I have added two trees to the gravel area and had the borders widened to five feet.
The borders were both supposed to be four feet deep - it turned out our 'landscaper' had managed to cut one four feet wide and the other three feet.... yes, I know ???? So my original plan was to get the three foot one made right which led to..... "they look very puny, so why not do both".
They definitely look much better - less like a strip down a fence and more like two proper perrenial borders.
It was also the opportunity to move some plants around, do the weeding and top dress with some fresh compost. We did a lot of price comparisons but in the end an offer at Dobbies worked out the cheapest per litre.
We moved some 'edging' plants forward as they were left in a silly position mid-border. I removed six achillea which were swamping the bird bath. A neighbour had a couple which I love and sadly the others found their way to the brown bin. This is where I miss my 'home' where I had some folk who would have given them a home. I also moved three salvia from the white rose border as they turned out to be in strong competition with the roses rather than a companion plant. Also that border needs four such plants and one had died over the winter.
I do have a huge dilemma with the trees. They were an absolute bargain from R & B Nurseries at £23 each plus VAT. As they are Amelanchiers they have been grown into a single stemmed tree from something which really wants to be a multi-stemmed bush. They have, therefore, been trained along a cane and pruned to shape. The problem I have is - should I remove the cane and then stake normally to prevent root rock or leave them to 'settle in' for a year and the reduce the cane by a third each year for three years. They are very tall and whippy (thin stemmed in proportion to their height) and we have an incredibly windy garden.
I forgot to take a photo when they had all their blossoms, so this is just a 'taster'. Amalanchiers are good all rounders. They tolerate pretty much any soil and situation and have blossom in summer, light leaf so no dense shade in summer and the leaves turn fantastic colours in autumn. They pay back for sure.
Very clean and tidy garden beds along with a FABULOUS looking lawn! I have a wide expanse of moss with a bit of grass growing through it so I'm literally GREEN with envy!
ReplyDeleteelizabeth
Hi Elizabeth, How lovely to see you here. My homes and gardens are always neat to the point of sterile. My heart loves fluffy arty stuff (like you produce) but it must have got stamped out of me somewhere along the line as I always live in open spaces, uncluttered, tidy and symmetrical. As for the lawn... only a year old so the moss is only just beginning and the current green expanse is about fifty:fifty grass and creeping buttercup. Much murder to be done.
ReplyDeleteI HEAR YOU regarding creeping buttercup- sadly the other bane of my mossy lawns existence! :(
DeleteSadly the only answer that goes any way towards a remedy is applying a weed and feed combo twice a year. Far, far too many for hand weeding and I haven't found anything 'natural' that does the job. We just paid for our lawn cutting folk to do one but it would seem they probably just did a moss kill!! It stank for days and really hasn't changed a thing, so it is down to us to sort it, I think. I will make a green sward of it if it kills me.
DeleteThe garden is looking so inviting especially with that cornflower blue sky as the backdrop! Something about this weather just makes us want to get into our gardens and create a space to celebrate in. It must be such a great feeling to finally be settled into the house so that the garden can now be the focus. I am excited to see the trees in full bloom later this summer and to see what else you've added to all that new planting space!
ReplyDeleteHi Jodi, Big welcome. As you say the weather is the key to getting out there. I love gardens but confess to being a fair-weather gardener. I misled you with the trees.... I said summer but they have actually already done their thing for this year. I will have to go back in and correct it later when I can get to my 'big' computer. I am in the throes of adding twenty four new plants so I will share those soon.
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