Finally Plants :D

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Hey guys thought it was about time I gave you a peek into my (well sort of mine) gardens. Would you believe I’ve been trying to write this for nearly two weeks!

I actually managed to get some time off from work where it wasn’t raining. Spent Saturday and Sunday (two weeks ago) in my OHs garden attacking weeds in the back garden and Monday and Tuesday in my (well my parents) garden.

In my OHs garden my very kind and helpful mom and I managed to clear masses of mares tail and overgrown grass (mostly mares tail) to take the garden from this:

To this:

And look what we found buried amongst the weeds:

Pretty sures its a peony. I do remember seeing some red flowers peeking through the weeds that I had thought was probably a poppy, apparently not lol. Anyway only got the other half of the garden to clear now. At this stage this is the most I have seen of this garden in nearly 4 years! OH not that big on gardens. I’m currently trying to convince him to let me dig up his front garden lol.

Back at home I’d already cleared a lot of the weeds and dead stuff out of the garden during my last break, so this time round I’d planned to dig the border, get rid of any remaining weeds, incorporate a load of compost into the soil and then go plant shopping :D. I could hardly wait to start. Since I had finally managed to get my hands on a pH test kit, I started off by testing my soil. Neutral soil (pH 7 ish) thats a good thing I think. Although, perhaps thats why the one Rhododendron has started complaining somewhat. Its really not happy:

This is what the border looked like before I got started on the Monday:

After a long and enjoyable day digging and weeding and the occasional bit of pruning in places this was the end result:

Tuesday was the really fun day. My nan and I went plant shopping :D, its so much fun looking at all the lovely plants. Its a good job I had my nan with me to stop me from going mad, she kept me down to earth (mostly) and steered me to the perenials, well the few we could find. After a lovely day out I came home with three lovely plants (dissapointed I couldn’t find more perenials):
Two lovely salvia nemorosa’s (new dimension blue and new dimension rose)

and a lovely little Dianthus Romance Cottage Pink (photo taken a week or so after planting, the photo I took at the time didn’t work very well)

After much debate on where to place them in the very empty flower bed I eventually decided and planted them (sorry photo didn’t work that well):

Sunday last week after dropping my mom and dad off at the airport I had a little side trip to the garden centre at Wychbold. Nice place a little on the expensive side but has some nice plants. Didn’t get any plants there. Was very tempted by several, but discovered (after asking the staff) that one was a very expensive annual (think I’ll grow my own next year – if I can remember what it was lol) and the others weren’t frost hardy. Not good for where I wanted it. Shame it was a gorgeous Coleus would have looked brilliant behind the lilac. Anyway I left there and stopped by Homebase. Brought a nice little Aster Victoria (Michaelmass Daisy). Was very temped by a few others but since I wasn’t sure what they were, took photos to come back and research. Glad I didn’t since again not frost hardy. Grr why can’t they put more information on plant tags? They would certainly sell me more plants lol. Went out and planted the Aster in the week. Love the bright flowers at the base of the Euonymous:

Popped round to my nans in the week to take her milk and came home with this:

She’s grown it from a cutting for mom (who surprise, surprise forgot all about it lol) so she gave it to me instead. Shes got the parent plant in the garden, its get big bunches of little pink flowers on (kind of makes me think of cotton wool in a way). Nan couldn’t remember what it was called though. Any ideas? Talked to nan about where to plant and she was pretty sure it should be ok where I have now planted it. Between the dianthus, the lilac and the fence. It should get enough water there, despite the lilac and fence. (Pictures to come)

Now all I need is a few more plants, I’m thinking about a couple of evergreens of some sort to add a bit of year round interest around the lilac, it tends to get very bare in winter. And if I can find one that is happy in part shade, a climber, thinking about planting it by the fence where the border narrows to the right of the lilac (as you look at it). Was thinking a rose or clematis or Jasminium but am not set on anything. What cha think guys. I have seen in a GC in Stafford (get around don’t I lol) some really small clematis and jasminiums which are only £3.50 (great for my budget). Wasn’t too certain which to go for though, considering the site. Also would they be big enough to survive winter outside?

Next step (other than plants) is to sort the rest out. I have several pots which are crying out for flowers (two big blue ones and several smaller ones), plus the shade border, once the fence has been replaced. I’m also trying to decide what to do further down the garden. We have a Rose of Sharron (getting quite big again – amazing considering we thought the winter had finished it off). Originally the lawn was planted right up to the rose of sharron but every spring masses of bluebells come up and kill the lawn again. I’m thinking about turing the patch into a semi-circular border and possibly connecting it to the border (I’ve just dug and planted) further up the garden. Not sure though yet. Don’t know what I could plant, as the crocosmia would shade and pretty much cover most of the border I have in mind. What do you think?

Can’t believe how much I’m enjoying gardening, even the tough bits like digging the borders and climbing up things to cut back the ivy (lol I was stood on the chair Sunday night on the deck trying to reach the top of the ivy, before it gets in next doors house). Can’t wait to get out again and get the next plant in or carry on trimming the ivy or start working on the other borders. Even dealing with the grass. I’m really looking forward to next spring so I can start growing my own plants from seed, rather than paying the sometimes horendous prices for plants in the GCs. I think I may have caught the bug lol, hope no one finds a cure :P.

• 26 Jul, 2011
• 4 likes

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