Opportunities?

A lovely blog :) Its nice to see you're being so positive after loosing so many of your friends... hopefully these next ones will survive longer!

Or better still... we stop having evil winters like the last one

and the one before it... and the one before that.

enjoyed your blog barbara and everything looking lovely even after thinking some were dead, lovely thanx for showing :o))

You certainly are positive about your losses Barbara and I love your new choices. I had a well established and large cordyline that looked dead and out it came. I COULD have left it but even if it had survived I didn`t want a large empty space in the middle of the garden for years to come. I`ve already replanted the area and am very happy with the results. . :o)

Great blog Barbara with so many lovely photos. What a shame about your Griselinia, I have 2 - 'Bantry Bay' and 'Limelight' as well as a couple of the green ones but all seem to have come through intact. I bought a Sophora just after Christmas-a bargain at half price. Not such a bargain now as it's dead! If only I'd kept the receipt :o( I love your pic of it with the rain drops. With my small garden I'm quite glad of those "planting opportunities", I just wish my Phormium had died!

That was a great blog Barbara. I really enjoyed it, and seeing all your lovely new plants...great. Can I just bring a word of warning though....if your lamium is like mine....you'll be digging out the seedlings next year, thousands of the blinking blighters!! Remember, I thought I'd cleared my stepping stone path area of it.....oh no! So I still have to set about it again!

I too enjoyed your blog, I must admit I admire your plant knowledge and remembering the latin names too - I struggle to say them never mind remembering them, I have the same problems with common names too lol.

Thanks, all. I HAD to 'think positive' or I'd have cried. Nor do I like spaces in the garden!

Yes, Karen - I almost put in the blog that the Lamium will be back - I realise that. I'm determined to keep on top of it, though. It-will-not-beat-me! LOL.

Lily - I was shocked to find my Griselinia had died. I'm glad yours are safe. The colour of the leaves is so lovely, isn't it. Sorry you lost your Sophora as well. :-(

Kf - I just enjoy learning the names...I do forget sometimes, of course. ;-/

Barbara...you've really worked hard to get all of these new plants in situ....I do hope they will all give you a great show as they grow and mature :)

I've favourited this blog as you have such a wide variety of plants and like Kfunsters I have trouble remembering names of plants (common or latin names...a steep learning curve for me).

Great blog, Barbara.

Sorry to hear about your losses Barbara and welcome to my World. I am so careful (having learnt the hard way) what I can grow. Gave up one hebes long ago, have to stay with proper hardy ones but appreciate what a shock that Winter was for you being so far south.

Thank you, Whl. That's very kind of you. :-))

Dawn, it was unimaginable to lose so many Hebes. They WERE hardy - for many years. I've recently planted some dwarf ones in a new border - and I checked every one on the Hebe Society website!

There's hardy, very hardy and winter-in-thirty-years hardy - unfortunately we're all learning the hard way what won't take the latter. I'm amazed at what has survived in my garden although I had some losses too.
As you say, look on it as an opportunity

Spritz I do like your positive attitude, its heartbreaking to lose so much but you got stuck in and now will have the pleasure of caring for your new shrubs and planted up areas, I look forward to more blogs letting us know of their progress.. As usual very good blog with lovely photos....

Considering the amount of plants you lost, and the obvious affection you had for them, you have developed an excellent, 'It's an opportunity, not just a loss' attitude. Spritz, a lot of the plants I lost, I broke my heart over, because my lovely Mum had watched the garden develop over the first couple of years we had come to live here, and I had also propagated some of her favourite plants from home, to bring to this garden. They were doing really well, but sadly we lost Mum about six years ago, and a lot of her plants which had grown really well, didn't survive the last winter. It was a bit like I had lost another little piece of her again. Sorry to be a bit maudlin, but just reading your interesting blog, your great attitude really struck a good note with me...and I will now look on the empty gaps as opportunities, and not just losses. Thank you again Spritz!

Stiff upper lip and all that.......well done, the new planting is a great success, and I love your choice of plants.
We lost mostly grasses and Restios, and large chunks of Montanas, but amazingly we found a banana plant growing in the jungle it is now over three ft, no protection whatsoever, we did not know it was there!!
My poor brother in (Nottingham) who opens for the NGS lost an enormous amount of well established shrubs,so I count myself very lucky......

What an interesting and positive blog, Barbara - like Whiston, I've also added it to my favourites as it's so full of useful info. You've made some really imaginative choices there, and you can't go wrong with a Nandina!

