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Drastic Measures

hywel

By hywel

29 comments


I’ve got a ‘shelter’ in the garden, which I built from wood and sheets of perspex,
and I grow plants in it.
This year I thought I’d put my cacti in there because it faces west and gets a lot of sunshine :)

The front of the ‘shelter’ has trellises, where various climbers grow, and this year they have gone wild,
especially a certain Clematis (called Venosa Violacea) and a hardy Fuchsia (Peter Pan)
Between them they managed to block the entrance to the perspex shelter completely and I was not able to get in there.

This is how it was in July :-

By August I hadn’t been able to do much in the garden, so is was worse :-

It’s a good job that cacti are drought resistant, because they didn’t get watered for several weeks :(

But even cacti need water, so in the end I had to take drastic measures, and pretty as they were, the Clematis and Fuchsia had to be cut back !

Now here it is today …

I have removed the cacti, as you can see.

Inside the shelter the Fuchsia flowers were hanging in bunches from the rampant stems all over the roof …

Several other plants had also grown into a tangle inside the shelter. They are only supposed to be on the trellis. You can see some of them in the next photo :-

There were other plants also, which are not seen in the photo – it was like a jungle lol

Here is a view looking out from the shelter after I’d cleared the climbers …

It does look pretty but it’s SO overgrown … :(

And this dainty little Fuchsia called Foxgrove Wood, is doing her best to join in with the other bullies on the trellises around the shelter …

What cheek !

More blog posts by hywel

Previous post: A hopeless memory :(

Next post: An August Garden



Comments

 

It must have taken a lot of strength of mind to cut it all back when it was so lovely - you must have felt exhausted by the time you finished!

21 Aug, 2016

 

Thank you both. I didn't enjoy cutting away such lovely flowers but I was fed up with not being able to see my cacti, and I also wanted to put my tomatoes in there because it's too shady where they were. They're very slow this year.

21 Aug, 2016

 

I can quite understand why you had to cut the plants back but, my goodness, didn't they look beautiful?

22 Aug, 2016

 

It's sad you had to cut them back,but necessary..Your Cacti and Tomato's will appreciate some extra care now,and what a lovely view you have of your garden from the shelter...I don't think anyone can grow Fuchsia's like you Hywel..those are fantastic :o) x

22 Aug, 2016

 

Wow it looked beautiful Hywel.

22 Aug, 2016

 

that was a job well done, though having to cut back such pretty flowers is always a wrench. I bet the cacti are glad of a bit more light and water. lovely blog as usual Hywel.

22 Aug, 2016

 

I understand only too well how quickly some plants can get out of hand. You've done a marvellous job of sorting things out. I need to do something similar in my own garden very soon I hope I can be as ruthless as you were. ..I'll need to be!

22 Aug, 2016

 

I thought it was a most wonderful jungle, especially the first photo. Lovely fuchsias. Well, now you can get in there again, but it was a pity it all had to be chopped back. Nice place to sit in, to hide away with Bella & spy on the rest of your jungle!

22 Aug, 2016

 

What a shame you had to cut the plants back so drastically! nevertheless it's understandable as you needed to get inside your shelter. With the extra light your Cacti will appreciate the removal of the "jungle".

Those Fuchsias are really gorgeous! I would like mine to grow like that - especially dear 'Lady Boothby'!

22 Aug, 2016

 

Such a shared you had to cut down all those beautiful blooms it looked so pretty......needs must!!

22 Aug, 2016

 

Ha ha...what a shame to have to cut them back.....all that colour but, it's served the purpose.

24 Aug, 2016

 

You certainly have a way with fuchsias, Hywel. I think I would have been tempted to keep them all.

24 Aug, 2016

 

Lovely fun Hywel, bet Beryl had a laugh !

25 Aug, 2016

 

Thank you all for your comments.
I'm glad to have cut back the Fuchsia and Clematis. They were getting on my nerves, and I can now get into the shelter to water my tomatoes :)

25 Aug, 2016

 

Its nothing to worry about Hywel. I hate cutting back any plants unless its Autumn round the corner and they are naturally dying down for the winter.

26 Aug, 2016

 

I'm not worried. I'm glad to be able to get into the shelter again :)

26 Aug, 2016

 

Beautiful :o))
I think I would have made a crawl hole at the bottom of the greenery, mind you one would have to of been on the supple side LOL.
Looks pretty amazing with all your greenery :o))

27 Aug, 2016

 

Hywel you must be so strong-minded to be able to cut them back like that, it was an absolute picture, I fully understand why you needed to but I'm afraid I would have been crawling underneath as well, lol, I have a similar problem with my passionflower, its gone mad and is stopping me walking down the garden path, I keep telling myself that its got to go but then I look at the flowers and put off doing it, I have planted a new piece against the fence on the opposite side of the dogrun and keep using that as an excuse for leaving well alone, got to make sure the other one has took hold first, I not only have to cut the original one down, its got to come out completely because its sending up roots in my greenhouse, now that I cannot be doing with........

27 Aug, 2016

 

How did you get Foxgrove Wood to get as tall as that Hywel?

27 Aug, 2016

 

Thank you all.

If I crawled under the branches I don't think I'd be able to get up again lol :D

I hope your passionflower 'takes' Sue

It 'climbs' up the trellis Sue

Two Sues ... but you'll know which is which :o)

27 Aug, 2016

 

LOL, I feel as though I'm talking to myself if I say Sue, after all this time I don't think Stera minds, it used to confuse people in the earlier days Hywel, I know just what you mean and admit I have to pull myself up now as my knees refuse to work properly, gone are the days when kneeling and crawling around the garden was the easy option, my poor back has to suffer now because bending down is how I have to do my planting, really annoys me as jobs take twice as long these days, I still do the work and then ache afterwards but it keeps me happy at the time....

27 Aug, 2016

 

Ha! All the sign's of one getting older, I don't know what I would do without my kneeling pad frame in the garden, if I kneel down with out it I have to crawl to something to help me get up sometimes LOL but I do have good days LOL x

28 Aug, 2016

 

No I don't mind Lincs - you were there first! Perhaps I am Sue Two!

28 Aug, 2016

 

That's why you all have nick names :)
I don't have one on here but I do on other forums.

I can't bend. I am like Ladyessex - have to kneel down and have something to lean on to get up again. If I bend I get dizzy ... lol
but kneeling is better than giving up :D

28 Aug, 2016

 

Lovely blog Hywel. The corner looked very colourful, but the space you have created for your cacti and fuchias looks good. We are all getting older...I can't kneel after having both knees done but can bend and reach the plants that need it, also hoe...so a little bit of love for the plants goes a long way............

29 Aug, 2016

 

Thanks you Linda :)

29 Aug, 2016

 

Hywel have yo got one of those nifty kneeler things that is a stool one way up and a kneeler with handles when you turn it over? They are great for helping you up when needed. (as well as keeping the knees of your trousers clean(er)

30 Aug, 2016

 

Yes, I've had it many years. The seat lifts up and you can keep things in it - secateurs twine etc - very handy :)

30 Aug, 2016

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