shrub 38 October

Have you fed 'Mr Blobby Bush' Fran? Or what about a nice standard rose there, tastefully surrounded by in season plantings. That is quite a good size circle to put your own stamp on. My Blobby Bush is looking a bit 'twiggy' as well. I have a feeling that spireas need to be regularly cut well back, or they lose their good looks. Is it a Spirea?.

I gave all the shrubs food via watering can in summer, everu couple of weeks, but this one put out what flowers it did in spring.

I've still no idea what it is, but it's taking up a lot of space for not much result. it put out some tiny white flowers - when I first saw them I thought, Oh, good, the shrub will be covered in them! but it put out only a couple of small patches. Maybe it needs exztra TLC, but not knowing what it is makes it difficult to target what to do when, and how much.

I'd thought of a Mock Orange; I've wanted one for ages, the scent is said to be one of the strongest plant scents.

The circle is beig enough to get a ring of smaller plants with one larger one in the middle. When I was first digging the beds, any bulb I found around the edges went intot he "ring bed", so ther should be a good display of crocus next season!

I'd thought about taking the front lawn out - it's not doing much, and it's not as if I'd sit out in the front. Besides, the garden slopes, and it's hard to work; kneeling by the side beds means I'm leaning at an angle, which didn't do my back any good! I'd thought of getting the garden "stepped" - each step level, with a small riser, and then grave it: I could put lotsof planters out and not have to worry about stabilising them on sloping ground.

I'd sort of like to get rid of the middle shrub, but I don't know if it oculd be got out alive, even if someone was willing to take it.

I really need to get in touch with some local garden group, to see if htey can ID it, and the other shrubs that I still don't have a name for.

Not seen you on GoY for a while Fran. Hope you can ID this bush or get it removed. I have done my cleared short border and planted 4 rose roots and several small bags of bulbs. Put the tête-à-tête a daffodil bulbs under Roseanne geranium and hope they bloom first!

I've been a bit up and down, Dorjac, not sure why, or what to do about it. Grin and bear it, I suppose! Hope your roses take, still not found an ID for this beast. should have a good display this yeawr, given that i planted about 250 bulbs in March! plus the ones i relocated while i was digging the beds.

I can get a bit down this time of year too Fran. Jack had a pneumonia vaccination yesterday and out of sorts all day. All that banging, clocks going back and darkness, colder etc can get at you. Hope you perk up soon. Go forth and slaughter the blobby bush...that might help! Our garden helper has pruned the vine right back and done a final lawn cut. Makes the place look more tidy.

thanks Dorjac: it's partly the season, I think, and partly realising that I've now been here a whole year and there's still so much to be done - most of it I can't do myself, and I have to book the handymen a fortnight in advance, so there's always more time to look at the mess than there is time to do anything about it.

my gardener hasn't been for a month or so - he did his back in, phones me now and then to let me know how he's getting on; he had an operation for trapped nerves in his back, he'll be out of action for a couple of months at least. I told him the grass would keep, it's more important that he rests and heals properly, but I'd like someone to chat to about things, options and ideas. lol even a visit now and then would break the monotony!

But i've been outside a bit more the last week, not doing much, but at least outside.

lol I've given that shrub a formal last warning: if it don't produce something that makes it worth keeping this spring, it won't be kept!