Work in progress
By debbiepugh
7 comments
It’s so great reading all of your blogs and seeing your progress in the garden. As so many of you are brave enough to show your ‘before’ pics I’ve decided to add mine too. It’s still very much in a state of before than after, but I have been busy. We moved in four years ago, and the garden was just lumpy grass. The grass hasn’t changed much, but we’ve divided it into three (decking and then two other sections). I’ve planted a small cherry and a whitebeam tree, lavatera (for speed), buddleia (also for speed and for butterflies), red robin, forsythia, some hornbeams to create a hedge, a couple of grasses, honeysuckle, three/four clematis ,a mock orange, an escalonia , a rambling rose, and lots of perennials. Last year I grew quite a lot from seed, but stupidly didn’t photograph any of it. So this year, I’m going to document the lot. I’ve dug out two large beds over the past two weekends and have put in delphiniums, a eucalyptus, aquilegia, sneezeweed, yarrow, and something else I can’t remember! I’ve just popped in lots of poppy seeds and corn cockle and am hardening off echinacea, agastache, coreopsis, galliardia, lavender, verbascum, cosmos, sweet peas and will direct sow love in a mist, nasturtiums, scabiosa plus a load more I can’t remember. You may have gathered I am trying to create a cottage garden. My idea is to add a few more perennials each year, and plant self seeding annuals so eventually I can just sit back and watch!
Anyway, it doesn’t look much at the moment, but hopefully in another couple of years it will really start to flourish. Oh yes, I also planted about 100 bulbs last year, including blue bells, aliums, irises, and of course, daffodils. Goodness me, I’ve been busy!!
30 Mar, 2009
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Comments
Good luck with this project - you seem to have got off to a great start. I'll be looking forward to your photos as you go along - should make a good album as the year progresses. Bet it changes loads just over the summer!
30 Mar, 2009
Your garden is a nice size. I like the trellis with the arch. It will be interesting to see how it all develops.
30 Mar, 2009
what a lovely blog. before photos are so inspiring and they give others an incentive too. keep up the good work.
30 Mar, 2009
With that selection you should have a lot of colour and well on the way to getting your cottage garden effect,well done..............
30 Mar, 2009
Great blog. I think you have a wonderful space to work with there. I love your flowering cherry.....its absolutely covered in blooms....amazing for a young tree. Obviously you have made it happy where it is. Your plans sound great. I do agree with Wagger though....there is no such thing as sitting back and watching. Once you're bitten by the bug you won't be able to sit still. Something will catch you're eye and you'll be out there weeding, changing, plucking, picking, pruning etc etc etc. LOL.
Looking forward to your next installment of pics and hearing of your progress.
1 Apr, 2009
Thanks everyone, I know I'm fooling myself, but you lot have seen through it! Really excited because loads of my tulips that I have in pots on the patio are opening. God I'm so sad.
2 Apr, 2009
You're optimistic! Sit back and watch? It just doesn't work like that - you sit and see - a weed here, a dead head there, a bush that is swamping a neighbour, a lawn that needs edging - the list is endless. Before you know it your bum is in the air instead of on a seat..........and you realise you wouldn't have it any other way. This gardening game is seriously addictive and I think you are already being sucked in - it shows in all the work you've done and the work you are planning. Welcome to the club!
30 Mar, 2009