Booooinnnggg!!!! OUCH!!
By spritzhenry
70 comments
So what’s all that about? Well, there are two paths that lead to the side garden from the back. The first one had masses of Rhodiola in the beds on both sides – it’s a fleshy plant with bright yellow flowers.
It has never been one of my favourites, and I had removed it from the left hand bed some time ago. I had also removed some from the right-hand side, but not all of it. Then, when I finally found a genuine Geranium ’Buxton’s Variety’ – I decided that I’d like it in that place, instead of the Rhodiola.
So it was time to remove all the rest of the Rhodiola. Well, although it’s evergreen, it’s not an attractive plant, and the yellow is a strident ‘in-your-face’ colour. It was also spreading again.
Out with the fork and the wheelbarrow. I started at the gate end and raised my fork for the first plunge into the plant.
Booiinnggg!! OUCH! – What on earth was underneath? The shock went right up my arm into my shoulder! I reeled back and dropped the fork…Once I’d recovered myself, I poked around under the plant. To my surprise, it was the path I’d hit – the Rhodiola had spread over it!
I carried on, pulling the long strands out… I call this the ‘Spaghetti’ plant, because of the long strands with rosettes of leaves and flowers on the end…all tangled up! I filled the barrow with it. See what I mean?
Unfortunately, looking at the shape of the path, and where the border had been, the two didn’t match! It looked …awful! I had no idea that the path curved out from the gate!
I had a chat with my husband, and we both decided that we’d have to continue the line of the path to match the border.
Laying out pieces of wood, it was unfortunately obvious that several plants would have to be removed, and turf would be needed to fill in the gap.
We found some when we went into town to do the weekly shop. Then it was my turn to take the plants out and pot them up, to plant elsewhere.
At least it was now cleared and we could see where the turf had to go.
My husband laid the turf to match the curve, and we are hoping that it will ‘take’ – it’s a very unhappy-looking colour at the moment, as you can see. It will look better, though, once the turf ‘greens up’ – lots of watering, and TLC.
And all because of the new plant I bought!
24 Jul, 2009
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Comments
No, because all the hard paths were made by our predecessors!
24 Jul, 2009
nice tidy egdes my favourite
i know that feeling hun
the people before us let the garden go wild grass on top of paving slabs everywhere, each time you stick the fork in it feels like youve walked into a wall
x x x
24 Jul, 2009
At least you are making the chances required to make sure that you match this area to the rest of your beautiful garden.
24 Jul, 2009
nice find Spritz i love that bit od paving in your garden..as for the fleshy yellow plant i think its a crssula. i heve it here i use it as ground cover under other succulents. but it does take over a bit....;-))
24 Jul, 2009
I've just checked in my RHS book, Sandra - and it's one of the Crassula family...so you're right - but its name is 'Rhodiola'. 'Take over' is spot on! I still have some in the front garden - I'm thinking of taking that out as well.
24 Jul, 2009
Reminds me of when I started removing a giant stand of crocosmia in my garden when I first arrived here and found there was a gravel path underneath I knew nothing about
24 Jul, 2009
thanks Spritz...i was given it and another similar but bigger one. it is a 'take over' too ..lol
24 Jul, 2009
I love that pathway Barbara , it needs to be shown off ,
I saw a lovely geranium in someones garden last week with huge blue flowers , I asked the owner the name of it , it was something Bee , I can,t remember what she said , would you know , could it have been 'Jolly Bee ' ?
24 Jul, 2009
Yes - it certainly could! It has white centres and is a spreader. It's a lovely one! You don't need to ask if I've got it in my garden, do you? LOL.
24 Jul, 2009
Thank you Barbara , I somehow knew that you would know .
24 Jul, 2009
I just want to know one thing, does your local Asda/Tesco where ever really sell turf?
24 Jul, 2009
No, we stopped off at B&Q!!! It's on the way.
