Back garden/gravel area..

Everything's looking very happy Sandra. Glad to see you didn't get any damage from the storms. The two grasses which have got together look very attractive, no wonder you want to leave them :)

Gravel does 'set things off' beautifully, doesn't it Sandra, and (like Waddy) I love the Uncinia with what does look like Acorus. Very pretty combo!

Thanks,Julia..At least the Grasses look good in winter..I keep them in check though.not as happy with some of the summer bedding in pots this year..The Zinnias are not good at all,nowhere near as nice as last year,,They are now off my list ! .I am going back to Pelargoniums ...

Thank you Sheila.I agree about the gravel.It's not to everyones liking,but it's been better without the rubbish lawn we had there..and no maintenance:o)Thanks for confirming the Acorus..I just couldn't remember.and glad you like the combination :o).

Isn't that amazing how those two grasses have seeded together? It looks so pretty!

p.s. I am only on here because a heavy shower stopped my weeding....I'm off out again now :))

Everything looks good Sandra. My Agapanthus didn't flower very long this year ! I don't know why ! I noticed your green house there. Is it new and how do you get into your little summer house behind it ?

Great you have so much colour and interest still in the garden.

I thought so too,Karen..I hadn't noticed the seed heads on the Uncina Rubra,till this year,as they are so tiny and well camouflaged..I now know to pull on them gently,and the whole length of it's stem comes away,leaving the 'grass' blade behind !..no wonder it escaped without detection,and blew among the Acorus..love will out! Lol.I didn't get my washing dry outside,or any gardening done after I took the photo's ..showers and chilly :o(

They have always been White,Snoop.I did buy a pink one at the same time,but it didn't come through the following winter..How strange yours should change colour...magic ! :o)

Oh Rose,you made me smile :o) .The Grrenhouse is next door,and the'Summerhouse' is his shed Lol.I should be so lucky.! .I only have a plastic growhouse..how the other half live,eh ? ha ha.I know they look almost joined,but he has plenty of room to access his shed..It's just the angle I took the photo. If I had gone a bit further to the left,I would have got the Co-op supermarket roof on..wonder what you would have thought then..my own Garden Centre ?? Lol.Thanks for making me laugh tonight..xxx

Thank you Linda..not as much as last year,I'm sorry to say..but just my choice of plants for pots this year..anyway,at least the borders have been ok :o)

Your Sedum is colouring up quickly Sandra, mine are well formed but still green, that will probably change soon though as its turned very cold here even with the sun being out all day, its nice to see you have plenty of colour still, long may that continue, know what you mean about deadheading, it takes me ages....
It all looks so neat and tidy with the gravel, I do like the grasses especially the ones intermingled,

Always ready to oblige Sandra ! Hahaa! I better go back to spec savers then ! Hahaa! Wouldn't he let you share his green house then !

I find it strange,Sue,as the same variety in my front border,is facing the same direction,and is fully pink now..I wonder if it's the soil,as it always colours up first..Glad you like the grasses,thanks..sun and showers but cold here too..had the fire on tonight..cosy :o)

What a lovely and colourful back garden Bloomer love the grass in the gravel it forms such a neat clump, didn't your Agapanthus do well? thank you for your tour :o)

Looking lovely Sandra. I agree with earlier comments, grasses/gravel combination is stunning!

PS The Acorus grass does remind me of Rod Stewart's hair style ... Or maybe Tina Turner ... lol

Looking very nice with the gravel sandra, think I need to gravel some of our front garden bed... :))

Love your garden, it looks very pretty. I have a rubbish lawn but I don't want to get rid of all the grass, because we have lots of birds and they like the worms, ive got lots to do to get it to look as nice as yours

Good thinking Kittycat - and welcome to GoY!

Your garden is lovely Sandra. I love that combination of the two grasses together :o)
I think like you about Begonia semperflorens. I wouldn't be without them.
I hope it didn't rain too much for you ...

Thank you Neellan,I do trim the grass now and then,or it would get much bigger.I do it.from underneath where the new leaves are forming..I think that's why it looks a better shape,as the top growth hangs over,to hide my rubbish cutting back ! Lol.The.Agapanthus has been nice this year..pity the flowers don't last long..They got the chop today ! x
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Thank you Alan,glad you like the grass in gravel..and,you haven't seen my hair in the mornings..! I won't be posting a photo !.Lol.
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Thanks Holly..easy care gravel suits me fine..plus I got fed up of lots of pots on the Patio..and having to keep washing,..make that scrubbing...all the stains from the flowers that dropped off ..they can do what they like on gravel :o)
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Thank you Kittycat,and welcome from me too..My birds just dig around in the borders..and I still have a lawn in the front garden..I should erect a sign saying.'.Birds this way' ! :o) I also have the bird feeders in the back,so they do ok :o)
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Thank you Hywel..the rain was intermittent,but it was quite chilly,so I gave the gardening a miss yesterday..I've made up for it today though,as it's been lovely.:o)
I shall pot as many of the Begonias up as I can this year,space permitting ! The ones I did last year,have done well..Carole had done hers the year before,,so I gave it a go..I still bought a few packs though :o)

Yes, I know - I can keep them for several years, but I keep adding to them every summer lol ... I don't think you can have too many :o)

I would be quite happy to have them everywhere,Hywel..at the risk of being completely boring ,with no imagination ..! Lol.

