Tips for a Beginner- Starting Small with a Walkway Garden

[NYNewHouse]

I recently became a first time homeowner, and now that spring has arrived it's time to tackle the landscaping. We have a small patch of soil that runs alongside the path to our front door. The previous owners had kinda neglected the place for years, and when we moved in last fall it was overgrown with weeds. I removed the weeds before winter, and now this is just a patch of dirt (although I'm already starting to see the dandelions making a return).

Already, this patch of dirt is starting to look unhealthy, but I want to get ahead of this before late spring/summer. We live close to the beach (on a sandbar actually), and if you dig about 18-24 inches down, you hit pure sand. My understanding is that this is not ideal for a healthy garden, and will require maintenance in order to see sustained success.

Our goal is to plant flowers/plants and make it a beautiful entrance to our home. So having never done this before, I come to you all looking for advice!

What is the easiest way to:

1) Turn this patch of sandy dirt into healthy soil
2) Kill the existing weeds and ensure they dont return (easier said than done, Im sure)
3) Maintain this throughout the year

Thank you all vey much!! Any other gardening/landscaping "must knows" are welcomed as well!

 

[Tetters]

Welcome to you @NYNewHouse . I hope you'll find this place useful,
Firstly, as a new gardener, I applaud you for making an early start on preparing your ground. It may be showing some new weed growth now, but you have improved your chances of a good revival by doing the first 'weed' early!
When it comes to landscaping, my advice to you would be this - use the conditions you already have to create your garden, and search out the plants that enjoy those particular conditions. It will be a good long term strategy, and make life a lot easier. To get a quick idea of the most suitable plants, you might do well to have a good nose at your neighbours places. They will already have worked a few things out. You will be looking for tough ornamentals that will put up with well drained conditions and salty air for a start.
Don't ever expect a weed free scene in your garden. Pulling weeds out is all part of the fun
If you are thinking of growing vegetables, you might be better off creating a raised bed or so, and offer the plants there some bagged compost and some shelter.
I wish you lots of success, and it would be really nice if you could post a few photos on here so we can watch your progress.
I will see if I can find a picture of the beach gardens near us in Kent UK - a place called Dungeness!

 

[Tetters]

 

[lifegardener]

I recently became a first time homeowner, and now that spring has arrived it's time to tackle the landscaping. We have a small patch of soil that runs alongside the path to our front door. The previous owners had kinda neglected the place for years, and when we moved in last fall it was overgrown with weeds. I removed the weeds before winter, and now this is just a patch of dirt (although I'm already starting to see the dandelions making a return).

Already, this patch of dirt is starting to look unhealthy, but I want to get ahead of this before late spring/summer. We live close to the beach (on a sandbar actually), and if you dig about 18-24 inches down, you hit pure sand. My understanding is that this is not ideal for a healthy garden, and will require maintenance in order to see sustained success.

Our goal is to plant flowers/plants and make it a beautiful entrance to our home. So having never done this before, I come to you all looking for advice!

What is the easiest way to:

1) Turn this patch of sandy dirt into healthy soil
2) Kill the existing weeds and ensure they dont return (easier said than done, Im sure)
3) Maintain this throughout the year

Thank you all vey much!! Any other gardening/landscaping "must knows" are welcomed as well!

Most of these do very well close to the beach:
Ice plant, Rosemary, Palms, Sage, Sweet pea shrub, Licorice Plant.