Quince 35 as it was

That was well clipped back Fran.

You've done a wonderful job on it!

Thanks Dorjac and Karen. It wasn't me that did the cutting back - the Housing Association said they'd get a gardener to cut everything back for me, then it'd be up to me to keep it like it.

just wondering, though: having seen the pics of this srhub as it is now, any idea how long it might take to get to how it is in this pic? not thinking years (the HA would'nt have let the property stand empty for any longer than they had to) but could all this be one year's, ie one seeason's, uncontrolled growth?

no Fran. These are slow growers. You'll be able to keep it lovely and trained if you just remove any outward facing shoots, and leave the ones that are growing close to the shed. Also just keep trimming off any long shoots. I'm no expert at pruning these, but that's what I used to do to mine and it never suffered....in the summer, after flowering is finished.

thanks, Karen. This is all terra incognita to me, never had charge of anything this big before. I'll have to practice carefully; lol try one side "firm" and the other side "soft" and compare!

I just wondered how long the plants had been neglected - must have been some time before the place became available for letting. Otherwise I'll have my work cut out keeping it all in trim!

Yes...perhaps they just didn't want to see the shed at all!

lol could be! but all the other shrubs were similarly overgrown, so maybe the previous tenant couldn't handle them and didn't get anyone else in to do it for them

Yes, most likely. Never mind, they have a more attentive carer now Fran!

lol yes indeed! once someone shows me how to, and more importantly, how much to, and when - just call me "snapper" ha!

Can we see a picture of the quince in full bloom Fran?Glad to see you have an outside tap to attach your hose reel onto Fran. The gates look new as well.

I've never seen it in bloom, Dorjac. I did a "now and then" comparison, September 2013 and March 2014 - then it was wildly oergrown and all green, no flowers in sight.

I wrapped the outdoor tap in bubble wrap to protect it from the cold; not sure if it would be needed, but rather do it and not need it than need it and not do it!

I hope only to use the hose for jet-washing the paving and watering the lawn, but if there's a long no-rain period I'll need it to water the beds as well. (hope the hose on the reel is ok, it was there when I moved in. I've got a hose anyway, in case, but it'd be a drag to have to unwind the current hose and fix and wind my hose on)

The fence and gate are fairly new, I think; certainly newer than the fence alongside it!

The gate does look fresh and unweathered. When
I bought my latest hose from B&Q it was not fixed in properly at the inner end and the whole thing needed to be unravelled and refined. I was really annoyed as they are not cheap. So you hopefully have a bargain there Fran. Looks like it has an adjustable spray end on it too.

I have several attachements from my hose that might fit it as well, Dorjac. The only one I've used is a plant food jar which the hose spracys out - the only snag is that there's no on/offff", so it starts spraying as soon as you turn the tap on - by the time you get to the nozzle end half the food has already been sprayed out! I'll have to check if the hose on the reel works, and if so, if my attachments will fit.

The tap is at a 45o angle - no doubt handy for attachign the hose to, but a pain to try to fill a bucket from! so i might get a dual tap and leave the hose permanantly connected.