Mr Grinch's Garden

Bought a couple of Aquilegia today to fill a gap. I also bought a Coreopsis as mine did not make it through the winter. I bought an Achillia a pink one for a change, plus two Fox Gloves. All planted now.

Garden very wet again.

G

 

OK i went to a different nursery today. I bought an Echinacea to replace one that didnt make it, i bought a Monarda to fill a gap that is awash with yellow, so i bought a red one to spice things up. Also bought a yellow lupin again to replace one that died. Finally i bought a Ligularia called Desdemona. Red leathery foliage with yellow/orange daisy flowers. Perfect for my part shade dampish spot.

G

 

Indeed, but if you just stuck to the same ones then the garden would be an awfully dull place. From my experience Echinacia and Monarda are happy on clay and can handle a bit of wet as well. Monarda especially but doesnt like to be baked although Echinacea can handle that.

Both these plants do well in my garden. You get the odd loss but these two are staples for me here.

The lightness of your soil maybe an issue for Monarda, too free draining perhaps. I find giving it a bit more shade helps a lot. Full sun and free draining, i can see why it wouldn't last. Echinacia on the other hand should be ok.

 

I feel the same about Delphiniums. I love them but can they do well in my soil ? No way. I get one show of flowers, then i chop them back as instructed to get a second flush and nothing grows. They then rot off during the winter and im back to square one. It dosnt matter how much improvement i make to the soil.

Ive realized now that you cannot change the underlying conditions of your garden. You just go to go with it.

Im getting to the point now where i just want rid of what lawn i have. In my eyes its pointless. I cant walk on it from November-April. When i can walk on it in summer its still not that firm. You can sit on it on a blanket but no way you can put table and chairs on it as the legs just sink in. Its a totally pointless space.

I would love to dig it up, create something, maybe divide up in geometric area and do something really formal with a little fountain inthe middle.

 

I've not tried Delphiniums on my sandy soil but I'm giving Larkspur a go this year for the first time. I'm growing from seed and they look quite healthy seedlings at the moment. Perhaps you could try those Mr Grinch as an alternative.

 

Conditions say they like well drained Sheal. I fear i may have the same issues. It is an annual though so i maybe able to get away with it. Will have a look.

 

oh yes Shinney, something smaller and narrower in the path department but yes i like it. At least i can use this space all year round rather than it being swap for 7 months of the year.

 

I know you tend not to wander to far from your thread @Mr Grinch so you may have missed this.

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/happy-birthday-mr-grinch.113819/#post-1017131

 

Its been glorious over the last few days here. The spawn has hatched and i have loads of little tad poles hiding in the algae munching away. A decisions needs to be made about my two remaining Sorbus. They are just not right here in this garden. Again, there is a bit of stem die back and the buds look weak. I will give it until June to see but it looks like they will be for the chop. I want to get another tree. Next door has a beautiful Prunes with amazing white double flowers for blossom so was thinking of getting Prunus Kanzan. It looks amazing.
Laid three paviers today on a corner of the border that gets trampled on, hopefully will stop me from getting my shoes dirty. Re pointed some of the patio where the grout had come out. All the new roses i planted are budding up well.

All's good.

G

 

Check out Malus' as well Mr Grinch, they are pretty tough. I have a red leafed and dark red flowered one in my garden.