My Garden's Working Progress

Great thread, JJ. What progress! I'm afraid I make a big deal of doing even the smallest task. I feel ashamed! I have nice light soil but I still moan about digging from time to time and poor OH tends to get all the rubbish jobs, like putting down paving.

The btl landlord next door has sorted out his gardening problems by concreting everything in sight. He didn't like the fact that the garden sloped downwards, so there are several feet of concrete at the bottom of the plot to even it up. God help anyone who decides they'd like to get rid of it.

I hope you're going to keep us all updated with your progress.

 

Well done and keep the pics coming, so we can see your progress.

 

My view of concrete has been warped by the events that have taken place over the past year. I now see concrete as an enemy and the people who use it as a quick fix as irresponsible.

The original owner of the house was a car restorer and so the garden used as more or less a car park. This I could understand, but overtime I found more and more concrete. The guy absolutely loved the stuff I've concluded. They had a patch of concrete at the end of the lawn (which can be seen just in front of the pergola in the moving day pictures) just to stick a few pot plants on. I should mention that all the plants in the pots were all dead when I arrived, one pot was just full of dried up dog poo as well.

Indeed. I did get extremely depressed at this point I should add. I had no help, my other half (tarzan, as he has been referred to on this forum), has a bad back, a busy work schedule and projects of his own to think about. My family either have health problems, are too far away or not interested. 95% of the work that (except the landscaping) has been done by me alone and do find it frustrating as well. One of the joys of gardening for me is the plants and I haven't done hardly any planting for a whole year since we moved in.

The garden still has a very long way to go, lawns need to be sown, planting plans drawn up etc. But am happy that the driveway has gone for good. Took 10 flatbed trucks to get rid of all of it in the end but I hope it will be worth it.

Thank you to again to everyone who has given such positive feedback to my progress it really does keep me going when I'm out there slogging it out by myself.

 

Another good word being used on the forum

JJ can I use your hate of concrete on my website ?

 

Of course you can Ziggy

 

You could be me and my garden , the ex owner here loved the stuff one of my current projects is ripping out some of the spabs to make beds in the front (slabs are alittle easier to remove but still its everywere).
Im doing most of it on my own too as OH has no interest in gardening (must be funny for passes by to see me struggleing with the hammer and carrying huge slabs around).
Im along way off having any sort of garden in the front (hard core to dig out and all that) but i'll get there and so will you :D.
Start sowing a few biannuals for next year, it will be good for you having some plant to look after, you can also start to plan were the plants will go in the spring :D.
Ive grown lots from seed this year its an achievement to see them growing away in the garden .

 

I started sowing biennuals as soon as we moved in. But with very little beds to put in up to this point Ive had to plant them in some of my vegetable beds to stop them drying out so quickly. I hope to move them into their final positions in the next few days though.

Are you using a sledgehammer or something smaller on the slabs btw?

 

Im just using a bog standed hammer, the slabs are fairly loose im only needing to loosen the concrete around.
If your anything like me your house and garden will be taken over by young plants .

 

Well it's starting to get that way. Although I'm still scratching my head as to what fruit trees I should plant. I was given an apple discovery after I moved in but don't really know how big it will get.

Anyway more pictures.

Lawn is starting to green up (only did one side so we could get access to the workshop)



Other half has been spending over a month building this bike shed from scratch. Has saved us about £70. Still need doors though. But made sense to errect it and then make the doors to fit it.



Also planting has been coming along nicely. Ive so far planted an apple tree, three dogwoods, Buddleia "Black Knight", New Zealand Flax, hollyhocks, verbascums, foxgloves, ox eye daisies and a hydrangea to the bed. I'm now on the search for some more perrenials, trees and shrubs.

 

Which website? I can't see it...

 

Hi JJ

Looking good:yess:

Love the the brick path, that will make life easier , so much potential and lots of wall to grow up .
Look forward to seeing it all growing and taking shape

Well done you


Spruce

 

How about a small magnolia?? :D T&M have one that gets to 4ft and one that gets to 6ft, I have the Magnolia Sunrise that gets to 6ft its in a pot ATM .
Is the border in full sun/shade?? and is it dry or damp??
I have some Anemone blue seeds taken last month and also aquilegia (red, pink & purple)if youd like some .

 

I was hoping for some kind of fruit or nut tree, something productive. Magnolias are beautiful trees, but I would like to make as much "use" out of the space I have, which is quite limited.

The border is in full sun most of the day (bar early morning and late late evening). The soil gets quite dry at the moment, although this is probably because I haven't added anything to the top soil yet. Underneath the top soil is very heavy clay.

That's very kind of you with the seed offer. But feel I should give you something in return. I have lots of seeds that I have too many plants of already, if you would be interested

 

Hahaha you sound just like me, you never know we both may have something were both looking for hehe.
Do you know if your soild is acidic or alkaline? you could try a blue berry bush I have a small one im growing in a pot, they like acidic soil.