Garden makeover
By teegee
12 comments
In the past I have had a spring garden full of spring bulbs, followed by my summer garden full of bedding plants, something like this;
Spring
Summer
Summer
In 2010 things started to go wrong and I lost somewhere around 800 bedding plants due to a batch of ‘dodgy’ potting compost which rather miffed me, so that year my garden was a bit devoid of colour.
OK that can happen so I thought………well there’s always ‘next year’
Then in 2011 I had more ‘compost problems’ so I am afraid I lost my ‘cool’ and decided that was my last year at growing ‘bedding plants’!
OK its not that easy to give up after a lifetimes growing bedding plants, when you consider I usually grew somewhere between 1000 and 1200 plants.
So I decided to go ’perennial’with the odd annual or two to fill the gaps until I got the garden established again!
So after the spring of 2011 I pulled everything out in the back garden as you can see here;
Spent Daffodils
Beds emptied
I was aware it would cost me a fair amount of money if I chose to buy large shrubs, so initially, I set about buying subjects that were reasonably ‘fast’ growers.
I also sowed a load of seeds with the the ‘long term’ view of growing my own perennials and taking cuttings.
So this was my garden in the summer of 2011;
The herbaceous bed and border
Heathers and Grasses bed
This was the view a couple of months after the initial plantings;
This is a few pictures of how it looked earlier this year;
Generally I have included a few deciduous plants to form gaps in spring so that I can show a few clumps of Daffodils and Tulips in there place.
Then once these are over the deciduous plants will then appear to fill the gaps!
The Heather and grasses bed
I have made a start on the front garden by pulling out all the permanent stuff such as Daffodils, Tulips etc.
I have just a added a few bedding plants for the time being.
Come autumn I will set a number of perennials I have growing on in the coldframes in this area.
This is a few views of the back garden this morning (11/6);
The Heather and grasses bed
My next task within the next few days is to plant out some annuals I have on the go to fill up some of the gaps. ( I don’t like seeing the soil)
I am beginning to see a bit of potential with what I have planted to press.
Give them another couple of years to grow and expand and I think it will look quite good again!
11 Jun, 2012
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Comments
That was soooo interesting, look forward to seeing how it progresses
11 Jun, 2012
I find its more interesting to 'collect' hardy plants from Open Gardens, Flower Festivals, Fetes etc. anywhere where some good soul has set up a stall to raise funds. The price of purchased summer bedding plants frightens me, since transport costs increased.
Its surprising how these add up and fill a garden for £1 or £1.50 a plant. Sometimes they dont have a label.
I always get the 'Clover' compost as find plants all do well in it. They were meant to grow !
Plant them in containers, collected from Car Boots, churchyard rubbish areas, etc.
I get ideas for containers from Goyers photographs.
It all adds up to making an interesting garden, of plants often new to me, and gives me much pleasure.
Give it a try !
11 Jun, 2012
Not for me Diane much of my pleasure comes from the challenge of growing things myself!
To see a seed/s you have saved yourself germinate, then grow on to maturity, is just a terrific feeling!
Alternatively I like to buy some unusual seeds from the RHS seed sale each year, only problem is; some can take up to three years to germinate, but most of the ones I buy take around a month!
But its each to their own!
11 Jun, 2012
Wow what a difference. Such a shame you've had so many issues with the compost. Must have been a lot of hard work to maintain it before. Its already looking lovely now the changes have been made and I'm sure it will be stunning when its all matured.
Wow 3 years to germinate, that takes some patience. I've grown a few plants from seed for the first time this year. Its a brilliant feeling. Spotted the first Petunia flower and Lobelia flower earlier, absolutely amazing :))
11 Jun, 2012
Lovely garden Teegee. Must have been a nasty surprise with that dodgy compost! Can't trust anything these days! I can see your 'new' garden will go from good to better. :o)
12 Jun, 2012
Wow, Teegee - that was a big decision to take! It looks as if your garden is going to be beautiful again very soon.
12 Jun, 2012
Teegee your before pictures showed a beautiful garden but by going over to mainly perenials with a few bulbs and annuals I think you will get more pleasure not just in the spring and summer but all year round.
I think your very brave in taking such a big decision and the last photos show what a great job you`ve done. The blog has been very interesting, thank you.
12 Jun, 2012
What is the tree trained against the fence, please, Teegee?
12 Jun, 2012
*What is the tree trained against the fence, please, Teegee?*
A magnolia and various Clematis
12 Jun, 2012
Thanks! (It was the magnolia I couldn't identify!) What a lovely shape - it must look lovely in flower.
12 Jun, 2012
Hi, thanks. Oftentimes I am getting either info that is too specific - or that is too general to be applied in my own context. With your article I was able to get something out of it, so.... Thanks;-)
28 Jun, 2012
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Great blog and so enjoyed the before and after garden and now shall follow the progress.
11 Jun, 2012