Gateshead: gardens, parks and local help

Gardening in Gateshead

Sloping gardens are a feature of much of the borough. Terracing with low walls or sleepers, steps and a level area for sitting usually serve better than fighting the slope, and a deck can create level space without heavy digging. Water runs downhill, so the lowest part of a sloping garden is often the wettest; plan drainage there before laying a lawn.

Housing ranges from terraces near the town centre to semis and newer estates on the edges, and older villages such as Whickham and Ryton with larger gardens. Heavy clay is common.

Saltwell Park is the borough's big Victorian park, and Gibside, run by the National Trust, has woodland walks and a walled garden. Gateshead Council handles garden waste collections; check its website for details.