Messy Bits!

Brilliant Susanne - great idea, and thank you for making me laugh! I'm sure you've made many of us feel MUCH better :))

Well - I hope so, Sheila! Gardens are a work in progress, and I think we should always have something that still needs to be done, improved but never quite completed. And that is one thing I can truly claim to have achieved! ?

Go Melchi! Couch grass is horrid isn't it? There's always at least one or two of natures 'thugs' muscling in on our efforts. I feel sorry for myself because I have ground Elder. But your photo reminded me of when Couch grass was my enemy...in my last garden. Lovely bluebells..i saw the first ones here today..down the road.

Thanks, Karen. Hybrid bluebells, I'm afraid, but I still love them. They seed all over the place. I pull them up as soon as they've flowered in an attempt to stop them seeding, but most of the bulbs survive my "weeding". I wouldn't be without them. I got rid of my ground elder by picking it every year. It was in the wild area where I really did not want to clear everything, and after a few seasons it gave up the ghost. But if course, it wasn't in the way of anything important. It would be quite nice if it wasn't such a thug. The couch grass, now, is another matter!

Yes, I agree. Its a pity its a thug as its very pretty foliage! I'll keeep pulling and spraying. :)

Melchi I'm proud of you for showing, its raining so won't be popping out for pics but as I said during that discussion I do have my areas and that does include my bottom g'house, they are work in progress places not showpieces, I'm lucky as my troublesome groundelder is at the front and comes up every year in the driveway and I also have mares tail comes through from my neighbour at the other side, in 40yrs of living here I've never managed to stop it as they cultivate the darn stuff......

Ground elder is amazingly resilient, and spreads under fences as well. I am fortunate that mine was confined to a small area in one corner. I love my garden, weeds and all, and I get so much pleasure from it. I don't mind the messy areas too much! I just have fun gradually taming (some of) them!

What I see here is a picture perfect view of life:)

Thank you, Loosestrife!

Great stuff Melchi, you beat me to it - I haven't even been outside to do mine yet. will make an effort to get on with it asap!

I await with bated breath, Stera!

Done it Melchi - it was a lot easier than taking good shots!

Yes, I'm afraid I found that, too!

You do make me laugh Mel ! I've just been looking at Lincslass's blog on the "hidden bits" also ! Our garden is not big enough to have these areas ! I just love your green house ! Hahaa! Job for a rainy day then !

I am somewhat ashamed of the greenhouse, Rose, but I said I'd show the worst bits, so I did!

Never mind Mel ! Its a rainy day job ! Hahaa!

Well, if I can work out where to store the garden furniture and the other bits and pieces, I might be able to reclaim the greenhouse for myself! Trouble is, I don't want to spare the space for a shed - mine in the outhouse is a converted coal bunker. Not much room there once the mower, shredder and leaf-blower + tools are stored! It's a perennial garden problem, though, isn't it? And it doesn't stress me too much! Now I've come clean, I shall never show another photo of the messy bits! Perhaps you'll all forget about them . . . ?

I know just what you mean, Hb, as you can see from the pictures! I have great admiration for the many beautiful gardens there are, because I know how much dedication they require. But I just love mine, and over the years it has gradually improved and matured. And I'm certainly never stuck for something to do!

I love ivy, too, though we have just had common ivy cut through that was gradually engulfing the contorted willow. I shan't allow it to get to that state again because of the sheer weight of it. I have loads of common ivy, especially down at the bottom in the wild patch. I just cut it back along the side walls. Some grows from next door to me, and some back the other way! I also have a thick screen of the large-leaved cream and green ivy. I planted it about 15 years ago in a large container with some trellis behind it to hide the bins. It does remarkably well.