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Garden makeover

teegee

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!

More blog posts by teegee

Previous post: Two weeks on.......

Next post: Is it Cheating?



Comments

 

Great blog and so enjoyed the before and after garden and now shall follow the progress.

11 Jun, 2012

 

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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