24 Jul, 2009
Lol :~))
24 Jul, 2009
Well, you have to remember that when you live in the country, even the weekly shop is an expedition. So combining errands is essential, with the cost of petrol as it is!
There's only one bus from the nearest village, for workers in the morning, and then in the evening to come back.
24 Jul, 2009
Blimey, sounds just the sort of place I would like to live.
We have buses ZOOMING past every ten minutes here from 5:30 in the morning until after midnight and when I say zooming I meen ZOOOOOOOOOOOOMING past just at the end of the street (two doors away).
I often have to get out of the way because they drive so fast and can't stop if your coming the other way. I have contacted the bus co. but they say "we'll look into it" and you never here anything back !!
It sounds like bliss where you are. :~))
24 Jul, 2009
It is, it's sooooo tranquil in our little lane. However, the main lane that links two communities and is the way to the A road to the town, gets stupid people driving far too fast...they don't think that round the next bend could well be horse riders or one of the many tractors in the area!
The Highways people have just installed one of those flashing '30' signs... but will only leave it there for two weeks, then it goes elsewhere! Don't ask me why - there must be a reason, but I haven't a clue! :-(
25 Jul, 2009
Oooh, i felt that impact as fork hit stone .... ouch :((
The path is lovely and i agree with Amy, it does need to be shown-off !
25 Jul, 2009
The border definitely needed to be shaped off, the path is lovely. All looks great.
25 Jul, 2009
It'll look MUCH better once the turf 'takes' - then I can plant up the little bit of border that's left! Goodbye Rhodiola, Hallo Geranium and ??
25 Jul, 2009
It's so interesting to change things about even if it's only a small change. I'm even getting excited about a 'new bed' measuring only 18" square to replace a patio slab! Plan to plant with semperviviums which I've never tried before. Anything else would succumb too easily to the previously discussed male feet! LOL
25 Jul, 2009
Sounds good, but - Oh dear - good luck! Maybe you need a 6' fence round them! lol.
25 Jul, 2009
Do you think that's tall enough? Lol. Well I can but try, the pavings have been relaid and the levels are a bit out in one corner so this is to camaflouge that fact. Think they're tough little things aren't they?
25 Jul, 2009
i love the geranium. but yes you did have to lay the turf. lovely effect.:o)
25 Jul, 2009
Love the path Spritz, you are lucky to have this. With all this rain, I'm sure the turf will recover in no time.
25 Jul, 2009
Very nice geranium! I'm sure you'll soon not be able to tell you had to put turf there!
25 Jul, 2009
It does look pretty awful at the moment, though! :-(
The turf, not the Geranium! lol.
25 Jul, 2009
Will you please stop adding to my mental wish-list?? That paving is amazing, I'm sooooo jealous!!
30 Jul, 2009
We are very glad that our predecessors did all that hard landscaping - we like it, too!
31 Jul, 2009
Love the path, so very artistic, how did they do the parts that surround the center stone I wonder?
1 Sep, 2009
I think they are pieces of roof tile set in on edge! Very clever, wasn't it. :-))
2 Sep, 2009
I've been wracking what passes for my brains trying to work out what it was!! Recycling at its best!!
2 Sep, 2009
Definitely! :-))
2 Sep, 2009
Brilliant! I'd love to dig up something like that, but all thats under my soil is concrete!!
2 Sep, 2009
Just be careful not to do what I did with your fork, then, M. It really jars your whole body!
2 Sep, 2009
I already did when I started digging out the herb wheel!!
Pretty sore, when you've a dodgy back & neck!
2 Sep, 2009
OUCH!!! I'm sorry...I felt that for you...:-((
2 Sep, 2009
:~)))! It was fine after a lie down & a BlackRussian! The drink, I mean!!
2 Sep, 2009
LOL.
2 Sep, 2009
;~)
2 Sep, 2009
One guess why I am sitting at my laptop in the middle of the afternoon!!
2 Sep, 2009
Wet stuff from the sky falling is, maybe?