They're not boring though :o)

Indeed,but I might be ! :o)

lol ! ... No, never !

Not yet,I hope..but would anyone ever tell you ? Lol..

:o)

So pretty and cheerful Bloomer.

Thank you Klahanie..glad you like it..:o)

Sandra, sorry to be late to your blog ... computer problems for a couple of days ... grrr!

Isn't the Rose 'Fragrant Delight' a pretty one ... looks good by the Echinops. I am pleased we replaced the two squares of grass with gravel in the front garden ... such a palava to get the mower out for about 10 minutes of mowing. The lawn in the back is turning brown now ... the green bits are Clover/Plantain/Dandelions and some 'orrible creeping weed with a blue/purple flower ... methinks some 'Feed & Weed will cure it in the Autumn. :o)

No worries,Shirley..glad you are back with us :o) Thank you,but sorry to say,the Rose looks to be getting past it's best this year,very woody from the base..and there is no way I could prune it any further back next year..It is looking more like a lollipop shape,as it is ! Lol..The Echinops hides the bottom half of it,so I am thinking it's time for it to go?
I agree about the lawn that was...not worth the effort really,was it? Shame about your back lawn.I hope some TLC does the trick :o)

Will you replace it with another Rose? Many of my Roses had Blackspot this year and I don't like using chemicals, so spent ages picking the infected leaves off!

I don't think so,Shirley..this has also suffered badly this year ,much worse than last..and I don't like using chemicals either..I believe it's not wise to replant a Rose in the same place,whether this is true or not,I don't really know..I got fed up of picking infected leaves from the soil each day,and off the Rose..I was thinking of moving the Echinops further back in that space instead..then I can try something new in front of it..or let the Japanese Anemone have it's wicked way for a while.:o)

Quite beautiful the way you have planted and together with the hard landscaping it still manages to inviting and spacey

Thank you Denise..I think the gravel gives that illusion,but I do have to thin out and prune more often..probably why some members call me a tidy gardener :o)

Hi Sandra ..
garden looking pretty :o)

Thank you Terra..It's nice to look out on,and potter a lot :o)

Love your garden Sandra, always looks pretty and tidy. Mine looks a mess now, everything went mad and lots have been cut back. I feel a makeover coming on:-))

Thanks Ba..a few of mine are ready for cutting back now,but the Fuchsias just about coming into their own ..They have been quite slow this year...just taken seeds off Anthirrinums,as they have had their second flush..apart from those,it's still looking ok..good luck with the makeover :o)

Thanks for the tour round your garden Sandra, lots of colour and the plants in pots look really healthy. Some of my flowers are beginning to fade a bit now and look tired, so They will be coming out soon to make way for violas. The fuchsias have done well this year.

Thank you Linda..I will be getting some violas soon..I like them better than Pansies..as the rain etc,doesn't seem to spoil the flowers ...They certainly give good value for money..I have just planted out my Wallflower cuttings.Still keeping them going from the originals years ago,plus some Bowles Mauve..one is now in my daughters garden..along with divided Crocosmia 'Lucjfer' ,which I dug out and thinned this morning..A very satisfying day..:o)

Hi Bloomer I agree with you about the violas being good value for money. I take wallflower cuttings from the Bowles Mauve. I renew them every year. Although the first plant cost a quite a bit at the nurseries, it has given me years of pleasure and the bees and butterflies love it. I had quite a few butterflies feeding from it yesterday including a comma. Glad you had a good day in the garden.

I did ok with My Bowles Mauve Linda..only £2 from M......sons :o)Mine usually last two summers,but I've just taken them out now,and replaced them,with the new cuttings,which are in flower already...love this plant:o).I agree,great to see the bees and butterflies enjoying them..I also bought a Fuchsia,'Annabelle',and two Coreopsis from there on Sunday..still only £2 each...I got my daughters border all planted up yesterday,it was a nice warm day..Just a few bulbs etc to plant now..It feels more like mine really,as I have been given free rein ..happy days :o)

Hi Sandra ... I get free rain as well, and lots of it this August !.... lol. <];~)))

You daft so and so,Alan ! lol..Don't get too complacent about it being free..once the Government find a way of measuring what falls on your property..it will be free no more plus VAT ! :o)

Glad you saw the funny side. Rainwater tax heh! If you hear anymore on the grapevine, let us know and we will downsize, ASAP.

