What a difference a year makes

As some of you will have realised, I`m still very much a novice when it comes to gardening. I`m happy to get stuck in though and try to pick up what I can. T'internet is amazing for info' these days so there should be no excuses for me not doing research and trying to learn.

I moved into my house nearly 5 years ago and you`ll see how basic the garden was. I was single then and as I work overseas a lot, I was happy to leave it just grass. I got married almost 3 years ago so now my good lady can tide things over when I`m away, we decided to try and "do a bit with the garden"

I`d had a few planters and decided to put in the borders early last year and put in the Prunus, a few perennials, shrubs and mostly bedding plants to see how it would go. Was quite chuffed how it turned out and decided to get more perennials again this year. Less bedding=less money chucked away (c`mon folk....I`m a Scot:WINK1.

Am still not over the moon with my grass but it`s much better than it was. It`ll do. It`s passable. Still riddled with clover as you can see

Generally though, I`m quite pleased with my efforts and will take stock again in a month when my plants will have spread a bit more and filled in. I`ll see what I need again then. Could Dahlias be on the cards? It only gets the from sunrise until maybe 1pm so am also a touch limited to what I can get. SUN I hear you say? What`s that Do we all remember?

Anyway, any advice, good bad or indifferent welcome.

Thanks for reading.

 

Looking good Andy. I've seen pots that can replace inspection covers, don't know if they are still available. Just a thought.

 

Thanks Zigs. A link would be appreciated.

You see the strip between the kerb and the heel-kerb along the front. That is the services area and can be dug up at anytime so were advised not to plant anything there that I didn`t want ruined. Well if that`s the services strip, why is there 2 manholes in the lawn House builders.....pah

 

I noticed that, the same thought went through my head but it was more "Architects...pah"

I'll have a look for a link, can't remember what they are called though. Scrungee would know.

 

Found a round one, but thats no use

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_n...aw&keyword=manhole+cover+planter&geo_id=32031

 

I love all of the little pots of colourful flowers on the side of the house! The front seems like it could use more work, though. It's a bit basic compared to the side of the home. And is there any way you can conceal those unsightly manholes? :WINK1:

 

manhole covers can be covered with astroturf

 

Hi, thanks for your reply buddy.

The front has some fuchsias still to grow. They`ll come up to window level. Once they and some others fill out, it`ll look better. There are Azalias and Pieris in there which I hope will come on a good bit. It`s not really the best of pics to actually see what`s in there though.

The manholes are a proper eyesore eh? I might just paint them. Try and blend them in a bit. The mower just skips over them so it`s easy to cut the grass.

At the side, this is the best side to get the sun and I thought about lifting the chips and putting a bed in there. I just used to store my new purchases there waiting to plant them up and as the numbers grew, the area started to look not bad, so that`s a bit of 'work in progress'. There is no soil below the chips, just hardcore. I had to dig a hole for the 2 Clematis that`s starting to climb on the trellis you can just see. Can`t see the Clematis for the sweet-peas at the moment though.

 

Or could stick a few drainage holes and fill with soil and grass seed
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Internal-...ostachysking&hash=item2a1fb9e8f9#ht_500wt_922

 

looks good

The manhole covers will be easy enough to cover. How about using plastic crates as shallow planters. Fill them with compost, fill them with low growing plants that can flop over the sides so it doesn't just look like a box of plants. Then if someone needs access to the manhole cover, you can just drag the whole thing out the way and put it back afterwards.

You could fill it with stuff like strawberries, geum, ivy, thyme perhaps.

 

You can buy coloured manhole covers, green would help to blend in with the lawn perhaps.

 

You have the wrong username my friend

I like that idea. Something that can be moved easily every time I cut the grass. The 2 ceramic pots with the rhoddies in, need moved and are damned heavy when they`re well watered after the rain. I may well move them to the back of the house where they`ll be more sheltered from the wind, to a more permanent spot where they`ll never need moved.

 

Cheers Sheal but I work in the painting industry, so I`d probably just "acquire" :WINK1: some green paint.

Am leaning toward clueless 1s idea I must admit though.

 

Well done, looks good.....could you extend the front garden out to the man hole covers, and incorporate them into the front garden?