Captain's Blog (9) " Countin' me Treasures"

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Am experiencing a spell, right now, of a kind of “calm before a storm”, as it were, as waiting for the next burst of activity in the garden, which will come with the planting out of our ever-growing annual seedlings.

Have had, therefore, more time than usual (believe it or not), to actually sit on my lounger and appreciate our little garden more closely.

Doing a themed garden (Pirates, in this case), can very often make the garden look too “busy”. This is especially appropraite, in our case, as there are no borders, no grass, nothing. Everything has to be grown in containers, and placed on top of a pebbled area.

The area currently being transformed into a kind of “Neverland” is tiny – 12ft wide by 36ft long – but am amazed by just how much can be grown in such a space.

The garden consists of 3 “rooms”, so to speak. This is the “portal” (note, not porthole!). It is adjacent to my double, brick-built shed, and is in the shade almost all day, and so, therefore, is a bit dark and sinister. The ground cover here was, when I moved in, a mulch of bark chippings, but it had, we discovered, become the neighbourhood cats’ toilet. I cleaned this up, put down another couple of layers of membrane, and topped this with a thicj layer of broken slate, freely given by a work colleague who was getting a new roof, and was only too glad to get rid of the old slates. The colour is great, once weathered in – reminds me of quay sides, old buildings, etc., and goes well with the red brick sheds (am currently clearing one of them out to make a “gang hut” , with an “Admiral Benbow Inn” theme. ;-)

The “border” seen here is edged with tree logs, saved from elsewhere in the garden, and is only 6" deep. but you can see how well things grow, like this dark brown-leaved, ornamental cow parsley (sorry, the one label with the name I lost). Behind this is a Physocarpus “Diabolo”, in a large pot sunk into the ground, and just coming into leaf here, now). Am enjoying having my growing collection of hostas and ferns in pots here, too – a kind of jungly undergrowth.

Through the arch, is a “ship’s deck”, which adjoins our “Capt Kiddin’” pirate ship raised bed. This area is forever changing, as it is where we can play around with growing things, including our small, but satisfying, container grown veggies.

Since this pic was taken, we have managed to attach ship’s railing – i.e. two, quite ornate, wooden bed ends, as ship’s rails!

We have tried to keep the growing containers looking as authentic as possible, with the veggy varieties fitting our theme. Here, we have three containers. The lowest one was sown with radish seed, of a variety called “Jolly” (for Jolly Rodger). They did us proud, and we harvested them last week.

Next sowing now on the way!

Our First Early potato variety is “Pixie” (for Disney’s pixie/fairy dust in “Peter Pan”). This is also doing well, in outside-in compost bags disguised and “authenticated” with the use of real hessian potato sacks.

Many more growing, but will mention just one more, which is doing well now – our salad/spring onion “Redbeard” (great name, for us, eh?). I can see how they are growing as I thin them out/eat as I go, lol!).

I MUST have something to eat in my garden – apologies to those of you who don’t “do” edibles. ;-)

We, then, step “ashore” onto a pebbly beach area (how I’d love to devise a “walk the plank” link, but have spotted some amazing coiled rope efect stepping stones recently, in a local GC – possible Fathers’ Day pressie?).

I love this part, I must admit!! In the near future, the lid of the chest will be raised, to reveal the plant “treasures” within!

Am enjoying, right now, the colours, in this area…………

I love “earthy” colours, and enjoy the colours of the pebbles, pots and foliage, here.

GOYer Spritzhenry alerted me, last year, to a comment made by a famous gardner/TV presenter by the name of Sir A. Titchmarsh, who couldn’t understand the “trend” for brown/dark-leaved plants. I just didn’t believe it!!!!

They were a mainstay for our themed garden last year (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory), and are still this year, providing a kind of sinister backdrop to more adventurous colour combos with my (previously avoided) “hot” shades", to include warm “tropical” colour combos……..

Not looking its best yet, I must admit, but I love the foliage mix! Heuchera “Caramel” (we have now re-named our heucheras as "Hook"eras, lol!), with the lime-green foliage of Asiatic Lily “Golden Joy”, the blooms of which are amazing with the backdrop of that Sambucus nigra “Black Lace”., and Rodgersia (noiw fitting in with “Jolly Rodger”)!

Pic from last year!

My dark-leaved phormiums, and grasses, are also playing a major role, this year………

This is a lovely dark brown phormium named “Chocolate Dreams”, underplanted with Uncinia Rubra – common name “Hook Sedge”, lol! Have had several of these for the past 3 years, and so happy to have them fit in with our theme!.

Recently, my landlord ( I rent, privately) offered us a larger house and garden. It took but a few minutes’ look at the garden area to make a decision!

The “larger” rear garden was no bigger in total area than we have right now, was also north-facing, but with mature chestnut trees blocking the light. I was quite attracted by the wooden flooring throughout (but mindful of the noise factor with children), as well as the larger lounge and spacious dining kitchen.

BUT……….. For us, the outdoor space, which is where we really “grow”, is of paramount importance!

We came back, I saw what I see, sat in our “Neverland” and thought, “There’s no place like home” (to borrow a well-known quote, from a former garden theme)….and so ?….. We are staying, right where we are!!!

:-D)

• 31 May, 2010
• 24 likes

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