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Garden Projects 2009 - Part 3 - Progress Report...

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Hello again, dispite mother nature throwing everything she has at us this month and the obvious distraction for all us florists – Valentines Day… I have managed to get quite a bit done…

8th Feb…..
Well a start has been made on the fairy garden..

Starting to take shape nicely…

..ok so proberly not that clear what is going on here…and to be honest i am likely to forget what i have planted where … so maybe this will help…

…please forgive the lack of drawing tallents! lol

1) Deutzia ‘Strawberry Fields’
2) At the moment just a few plant suports to mark the space, – but this will be an obelisk with a Clematis growing up.
3) Cornus stolonifera (yellow stem Dogwood)
4) Combination group planting of Blue Lupin and White Liatris
5) Euphorbia x martinii
6) Will be another little DIY project in the near future, of an insect home, made from logs, and around the base of it i will plant some ferns and hostas, and i will include one or two of Treesandthings fairy doors.
7) Forsythia
8) Astilbe (tall creamy/white variety)
9) some hyacinth bulbs rescued from the shop and some more white Liatirs, i will proberly fill the gaps here with my dwarf white mallow plants and Bellis daisy
10) Aubrietia ‘Kitte Purple’ – moved over from the ti-pi area.
11) Silene uniflora – moved from ti-pi area
12) Liriope muscari ‘Goldbanded’ – moved from the ti-pi area
13) Tamarix aphylla

The large round circle at the front with 3 little circles in, represents the 3 pots i have put in place just to mark out the place where i will be putting my bog/water garden.

16th Feb…….
After a busy weekend in the flower shop, Brooke and I have been back out there today, ofcourse I have changed my mind on one or two things – as you do, and done a bit more digging and planting, and the obelisk is now in place, not so sure if it goes to be honest. We looked at a few, I did prefer the black one, but Brooke insisted apon this silver one, – as it looks like a rocket…she nearly knocked out an old couple playing rockets on the way to the cash desk with it – well you can imagine lol I’m not as taken by it as she is, but this garden is just as much for her, so she has to have a little bit of a say does’nt she. We’ll have to see what it looks like once the Clematis grows up it and we have leaf on the shrubs and trees around it, it might not stand out so much (like a sore thumb if i’m honest!…ssshhhh don’t tell her i said that!)lol…and if not well I have seen a really nice black one I like, you never know the silver rocket may just decide to take off one day and fly far…far away while she is at school tetetete ;-) – no just joking i would’nt really…never know it may well grow on me.


I have decided to leave out the insectopia idea, i think it will take up too much space, and to be honest i think the other side of this willow screen (next doors dumping area behind there shed) already has the whole insectopia thing going on. i think i will include a toad hall, and maybe a hedghog house at the back somewhere, amonst the ferns and fairy doors. but i am going to use the space for more shrubs. I have moved along the Water/bog garden, which i still have’nt got around to getting yet. Time and money time and money lol – well get there in the end….

All in all think it’s coming along nicely….

23rd Feb….
Only had about an hour today, while Brooke at School, and as the Te-pi willow has arrived, so I had to sort all of that out and put it into water…but that is a story for another blog. So anyway, I decided to get the hanging basket clip and bird house I bought in the sales at Christmas in place….

There…Brooke thinks the birds built it. ah bless, can’t wait to see what she will make of the fairy doors!

24/25th Feb……
Well over the last two days I have been working hard to get as much done of this bed as possible, really so that i can move accross the plants that are in the way of where the te-pi will be going….I have managed to get some help for that at the weekend. Anyway here’s where I am with the bed extenstion….

Not bad considering I am lucky to get an hour a day out there.

Still a lot to do the other side, but i am pleased with progress. The pot at the front will eventually be a bog/water garden…it has moved a few times, but i think this location will be perfect, I have seen some really nice ones, just don’t have the funds available just now.

And now on to……..

…mmmmm quite a bit of work to be done here…any of you intereted in live willow structures keep an eye out for the next blog…..

More blog posts by majeekahead

Previous post: Due To Advers Weather Conditions....Alternative Activities In The Garden....

Next post: Garden Projects 2009 Part 4 - How to Build A Willow Te-Pi



Comments

 

I like the curvy shapes of your borders, and the planting is good with interesting shrub choices.

Re. obelisks ~
once they have plants on them, you sometimes can hardly see them at all, especially if one of the climbers is evergreen.

I get a bit confused when I look at photos of your borders re. the fencing. How many different types of fence do you have around your back garden? Seems to be a variety ?

Fascinating blog, and I'll be watching progress :o)

25 Feb, 2009

 

I am impressed by the way you have drawn a plan, stuck to it and used the plan so that you start with a section of border and plant it before lifting the next bit of grass. Much more organised than my gardening.

25 Feb, 2009

 

Coming on great, you put me to shame, I want to dig my new borders and take out old shrubs but im being lazy at the minute Majeekahead :) either that or im a bit overwhelmed at all that needs done, ill get stuck in soon i keep promising myself..
I have the same thoughts as TT, is the metal fencing your neighbours, or is it to section off a play area for Brooke? Also I can't help but think your Lawn should be 2 Circles with a path joining the 2 together where your Trellis is..

