The good the bad and the ugly

Wow, how many pots do you have? lol. I do projects.....................so I can totally understand where you are going. But, it all looks great. You seem to have a good sized area to work with. Go girl go.................! Jx

I have LOADS and LOADS of space.........want to lift some slabs and get some more grass back..that way wont feel so bad when I widen the border at the wooden fence...hubby against it til mini doodle bigger, she plays on her bike an scooter on the patio. I have dozens of pots on the go...Ive decided the big front "bit" is getting a diamond shaped lawn and rest lifted for flowers.... the smaller more sloped side going to get all the turf lifted after Ive savaged the hedges some more....then shrubs roses and bedding going in there:) Just need to take it a bit at a time :)

Great wee blog Magna.....the good all look good too me. Keep an eye on watering thos primulas....they won't like to dry out!! I always find that when I divide primulas they do a bit better in the ground somewhere. That's just my opinion of course.
The bad and the ugly - don't think I know enough to give much help on things!
Not good on hedges - I pay a wee guy to trim mine twice a year!! Have never had any success with Aubretia!
Your honeysuckle will take from cuttings very easy if you want more of that. Those ferns in you 'skip' area are fabulous, those will also lift and divide if needed.
Once the Echinacea gets going it too will prefer to be in the ground.
Id's not my department I'm afraid :)
I'll leave the rest for other to comment as I just don't know!!!!!

Just keep up the good work Magna!! xxx

Thanks Scottish, Im going to move the bracken/fern up to the back under the Elder tree, theres already one up there so these are going to keep it company. I am going to put everything in the ground when it gets dry enough for me to lift the turf and get the ground turned over, got a 70 litre compost bag waiting to get added in the front. The honey suckle has already made itself into another wee bush at the front that Ive just been chopping bits off to keep it relatively tidy.... hoping I can lift the full clump of that and move at some point,,,,as the old pond feature is going to skip corner at some point.......time and weather causing delays (working full time) Weather needs to sort itself out as I have LOTS to do :) Just hoping to find out what the seeds are so I can put to front or back of "borders" once they are ready....some going to the neighbours (am going to do a bit in mr 2 door ups front for him as thankyou for the greenhouse) Its going to be a long haul!!!! Mr LOATHES gardens...he only likes lawns - refuses to help so its Girl Power again with me and Mini doodle :)

Thanks BBM x :) It is a bit embarrasing putting up pics when its all still a bit crap looking....but I know you can all see past it like me and get an idea of what it could be (correction - is going to be)....going to need LOTS of help with finalising ideas I have

Think the little round leaves in seed box might be nasturtions(spelling?) and those wee green shoots poking through might be chickweed which pulls up easily.!! Otherwise things are growing and all will look good once we get some sun and warmth.

i thought nasturtium but dont remember planting them lol....a few more weeks should hopefully tell - think they *might* be chickweed as well as have had that grow here before - but bittercress more of a problem in that area - going to give it another few weeks to see what we end up with...just in case they are minis, going to thin them out soon (gonna try salvage what I pull - watch this space - in a few weeks I will probably find ive been cultivating weeds heheheee)

Your pics aren't embarrassing Magna - gardens have all got to start somewhere haven't they?!! Sounds like there's loads you've got planned already but you can't do it all at once, even with the help of mini doodle ;o) I'm just starting out too but I've got so many ideas from looking at other people's gardens on here, now I just need a bit more time, energy and better weather lol!

Sorry, but I love the reference to Edward Scissorhands hedge :))

You have lovely selection of pots - and I do adore your ivy wall!!! You also have 2 gorgeous looking ferns in the what you say ugly part - should have seen ours when the make over was going on - about 6 trips to the tip! plus I do not know why council cannot take plant pots in plastic tubs - it does annoy me , so being good I take them to rigid plastic down tip. Heucheras probably been a bit drowned this year - one small one we have georgia peach I am praying for . Your garden has lots of potential :)))))))

Your project is great and I look forward to seeing a lovely garden emerge from it all! The Aubretia won't do very much more this year now, but watch out next year - it'll be going for world domination!

Great blog Magna ;o)
After the makeover is done, you'll be able to look back on this and feel proud of all the work you've put in ...
I'm no good for giving advice. I need plenty myself lol.

Thanks again everyone :) its finally stopped raining, but can't go work outside as its Fathers day......hubby would rather I scrubbed skirting boards or some such ..,,, :) he is a great hubby most of the time lol :)

Oooh, thanks for the reminder, I'd completely forgotten that was today!! I was about to ask my dad to come round and fix my heating too - I'd best come up with something a bit better than that as a prezzie hadn't I lol??!

Magna, the thing that stuck out to me was your comment regarding the heucheras from the front garden which you moved to a pot. You say they'd been in 2 years, but the roots were just coiled round and round the rootball. After 2 years they should have penetrated the surrounding soil, so this suggests that the soil needs improving big time, by digging thoroughly and incorporating as much humus rich material as you can get hold of - not potting compost, but things like soil conditioning compost, well rotted animal manure, good home made garden compost, that kind of thing.
I suspect the things popping up in the border are in fact weeds... along with the large 'present from the birds' against the fence in one of the pics...

I'm going to see what the raspberries taste like before I chop the canes down, and getting some manure from local riding school, I've started a wee corner for my own compost, It's probably going to be next year before the front is ready for planting, might risk some shrubs or roses in autumn...... You could throw pots with the soil just now after all the rain last few days!! Thanks for the advice x

Yes, it does look very heavy, your soil. Grit would be a good thing to add, along with loads of humus rich stuff.

Shall be adding aggregate to the list too then, will be utilising company discounts at trade centres I think! Do I just ask for grit, or is there a technical term I should be using? X it started raining again, just had to tip excess water off my tubs and containers..... All the bigger ones do have crocks in base but still waterlogged..... I refuse to get frustrated and disheartened......, all good things n all that! X

Horticultural grit is what you need, not sure if builders merchants stock that - good garden centres do though. But I'd recommend you spend more money on humus rich products than you do on grit - garden centre sells soil conditioning compost and composted animal manure.

I'm sure we have an account with b and q....... Will research tomorrow x

A note of caution - the last time I enquired about soil conditioning compost at B & Q, I was told they'd got loads - when I got there, it was all potting compost, mostly multi purpose or John Innes or a mix of the two. Seems they didn't understand the difference...

Thanks again Bamboo x will double check with you guys before I part with any hard earned cash x

FYI...Bamboo and Magna....B&Q never used to do Soil conditioning compost in the old range. They now have it now they have changed to Verve. I bought some myself this year.

Yes, I realised they didn't sell it once I got there last year - what was irritating was being told they did before making the trek (a mission from where I live).

I hate being advised to go somewhere to get something and once you get there....zilch!!!! Pain in the butt to say the least Bamboo!!!

My sister drove some miles to a supplier of some fancy stuff to use instead of tiling - the manufacturer told her they were a stockist. When she got there, they said they'd never heard of it - but the outcome was fine, she argued with them and insisted they ring the manufacturer, which they didn't - but what they did do was scour their stock lists and eventually found it. And the guy who was serving confessed he'd never heard of it and didn't know they sold it... I bet they've not sold much, lol!

Probably not Bamboo...with staff like that they may have ceased trading :)