May bank Holiday
By seaburngirl
15 comments
Wall to wall sunshine must be a first for ooh so many years. I decided to tackle the space that was created when the yew tree died. As you can see it is very over grown with G phaeum, Knapweed, speedwell [weed], Vinca minor ‘Bowles purple’, Cardamine pentaphyllum and several self sown cotoneasters, hollies and ivy.
Saturday I sorted the edges and left the turf to dry a bit so as to make it easier to remove the soil. I did wear lots of suncream but I did still get a bit pink by the end of Saturday. Before going in I placed a few shrubs where I think I want them to go.
I didn’t do much on the Sunday as I had too much sun on the Saturday but today I got on. I finished the edging and lifted and replanted some hellebores that had self seeded. One is whitish and the other pinkish. I also found the H argutifolius now in two areas, so clearly it has self seeded.
In total I planted 44 plants. The shrubs include a self sown Cotoneaster, but I bought Abeliophyllum distichum, Deutzea scabra, Ribes laurifolium ‘Amy Doncaster [mother’s day pressie from Toria]. A Daphne bholua and another Daphne. Both were bought last year for 4.99 and have come on in leaps and bounds.
I had to lift common snowdrops so they were split and replanted in a couple of clumps along with a group of Galanthus plicatus ‘Modern Art’,
Decision time: what was I going to fill the space with?
At the back I planted D purpurea as well as the cultivar ‘yellow spear’. Towards the back 3 Delphiniums and working forward 3 dwarf lupins, a couple of Verbascum ‘southern charm’ and Lythrum salicaria.
I then looked at the bulbs I had growing in pots. There were 3 lots of different small daffs so they have gone in as well as 2 pots of tulips, a paeony flowered in a mid purple and the darkest purple ‘queen of the night’.
Now that this bit is done, the borders that run from the drive at the front all the way round to the back along the side of the house are all done.
This is the corner that used to have wonderful silver birch but they died of old age. I affectionately call this atrocity corner as it took years to get it weeded and under some control.
The Hosta is called First frost and you can see you it in both photos.
Other flowers are doing their thing in the garden so I hope you like them.
Clematis alpina
Coryadalis ‘China Blue’
‘Molly the witch’
Cammassia leitchlinii opening nicely.
Lonicera tatarica [I think as it didn’t come with a label]
Also today I spotted several species of butterfly but only managed to get one photo.
A male orange tip feeding on honesty.
I saw a Brimstone and a pair of common blue butterflies
and then as a quick tea we had bacon and eggs.
2 eggs but what a surprise.
Hope your bank holiday was as good as mine.
7 May, 2018
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Comments
You have a wonderful selection of plants and you must be feeling very pleased to have broken the back of the problems in this large border. We had a couple of male orange tip butterflies in the garden today. I was not quick enough to get a photo. I love that green marbling with the bright orange tips on the wings. The Camassia leichlinii is proving to be a reliable bulb in our garden. I hope you can take a day off to sit and enjoy your hard work.
7 May, 2018
Good work done ... nice selection of plants and pretty orange butterfly !
8 May, 2018
Thank you for the lovely compliments. The garden is really what was described as a centrifuge garden. everything is around the edges as if they had been spun off. Part of me would love to have an island bed in the middle of it with a nice specimen tree but I also like the grass.
8 May, 2018
Must remember centrifuge garden, that's a good name.
You've really worked hard, your garden is looking a treat, well done.
8 May, 2018
Wow, looks and sounds as you have been busy. I don't think I have seen an orange tipped butterfly before. Great photo of him and of your garden and flowers. With the nice weather I spent the 3 days weeding my front garden. OH, other then cutting the grass had to work. That is the only trouble with being self employed and working from home. Saying that, I enjoyed being able to tidying up the front. ?
8 May, 2018
Your hard work has paid off SBG,it looks lovely,and I have never seen those butterflys before either,they are beautiful.
8 May, 2018
SG: If you did all that over the holiday period, what do you do when it's not a holiday? :O)
We actually did nothing for three days as so much has been happening the last few months.
As Callie commented, your hard work has definitely paid off. More power to your elbow!!
8 May, 2018
Looks lovely SBG, you have been busy! I love that coryadalis I lost my bleeding heart over winter I must get another
8 May, 2018
Oh my goodness Seaburn, you sure did get stuck in didn't you, not that I blame you, as you know I work that way myself and worry about the aches later, having said that, it has actually been too hot here over the weekend, gardening had to be done early mornings or in the evenings, not complaining mind as we surely waited long enough didn't we... I really like the descriptions you give to your garden, atrocity corner made me smile, I have areas with names that mean something to me, lol, nice job you've made of edging your lawns, I'm absolutely useless at that job, I admire other peoples but cheated on mine many years ago and used bricks and edging stones, I always ended up with curves in the wrong places...Lovely photo's Seaburn, you have a very good selection of plants and shrubs, I was quite taken with the China Blue Corydalis and that lovely Clematis, I'm s'posed to be controlling myself this year and not buying a lot...
8 May, 2018
Magnificent! :)
9 May, 2018
Eirlys, holidays like bank holidays are definitely stay at home days away from the mad throngs [even when we both worked we had quiet days at home]. Rest of the time I read, sew, knit and embroider then OH and I go for walks, motor bike rides and sailing. I am planning to do much more general 'titivating' gardening this year once all the borders are properly weeded. I still have 2 large beds to tackle then its treating the garden like 'painting the forth bridge'.
Lincs and SK would you like some C. China blue later in the year when I can lift it?
9 May, 2018
Sbg you really did go for it but I`m sure the aching limbs will be a price worth paying. Those lovely wide borders are going to look stunning.
10 May, 2018
I must be getting fitter as nothing ached and the sun kissed skin didn't go red and peel. Perhaps I have a gardening angel now.
I plan to sort the greenhouse today as the pots that have been used and discarded need to be put back in the shed. the toms are in their final pots ready to go in the greenhouse border. the cucumber is already in and growing well.
10 May, 2018
It makes such a diference when the flower beds are sorted out. Your garden is looking lovely.
10 May, 2018
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You have a marvelous garden, SBG! ??
I like lots of the plants you have as well. Not much room on a balcony for most of them unfortunately!
The Coryadalis ‘China Blue’ drew my attention! It looks like a very pretty blue & the flowers are rather unusual a well.
7 May, 2018