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Filling a gap!

23 comments


Well, it’s almost the end of April – and the garden will be open to the public in just about 6 weeks’ time. I am not panicking, (at least, I don’t think so!) and I feel on top of things in the garden.

However, yesterday I took a look around and saw a glaring gap in the ‘architectural border’. I don’t like gaps!!!

I took another look from another angle, thought about it and decided that an Acer would look good there. Off to our nearest Nursery, which does have a good selection. I had to consider that the weeping pear is a grey-green colour, so the Acer would need to be a colour that stood out but would ‘go’ with the other shrubs too.

Having chosen an Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’, I started to dig the gap area before I forked in compost ready to plant my new acquisition.

Whenever l dig in an area of the garden which has been left untouched for years, I hit rocks and large stones. This part was no exception. The rocks and stones I got out filled two trugs!

Eventually, I was able to place the Acer in the hole and jump off the wall to see if I’d got the best position and angle. This took several ‘twiddles’ to get right! Finally, I was happy with how it looked in the huge hole I’d dug.

I back-filled the hole and watered it, then got down off the wall yet again again to see what it looked like now.

MUCH better! Gap duly filled!

Uh-oh – there’s still bare soil all round the ‘trunk’. I shall have to have a think about what would fill that space, look good there, and cope with an east-facing aspect. I shall be off to the Garden Centre when I’ve decided!

Any bright ideas, anybody?… Preferably June flowering…me? of course I’m not panicking!

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Comments

 

A lovely tree in a lovely garden.

26 Apr, 2009

 

The Acer looks perfect there........The garden looks lovely Spritz.........

26 Apr, 2009

 

Im sure everyone will love your garden, only wish i was close enough to vist

26 Apr, 2009

 

Looks wonderful. They are all growing and might cover your bare soil.

26 Apr, 2009

 

Thanks for the lovely comments - I think it looks a lot better now -
No, Chris, I don't think the geraniums will spread that far. I am going to make a list of possibles and think about what to put in front of the Acer.

26 Apr, 2009

 

Your Acer looks good there. It compliments the existing plants.

26 Apr, 2009

 

Lovely colour Spritz goes really well with the silvery pear.Would it be cheating to leave it a little longer and see what's flowering at the GC nearer the time,or would that really set you panicking?

26 Apr, 2009

 

Wow! You are a real "artist", that looks perfect! If you did plant anything with the acer, make it a plainish type plant.(ie some more green) The acer should get all the glory! Lol!

26 Apr, 2009

 

Heehee - I shall be doing that anyway! The garden is open on a Thursday, so I shall look on the Monday/Tuesday and dash off to the GC to fill boring places wih flowering plants!

I'd like to get this area finished... can't be anything tall, the Acer has to be the star... hmmm. Centaurea montana 'Alba'??? White Aquilegia??? Both on my little list....

26 Apr, 2009

 

Well thought out planting Spritz...
good job :o)

27 Apr, 2009

 

A good-looking acer spritz and a lovely contrast to the pear. How about geranium sanguineum? Stays low and despite what the books say, I have found it does quite well in part shade. Varieties with flowers in white or various shades of pink

27 Apr, 2009

 

The Acer looks just right there.........you have a lovely garden.....

27 Apr, 2009

 

Thanks, Holly.

I could transplant some from my gravel garden, Andrew. They would go well with the white Aquilegia I have decided on. :-)

27 Apr, 2009

 

I love Aquilegia too, I have pink, burgundy and dark blue, I don't know their varieties as they have just appeared in my garden, it is going to be a good year, there are masses of flower buds on, I am waiting to see who will be the first to break into flower. A white one, now theres a thing......

27 Apr, 2009

 

Yes, I have one in flower - it's purple and white. No idea what its name is, or how it got there! I bought a yellow one last year - that's a real joy. All the others are self-sown or were already here when we came. And you are right - they are all budded-up and raring to go!

I do have all-white ones in the garden already - not yet in flower. I saw a small cultivar at a GC a couple of weeks ago - that would be ideal!

27 Apr, 2009

 

The purple and white one may well be William Guiness (also sometimes sold under the name Magpie)

27 Apr, 2009

 

Thanks - but how did it get in my back garden?

27 Apr, 2009

 

What a lovely garden and I bet there will be lots of happy visitors.

28 Apr, 2009

 

Perfect! i have one of these Acers too. :-)

28 Apr, 2009

 

I do hope they like it... I'll be at the gate and kick them out if they don't! LOL.

28 Apr, 2009

 

That's the great thing about opening your garden spritz, people only give you compliments. If they have anything bad to say, they wait until they've left and out of earshot :-)

28 Apr, 2009

 

I shall 'bug' them all, Andrew! LOL.

28 Apr, 2009

 

well from what i have seen here on GOY - anyone complaining about either one of your gardens would need there head examined!

29 Apr, 2009

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