My Patch

Got some time on my hands at the moment while I'm recuperating from a hernia operation :OUCH:, so expect more of my inane ramblings on here over the next few weeks. :D
Went out into the garden a couple of days before the op and took plenty of photos, I'll post a few on here over the next few days. It gives me something to do and all you GC regulars a chance to have a look around my place.
We've been here 23 years now, during which time I've run the garden organically as much as possible.
Working full time 5 days a week (as a gardener) and being a little restricted by the hernia has led me to adopt a more relaxed approach lately in maintaining the garden.
I'm happy to let things seed themselves and grow where they will so long as they're not in the way or causing a problem.
The result is, in my view, a more natural looking, vibrant garden which will never win any awards but which I'm happy to call 'my patch'.

The mixed herbaceous/annuals border, still looking good in September.



A quiet, shady corner with various shrubs and flowers growing quite happily in the shade of a large Maple, most of them seem to survive despite the area being very dry during the spring and summer.
The 'archway' on the left I simply knocked together from untreated chestnut poles, it supports a Paul's Scarlet climbing rose which looks lovely when it flowers in June.



I planted the Pyracantha several years ago to screen next door's garage. They have a Virginia Creeper growing on the garage which has now scrambled over the roof and down our side, mingling with the Pyracantha, which I think looks fine. I simply trim the creeper back to the edge of the roof during the winter so it doesn't smother the Pyracantha completely!



Took this shot early in the morning. I loved the way the low sun was lighting up the dried seed heads of the Honesty which I'd left in place after they flowered in the spring.



This multi-headed monster is from a seedling which simply grew in the vegetable patch of its own accord. Must have been a seed from previous years.

 

Love it Trunky! Very colorful and pretty. Hope you heal up quickly and don't have much pain.

 

A very lively looking border being that we are in September.

 

Looking Great Trunky,

Hope the recovery goes well.

That sunflower looks a bit like the Russian one Atticus L sent me seeds of.

I'll have a look for a pic of it.........

 

Not quite the same but simliar,

 

Thanks Zig, to be honest the sunflower is a bit of a mystery. Last time I tried deliberately growing Sunflowers was about three years ago, when I carefully raised about 40 'Ring of Fire' sown in pots and planted them out, whereupon the majority were immediately devoured by snails.
The handful which survived were pretty uninspiring to be honest, however every year since then a few of these seedlings appear, I leave them to their own devices and they thrive!
Also, a couple of years ago one of those large multi-headed yellow sunflowers which sometimes grow from bird seed mixtures appeared in the vegetable patch and grew happily there for the whole summer.
Maybe what I have here is a hybrid between the two?

 

Lovely pics of your garden Trunky. The ring of fire sunflower looks great I grew them this year , and as you said , mine were also pretty meagre specimens then they all died ! You must have a prime specimen there , save the seeds !

 

As promised, a few more recent photos from my garden.
This is my wild corner, just next to the log pile is a 'sink pond'. I rescued one of those big, deep old sinks from a school science lab, (it was being chucked out when they were refurbishing the school).
Simply dug a big hole, sunk it in and filled it. A small clump of pond Irises came from a pond which was being thinned out at another school, they're now doing fine. It was soon colonised by frogs which should help with slug and snail control.
Bit of a mystery last year when, for several months, during the night something was disturbing the log pile. First thing every morning I would find them scattered about the area. Not sure what was doing this, Foxes perhaps?



This is one of those 'happy accidents' which make gardening such a pleasure.
I'd removed the metal gates from our front driveway, didn't really know what to do with them so I just left them standing against the wall for the time being. The flowers growing at the bottom of the wall are Brachycome which have simply grown from seed which must have fallen from some hanging baskets nearby in previous years. It's created a wonderful effect which softens the lines of an otherwise boring brick wall beautifully.



Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Summer Sorbet' growing in a large pot.
Discovered this in the garden centre at Barnsdale a few years ago.
A hugely underrated plant for late summer/early autumn colour in my opinion, the photo doesn't really do it justice. Bees absolutely love it.



My 'Rocks of Britain' collection.
Wherever we go away on holiday in this country, I bring home a rock or large stone as a 'souvenir'. There are rocks here from all corners of the country; Scotland, Derbyshire, Snowdonia, Anglesey and Dartmoor to name a few. I think they look ok scattered around amongst the pots and containers.
OH thinks I am sad and slightly deranged, she is probably right. :o

 

Your garden is looking really good. I like the gates, and your grass looks really lush, unlike mine.:(
P.s My mum took some rocks from our place home with her, for her garden too.

 

Looks great, love the Sunflower.
I have had three Hernia ops over the years and was 'told' (by the surgeon) not to get another one, in our line of work it's an occupational hazard.:(

Take it slow and easy (for now:D)

 

Thanks strongylodon. You've had THREE? Wow!
This is my first, can't say I'd like to repeat the experience either. I'm certainly taking it slow and easy at present, shuffling about the place like a 90 year old! :(

 

Nice "Patch"

 

I love your garden Trunky, it looks large too.
In that 2nd pic, the Brachycombe looks a lot like Erigeron karvinskianus, you sure it's not ?

 

Mmm...I think you're right there Louise, well spotted.
I used to buy some plug plants from the Kings Seeds catalogue every year called the 'Hanging Basket selection' and I do remember it included Brachycome.
After the first year, these flowers began appearing along the bottom of the walls all around the areas where the baskets had been and they've come back every year since.
Kings discontinued their plug plants range a while back now and I can't remember what other plants were included in the selection.
I've just had a look in their current catalogue though and they do have Erigeron 'Profusion' listed, describing it as having '..a natural trailing habit, ideal for hanging baskets. Long lasting', so there's a good chance it was included in the selection I used to get.
On closer inspection Erigeron does seem to match the appearance of these plants more closely than Brachycome so I reckon you're spot on there!