I am a fan.

Jamie wants to know:

"I have a large south facing bed that I want to plant with eye catching colour. I'm in Essex, where it is pretty dry so can you recommend a colour scheme and some plants that will give me summer-long colour?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Jamie, the best advice I could give you is to go to Beth Chatto's garden in Colchester, she will have the same situation as you, and she is master of all she surveys, an incredible plantswoman. Better you can see the magnificant boarders and then buy the plants from the nursery. It is where I bought all my plants for my garden.

Gary Jones wants to know:

"Ashley is there a rule of thumb over the amount of money to pump into a virgin garden to get a return if selling 10 years on?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

This entirely depends on what you plan to do with your garden. You can spend as much or as little as you want, generally speaking though, many of our Freestyle customers are adding value to their properties by investing in their garden space, think of your garden as an extra room or rooms in your home-a fantastic place to entertain and enjoy time with friends and family, that is an investment in it's own right and one to enjoy over the next 10 yrs....

Gary Jones wants to know:

"Ashley is there a rule of thumb over the amount of money to pump into a virgin garden to get a return if selling 10 years on?" "

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Diarmuid says..I bet you two would be fantastic together!

Mrs H Marshall wants to know:

"Diarmuid, I must say I love your programmes because you approach things from a fresh perspective. Do your innovative ideas ever conflict with 'traditional' garden designers?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Live and let live I would say. People do get a little bit angry at some of the designs, because they feel threatened by something new. That is fairly logical, because there has been a kind of status quo in the garden design world for so long, they feel the subject has been taken away from their control. Occasionally there is conflict, but there is usually a different underlying factor, which is more to do with contemporary gardening getting more attention than traditional, at the moment.

Mandy wants to know:

"If you were presenting Gardener's World what would you change about it?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

I never watch it, it’s not really for me. I was offered the job a good while ago, but it seemed wrong, then they decided they didn’t want me anyway! But I said 'no' first!

Susie Flute is a keen gardener and has asked us a number of questions including this one:

"We are having a pergola built in the corner of our garden which is south facing and is in partial shade until the late afternoon. Could you suggest plants we could climb up it? Thank you."

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Honeysuckle, it is a woodland plant so it is well used to the shade and it is a social climber so your pergola should be well draped shortly.

Abdulkarim wants to know:

"I'm interested in mystical eastern gardens. Do you have any advice on plants but also backdrops and use of materials?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Does this mean Islamic gardens, Paradise gardens, Oasis gardens? Many of the plants that we consider traditional to this country, such as the lillies in the vase behind me, roses, tulips etc are total aliens and often have their origins in Eastern landscapes. Simple courtyard gardens, with lot of natural stone and canals of water would be iconic.

Kevin wants to know:

"Where is your favourite garden and which gardener do you most admire?"

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Changes all the time, at the moment it is probably a city garden in Ranelagh, Dublin, built by Helen Dillon, which is quite well known and open to visitors. I worship at the alter of Alan Titchmarsh...

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Fantastic time of the year in the garden, so get outside, do some digging and enjoy! Love Diarmuid...

Diarmuid Gavin and Ashley Ramsay said:

Ashley says...Sounds as if everybody is raring to go, Good Luck! For more information on how to fund your garden projects visit www.freestylemortgages.com.