2 Sep, 2009
It's going sideways this time!!
Mind you, the forecast said it would start this morning, and we had it dry until just before 2 p.m., and I was outside most of the morning, so I can't really grumble, can I?
BUT - I wanted to carry on replanting my containers!! :-((
2 Sep, 2009
I've wasted so much time today & I wanted to dig out my path! But I'm working at 4.30 so it'll need to wait til I get back!
2 Sep, 2009
Don't tell me that it's dry up there! NOT fair! :-((
2 Sep, 2009
It rained all day & night yesterday & the night b4, its dry but b****y cold & windy, & cloudy! Prob more rain on the way!
2 Sep, 2009
As my mum would tell me if I said "its not fair"
Its not raining!
2 Sep, 2009
Oh well, you've had more than your fair share, then. Yesterday was sort of part sunny, but lots of heavy showers, too.
2 Sep, 2009
You can laugh NOW!! I just got home from work, & the minute I set foot in the garden, it started to rain! :~((((((((
2 Sep, 2009
Oooohhhhhhhh.....I wouldn't laugh, Marie, I'm not like that! We had heavy rain all the afternoon.......into the evening. I hope it's better tomorrow - I hate taking Henry out in the rain!
2 Sep, 2009
I hate existing in the rain! Unless its a really good thunderstorm, then I love it!!
2 Sep, 2009
Henry doesn't. He barks his head off and runs frantically round the house. He won't be calmed - poor dog.
2 Sep, 2009
Awwwww! Shame! I've got 4 brothers like that!
Well, they dont bark, but they're all terrified of storms! When we were little, if there was a storm, my mum & the twins would hide under the bed & my mum went ape cos I used to go outside to watch it!
2 Sep, 2009
I am laughing here at the thought of your brothers rushing around the house like Henry does! Can't you just imagine the chaos?? All of them bumping into each other! LOL...LOL...
2 Sep, 2009
Believe me, it was hilarious! Each one of them seemed to make the others panic more! My dad & I used to fall about laughing at them!
2 Sep, 2009
I bet! :-D
2 Sep, 2009
I wouldnt mind, but the two youngest are built like brick lavvies!
2 Sep, 2009
Oh dearie me.....LOL....
Guess what! The local forecast is a severe weather warning for overnight and into tomorrow. Gales and torrential rain...Yikes!!
2 Sep, 2009
Oh joy!!!!!! :~(((((
No thunder??
I've got to go get pics done for my uni card tomorrow!!!
2 Sep, 2009
I don't think an umbrella will be much use...try oilskins - or a wetsuit possibly?? LOL...I reckon that's MY best option, as well - can't you just imagine it - across the fields dressed like that!...and you walking through the streets...hahaha....
2 Sep, 2009
LMSO!!!
(that one's Socks instead of A**)
I'll just have to wear it with my pink plastic cagoule!!! LOL!
2 Sep, 2009
...and did you??
3 Sep, 2009
Nah! Havent been out! I'm moving furniture around & dismantling a sofa (to recycle all the bits) as my friend is giving me her 2 sofas (that I have lusted after for ages! The sofas, not the friend!!!) & I need to find a way to fit them in!!
3 Sep, 2009
Hmmm...Use a chain saw on them??
3 Sep, 2009
LOL! I've worked it out!
My 1920's wooden cruise ship deckchair will have to become a garden chair!!
3 Sep, 2009
Well done!! Just remember that it will need a coat of wood preservative...out with the paint brush!
3 Sep, 2009
It's stained & waxed! Out with the sponge!!
3 Sep, 2009
So is it pretty weather-proof, then??
3 Sep, 2009
Well it WAS on a ship for years, & I've been waxing it for years. It's oak.
3 Sep, 2009
:-))
4 Sep, 2009
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looks better spritz and i love that little fancy path, do you remember doing that, nice pattern :o)
24 Jul, 2009