I'm impressed that you've managed to plant so much when the soil is so dry - you must have treated it well over the years. Love the Chamaecytisus 'Purpureus', will see if I can find one.

lovely blog as usual.
lovely to replace the plants casualties, but as we have said before, an opportunity to try something different.

they will be an assett to the garden.
I too am waging war on lamium as i have trilliums to get in the garden.

lovely blog as allways spriz .............. my patoe vine was not looking happy either , so cut it down and its now growing agaoin . not bin on a while as busy with work , now on our hols , just days out .............. it was my BIG birthday on monday !! so enjoying the time off lol ............ looks like you had great wether there , rain rain rain here urggg , still dosent keep me in !!!
lots of love pics , wish i cud get there to see it .

My, you did loose a lot Barbabra! but you have replaced them quickly with a nice collection and here's me worring about every plant surviving the winter that I'm planting at the mo' - lol.

'Throw caution to the wind' me thinks!

Just a little comment from me about hardiness....I am absolutely thrilled and happy that my Cytisus Battandieri has come through the winter unharmed. I have just bought another one. Not supposed to be fully hardy, and yes, it was defoliated, but now recovered and back to it's usual cheerful self....so here is a plant that is hardier than the experts suggest! I have lost a lot of plants, some that claim to be fully hardy, so it's interesting and positive when something does unexpectedly well.

I was surprised by what lived and what died in my garden. I have used some of the gaps to grow more perennials instead of replacing the shrubs which I'm pleased about.
Your garden is looking lovely again, I hope you enjoy all your changes.

I do applaud your very positive and heartwarming attitude, Barbara! I must admit I have not been so upbeat myself. I cannot bear to think of all those plants lost...it still depresses me when I go outside and see the dead Hebes, Pittosporums etc. I've left some in situ until the Autumn as I want to move shrubs around then and re-organise them. I kept leaving them to see if there was any life in them!...:-((

Although I have planted others, I too am wondering IF they will survive! We intend to downsize when the time is right....so I have to admit to being less than enthusiastic about this garden anyway!

Note to self....Be MORE positive! Life's too short! Your losses are far greater than mine...and you're still smiling!

I'm so sorry about all your losses but you now have some "new beginnings" with your new plants. Really that's how life is isn't it, things rarely stay the same for long, they are ever changing and I think this aplies to gardens too. It must be a big strain on you though, especially as you open your garden. Let's hope your new plants grow well.

Yes Mariek, that's true, a garden is always changing. Well mine is! Barbara, I've just removed all the plants I lost from my catalogue pages and it was quite a few. The worst of all is the lovely standard holly which was so expensive. I am going to have to take it out of the pot, accept it is dead and choose a replacement....it's time to let it go.....:((

You've all said such lovely things - I'm really touched. Thank you to everybody. xxx

It's all too easy to wallow and weep over winter casualties - but unless you've lost something precious, as Libet has, you MUST move on.

Libet - I think you should plant a new special plant for your mother. Choose something lovely to remember her by. :-)

Karen, I decided not to delete plants, as they remind me of what I had, as well as a list of what I have now. One day, I might want to replace like with like! You are thinking positively about your holly. Good for you!

Are you getting enough rain for the new plants to establish? We're getting hardly any here. My large bottlebrush is very brown but there are signs of green leaves underneath so I'm leaving it for now - hoping it will start to grow again if we ever get a good downpour. Failing that, I will replace it with something else

Thank you for that suggestion Spritz, I will just do that! I've done it for other people, but never thought to do it for Mum, I suppose because I had so many of her plants I didn't feel the need, but now you've suggested that...I just know she would love a rose, and I think I'll treat both her and myself to one from David Austin. Thank you again Spritz, you're very thoughtful, x

Libet, that sounds lovely! Have fun choosing! x

Thanks Karensusan! I'll think I'll be spoilt for choice!!
:0) x!

Good idea. I'll be interested in seeing which one you choose! :-))

I'm glad you liked that thought. xx

I have a little pretty shrub a friend gave me, and a Geranium called 'Memories'. :-)

That's such a sweet suggestion for Libet. A friend gave us a white Viburnum bodnantese when OH's wonderful mum died - it's lovely to take care of it and think of her and smile. :)

I meant to say. I'm sure you can bring up a list of names of roses via google, as there may be one with your mother's name, Libet! Failing that, the RHS plantfinder has a good system - you type in the name, and it tells you which plants have that name. I'll find the address.

Here is is:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/

I tried it out with my Mum's name, and it came up with 16 plants! :-))

Thank you Karensusan, Spritzhenry, and Sheilabub, I am so touched by your kind thoughts, you lovely folks are all very kind!

I will certainly look up the Plantfinder and google, Spritz, that's a grand idea, but gosh, 16 plants with your Mum's name, she must be another Elizabeth! I've never heard of 'Memories' geranium, I must look it up too, thanks for going to all that trouble, to find the address!