25 Feb, 2009

 

Angie has just put a photo on GoY which shows the more of the fencing and garden shape.

25 Feb, 2009

 

Do you know, Angie, I can't help but agree with Dee - that would look different and interesting - just a couple of paving slabs would do it! :-)

25 Feb, 2009

 

Working hard Angie and it shows,love the way you always include little Brooke......

25 Feb, 2009

 

You shamed me into drawing up my own set of plans for the very back of my garden Angie. That, of course, means I actually have to work on it.!! It's not just talk anymore. LOL
I am enjoying your progress blogs. Very interesting.
I'm interested in your bog garden. I've been thinking of trying one out myself. What are going to use for the bog? Are you going to dig a hole and line it or are you using a tub with holes in the bottom?

26 Feb, 2009

 

Thanks all of you, and yes i do know what you mean DD and Spritz, the only thing is it will be more than just a couple of slabs, there is approx 15ft between the 2 halves of garden, with the washing line area inbetween, i have actually thought about doing something along these lines in the furture, and maybe paving the area where the washing line is, but the fact of the matter is while Brooke is still bike riding age, i am better off with grass here, the way she steems down the garden would be dangerous if this area was paved, - the garden is very uneven, which to be honest is the main reason that i have no path. but it is something to think about for the future once she grows out of this faze lol i had also thought about arch ways as well which would completely divide the garden. but its all about devopement over time, as we grow and our needs for the garden change, so will the garden! i am completely happy now with the shape, although that may change in time lol

and Gilli, i have'nt yet decided weather it will be a bog or a water garden, at the moment i am leaning towards water, i have seen some really nice half barrels with some sort of small solar powered fountain or something, not too sure about this though due to the Brooke factor, again it may be one that will progress over time, starting as a bog garden - in the half barrel and then as she gets to old for falling in i will make it a water feature. who knows.

and as for the fencing yes it is a bit of a mishmash, the fence on the left is ours - the awful chicken wire. to be honest just not had the sort of cash needed to change it. and the gardens are so long and thin, a high fence would completely block light, which i don't want. when we moved in i spoke to the guy that lives this side and we are both in agreement that we would prefer a natural screen or low fence rather than a tall fence so i have been planting a number of shrubs along this fence to hide it ofcourse it will be a few years before it will look like anthing, but i am hoping in the end it will look like a mixed natural hedge, some evergreen some not, well that is the idea, the other side unfortuately i have no control over, upto where the new bit of garden i have just dug over is, belongs to my nextdoor neighbours, then the last bit is backing onto an ally, and is the responisblity of the houses over the back, apprently each house is responsible for one or two pannels! - have you ever herd anything like it!!!! the bit of willow screen in the middle is my doing as my next door neighbour could not get posts in around the base of the trees (or this was his excuse) so left that bit as it is at the back of his shed anyway - which he uses as a dumping ground! mmm...nice view in the middle of my garden! hense the odd bounderies. as you can see i have many trellis up them so i am hoping in time you will not see any of them and lets face it lots of space for growing climbers! and DD you will have to wait for the next blog to see what i do with the back corner! ;-)

26 Feb, 2009

 

Fascinating ~ all your various fencing !

I was interested, Ang, to see the answer you gave for the 'continuous lawn' as I guessed right ! It would be "Brooke on wheels" Lol. Totally understandable that you need that style of lawn for a while, and you can alter it later.

I have the same situation in my back garden in that I like to have a lawn area with no paving, for my dogs to practise tricks, which include those with wheels, such as pushing toy prams, toy wheelbarrows, toy mowers etc. Lol. :o)

26 Feb, 2009

 

Yeah i know just what you mean, ideally i would love to have much less grass, as long as i have a little bit to sit on or have a picnic etc i am happy, i would love to do so much more with it and cutting the grass is not my favorite job either, but it has to be practical does'nt it. and lets face it Brooke will only be this age for a very short while, i have to make the most of it don't i, she loves the garden at the moment it is mainly bike riding/playing digging up worms etc. so i need to have room and safety for all her many activities. i am hoping in time she will get more into the plant side of things and want to be more involved in that with me, which will be great, and when that time comes the gareden will develope with us, which is all part of the fun me thinks....

26 Feb, 2009

 

Your garden is coming on very nice, I dont thing you will notice your obelisk when your climbers grow up it.

26 Feb, 2009

 

Hi Majeekhead, Your garden is Gorgeous and of course you have to think of Brooke when designing, as you say she wont stay this age forever, :) I was thinking of a grass path which is already there, Sorry I didn't make myself Clear haha I have a habit of doing that, sort of think people can read my mind :) And The Back corner, Come on give me a Clue :))) I love new Projects...So hurry up girl hehe..

26 Feb, 2009

 

Thanks clarice, i think you are proberly right (hope so! lol), and DD ohhh! i see, yes grass path is kind of what i am going for for now, ofcourse will proberly become some sort of paved path in future as less grass cutting lol- hurry up? - you cheaky! :-) i don't think i have done too bad so far! lol interested in Willow structures DD? and you wont have to wait long for the next installment thats all i will say!

27 Feb, 2009

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