New bed and what to do with it?
By ian_digs_v2
20 comments
As you know, I made a great fuss, recently, about digging a new ‘flowery thing’ bed and we have been plonking things in there randomly ever since. Its a long thin bed (about 15 feet long and 12 inches wide) with two ‘bumps’ one at either end that are roughly four foot square(ish)
We have got a few perrenials, such as…..
two Alpine Lilies
Four of these Pinks
An Agapanthus- Peter Pan. Which I really like!
This one (I’ve forgotten it’s name)
This is a Balloon flower (sorry…..)
A Delphinium-Galahad
And this Pieris (which is still in its pot)
Actually, all of these are in pots, burried in the ground, as I thought (and still do think) we may be moving soon.
We also have several bedding plants- French Marigolds, a dwarf Dianthus-Passion, some Peligoniums and another one that produces a red spike, but guess what……….I really am hopeless when it comes to names
But this is it in with the Marigolds!!!!!
Hah, Ive found the label….Its a Salvia! (big grin)
What I really need now is some suggestions on how to make all of this look like it was intended and not just thrown together by two total amatuers.
Hold on…..It was just thrown together by two total amatuers……..us LOL.
Our soil (for want of a better word) is very sandy interspursed with lots of pebbles and turns into concrete at the slightest sign of rain or the hose pipe.
Our garden is South facing and the bed is along the West side up against a four foot high white concrete wall (our neighbours choice not ours!)
Here is some photos of what it looks like now…..
South ‘bump’
North ‘bump’ and the patio
and the long stringy bit in the middle !
Now this photo gives you a good look at its dimensions (if you can see past Holly’s blinding smile!!!)
Now I can’t take much more of the lawn away (thankfully) as this is the only place Holly has to play, the back garden being given over to veg growing.
As you can see, we really do need help with this one.
Any ideas/suggestions would be thankfully received and then put into a hat and picked out at random….LOL
14 Jul, 2009
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Comments
Its nothing personal Doon, LOL we just need a bigger place, Holly (our 6 yr old) is getting bigger and taking up more and more space. :~))
14 Jul, 2009
I love your alpine Lily Ian, very pretty :)
As for making it look "like 2 amateurs havn't thrown it together" .... it doesn't look like that, the plants just need to fill out a bit - get a bit bushier.
You'll find then that the soil looks less and the plants look more.
Or, you could buy some more bedding plants and fill the area out that way, if i was moving imminently i wouldn't spend too much time and money on it (incase the new owners rip it all out and pave it over etc !).
Grasses ... some don't die down over winter, you could put some of them inbetween what's there, that'd look lovely. Try Stipa tenuissima ... grows about 18" and looks lovely.
However, if you spend too much on it all now when you move you'll have less 'disposable' (income) to dedicate to the next one.
14 Jul, 2009
It will get better as time goes on Ian especially if you improve the soil. Flowering plants need the same treatment as vegetables really. The only difference is you don't eat them. But if you're going to move I think it may be better to wait and see what sort of garden your new place has.
14 Jul, 2009
Just keep doing what your doing Ian it looks great.
14 Jul, 2009
The ballon flower is called Platycodon (or something like that) Ian.
Keep sticking the plants in!
Ps , Ian I'd definitely watch out for slugs/snails around your little Delphinium! They masacre the young shoots!
14 Jul, 2009
Wow......Thanks all for the lovely comments and of course the brill ideas. I think your probably right, I should wait until I find out for sure if we're going to move or not. :~)))
14 Jul, 2009
looking goog Ian
14 Jul, 2009
Cheers Donnah :~))
14 Jul, 2009
I knew that Paul (cough, cough) I was just testing you.
(Its all Bob's fault :~))
14 Jul, 2009
He he balloon flower sounds good to me I cannot pronounce some of these names anyways
14 Jul, 2009
Platycodon sounds like it should be chasing T. rex around. LOL and anyway I couldn't find the label
14 Jul, 2009
its all looking good Ian...........
15 Jul, 2009
Thanks Holly, :~))
15 Jul, 2009
Ian, if that white wall at the side of your garden ( at the back of your 'stringy' border in the photo ) will take a few screws in it, you could do worse than put up 2 or 3 of those half-moon planters on it....you could then grow quite a few summer bedding things, or even have one for herbs like sage, marjoram, thymes, parsley....even some mint, though it's a bit of a thug....and they'd be low enough for Holly to do the watering!
Just a thought...
;-)
17 Aug, 2009
...ps....and you could take them with you if you move!
;-)
17 Aug, 2009
Thats a good idea B. but unfortunatly its one of those pre-made concrete affairs and belongs to the neighbours. I dont think they would be to happy if it blew apart while I was drilling or collapsed afterwards (It is a good age after all) I might see if I can make something to hang over the top of it though. Hmmmmmmmm................................
17 Aug, 2009
That's a shame, Ian. I think you could definitely hang something from it though, without causing damage....thinking cap on! It would maximise your growing/display area without taking up any of Holly's play-space.
;-)
17 Aug, 2009
You've definitely given me some food for thought B. Many thanks for that. :~))
17 Aug, 2009
Good-o! Let us know what you come up with, I'm sure it'll be great!
;-)
18 Aug, 2009
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Great blog, yup, it always is fun doing a new patch of garden.
Moving, ahhh man that is so much work, why move, stay awhile.LOL.
14 Jul, 2009