Didn't the Beatles sing a song about the taxman and it states ""I'll tax your feet!".....Taxing rain....we have two water butts and an old large waste bin at the greenhouse downpipe to catch the water....could that be a tax reduction for saving water Alan?

Sorry Lindak, water stored in butts is also liable to "WaS Tax" .... Under the "Water Storage Act ..... Which states, anyone storing water without obtaining a storage licence, will be subject to an additional Tax of 1 Guinea (20 shillings), per butt... lol

PS Not sure about beetles feet being taxed! I'll have to do some research on that one. <];~)))

That money phase went out years ago....although I can remember the halfpenny, and farthing with the wren on.

Wasn't 1 Guinea,21 shillings,Alan? I'm sure you will correct me if I'm wrong ! :o) keep quiet to the taxman though,if it was..and Linda,you are just a bairn..so I guess you don't remember the silver threepenny piece either..before the later one..I used to hand them in to the bus Conductor,hoping he would think it was a Tanner..(old sixpence).. Sometimes they wouldn't realise,and give me 4d change instead of a 1d..which was then spent on a bag of chips.(.wi bits on...bits, being crunchy batter from the fish),on my way home from School,or a cake from the Bakers ..Lol..Devious even then,eh? ha ha..

Sandra you are quite correct ... I originally thought it was 21 shillings, but misread what it said on Wikipedia. It was originally worth 20 shillings, but rose in value, as gold increased in value relative to silver. The guinea at one stage was worth 30 shillings. Between 1717 and 1816 the value was fixed at 21 shillings. Thank you for putting me right.

I also have some silver threepenny pieces. Chips and batter bits, that brings back memories.

Linda, I think the farthing with the wren on, is a lovely coin.

That's interesting,Alan..I didn't know that they were worth so much,at one period..thanks,I like facts from way back :o)
I wish I hadn't got rid of our Sixpences,in such a foolish way..erm,my mum's really,not mine.! but as a 10 year old,my chips and batter bits were top priority..! Lol.I had forgotten about the Robin on the farthing too!..I do,however still have the presentation Crown we were given for the Queens Coronation..worth 5 shillings at the time,I believe...

It would be interesting to find out what the Queens Coronation Crown coin is worth now <]:~)) Incidentally, hasn't she been a fabulous ambassador for us, it's just a shame we don't have more like her.

I think the Queen is an amazing person, and she still has such an active life. The Royal family bring in a lot of income, especially with the events that take place too.

I have just googled it Alan..and apparently there were four different ones minted for 1953..all varying in quality.The cheapest value is worth about £8 in mint condition and uncirculated,and the most valuable is £3,500.! I guess mine will be the first one,seeing as all schoolchildren were given one at the time..Can't see them slipping up with one of the latter ones,somehow ! Lol..and yes,I couldn't agree more about our Queen..nice to live in a country where we aren't ruled by a tyrant..what a scary world it is right now..it makes you fear for our children and further generations...Sorry,I'm not getting political here,just saying what a lot of us may be thinking....:o(

We crossed there,Linda..and yes,very much so..Tourism especially,and nice to see the younger members being more in touch with reality these days..:o)

I agree Bloomer it is a world full of unrest and none of us know how the problems are going to end up. It seems that some people haven't learned from past wars that it just leads to destruction and chaos. Trouble is some leaders are hungry for power and seem to do anything to get there. Why can't they talk about the problems and try to solve them, whilst building up their countries and helping their people...instead of causing total misery.

I'm not a religious person,Linda..so how they can use this as a basis for all the atrocities,I will never understand..glad I'm a humanist instead..as you say,power and greed ,rules ...

Just logged on Sandra and seen your news on the Queens Crowns ... Let's hope yours is nearer the £3,500 end than the £8 end .... lol
Fully agree with you Linda, "two world wars, is two to many", very unfortunate.

If it is worth the top amount,there will be lots of baby boomers having a ball..well,this one would be :o)

<];~)))

Small it may be,but, perfectly formed a credit to you.......(sorry it's late).

Nice garden. If only I have enough space for my garden. I could have the same lovely and sweet garden.

Garden flowers are best complemented with a good gravel colour choice http://goo.gl/Nq2TUD. Whether you use it as a pathway or mulch, putting attention to the type of gravel colour will consequently produce a better appearance to your garden.