Sheilabub, I have Viburnum bodnantese too, it's a lovely shrub, it has beautiful scent at a time of year when it's really appreciated, Mummy loved Daphnes as well, very humble plant, but an incredible perfume, for the time of year!
Keith and myself are going out tomorrow to see what strikes a chord with us at the Gc... I shall let you know what I find, or as Hywel would put it, 'what falls into my trolley!' Thanks again!:0)) xxx

No, she was 'Molly'. The little Geranium is very pretty - a bright magenta.

I do hope you find something lovely - you'll know when you see it. :-))

I've just found 'Memories' in your photos, Spritz, and it's certainly a stunner. Can you remember which type of Geranium it is, as I'd love to see if I can find one? Thanks.

A great way to look at it that way, but it does hurt when the casualties appear in the spring. This was our worst Winter as well. Your garden is gorgeous. I have lost over the years too many Hebes as well, so now I just walk by them & say" sorry sweeties I hate when U keel over like that". Funny thing is I have one that is staying alive & thriving in a pot that is tucked away in a "safe' place. So I just hope each year. Lovely photos.

Thanks, Adoons. I'm still a bit upset about my large Hebe, which is still there looking awful. I wish we'd removed it now, but it looked as though it might recover. I must 'think positive' and look forward to having the Amelanchier there later this year.

Sheila, it doesn't seem to be in a group of Geraniums, it just has the name 'Memories'. I hope you find one. :-)

Thank you Spritz.

:-))

I understand how you feel, Barbara, I lost my 2 standard Beacon Fuchsias this winter. I had kept them safe for about 8 years. They even survived the two very bad winter periods we had in December 2009 & then again in January 2010. This year they were kept in the same place as every year up until now, on the table in the most sheltered corner of the balcony inside a big 1mx1mx1m plastic bag with no top. This year I even wrapped newspaper around the stems during the heaviest frosts to no avail! One has sprouted from the base as I expected but the other died right down to the roots so no regrowth & I've had to cut it up & empty the pot. A new one only a couple of years old was also killed down to soil level but has begun to regrow. I shan't be training any more Fuchsia standards

That's a real shame. :-( However, you must also 'think positive' and I know you always say you haven't got space for different plants - what would you like to grow in that gap? I hope you come up with a cracking good plant! :-)))

Hi Spriz, I have only just caught up with your blog - thanks for sharing with us your plans to revitalise your garden! We too lost over 20 trees and shrubs, but it is so rewarding to see others coming back to life such as our bay bush, and some of the choisyas which were badly affected by snow. The cordyline has finally been completely removed and as it was in a silly place at the top of the rockery, I have been enjoying the extra light for the rockery, and I bought some alpines at Malvern.

We didnt lose any hebes but they are all dwarf ones.

I would love to come to your open garden but I fear I wont be able to make it this year either:(

That's a shame. You seem to be 'thinking positive', and that's the only way forward, or we'd all be sitting in a corner wailing, wouldn't we! lol.

A lovely uplifting blog Spritz. Like Balcony I lost a long lasting standard fuchsia and my big perlargoniums. I was a little ambitious to think they could survive that onslaught. I am trying Roses in 3 big pots, as suggested in the RHS Garden magazine. Even down to popping a Bonariensis in one of the pots as suggested. I am trying to be positive, but was very cast down after that horrible winter.

I think we all were, Dorjac. Have your roses flowered yet? Which ones did you get?

Thanks for your interest Spritz. RED DREAM which is a 'patio rose' just showing colour with a couple of white Bacopa. RENAISSANCE rather a vigorous looking rose with a tendency to mildew Lol!....might have erred there. Nice big buds. Has a delicate purple viola sharing pot and RAINBOW MAGIC patio rose. It is compact, loads of flowers in all shades of yellow and pink and nearly white too. Sharing pot with 2 Bacopa and Bonariensis. It is bucketing down with rain and the butts are full.....whoopee. Lawn is green too.

Yes, we had rain most of the day too - I'm not too happy, though, as it was accompanied by a VERY strong wind, and a large branch off the old damson tree split off and half-fell into my flower bed! We had a short respite, so out we went with ladder, chainsaw etc, and we managed to get it down. I have damage in that bed though. :-((

Your roses sound lovely! I got 'Flower Power' and another patio rose earlier this year...can't remember its name. The 'FP' one is flowering really well! It's in a narrow border, not in a pot, though. :-)

Rain and strong wind doing damage. It seems these last few years that the weather is very unpredictable. Good that it could be dealt with quickly.

No choice, really - it was so heavy with unripe damsons, and a very large branch, too - so it had to be removed ASAP to give the poor squashed plants a chance to recover.