Gardening Aspirations For 2018

Today I went in looking for Aconites, foxgloves and lungwort but came out with an enormous rhodie, go figure? It's not like it was even in flower

 

Not been on the forum for a while, but have spent the last few days catching up.

This year I need to get the compost bins made. I only have a dalek type and I personally don’t like them, but would need another 4 or 5 to cope with all the material I get. I need to fit the guttering to the chicken run and repair the roof properly as the high winds the other week lifted it an snapped and cracked it in several places. I need to cut some new borders ( 2 in the front garden and 1 in back). Remove a beautiful acer from the back garden as it is in completely the wrong place and is actually in the way, we have been pondering whether to for 2 years. Jet wash patio’s and paths. Remove old greenhouse base and re turf. Sort out 2 apples trees by the fence, I want to turn them into espaliers across the fence as they are encroaching into the garden and the kids keep snapping branches etc. Prepare beds for this years veg.

Rusty

 

So that takes care of next week... What about the following week? haha

 

Today I finally got round to measuring my hedge. The three parts combined come to a total of 1,170 cm. According to the label, Lamium Maculatum Beacon Silver spreads to approx 60 cm. That means I will need a minimum of twenty to complete the job. So far I have one.

I thought that one day soon I would dig out the channel where I want it go. I could stick in a few clusters of spring bulbs to keep the interest there in the meantime. I can buy a few more nettles when they come back in stock. Assuming I can split them each year, I shouldn’t have to buy too many.



G.

 

Our local quarry company are selling bulk bags of top soil for £24.99 plus £15.99 for delivery or free for 3or more bags. That seems like a bargain. The problem I have with bulk bags is getting them in the drive. The last one was left on the side of the road. Plus the bags would all be open to the air. The alternative is lots of small bags that I can carry and store easier but will cost a small fortune.



G.

 

If I had a spare bulk bag in the yard it wouldn’t be so bad. There is a place I might be able to pile it up. I could put a ground sheet on the floor and another one on top. That’s assuming I have all day to do it with no interruptions. Last time it was summer and I was able to work late into the evening. I did it before. I guess I could do it again. It’ll keep me fit too.



G.

 

At this time of year, the shorter day light hours (in terms of work time) is compensated by the colder temperature: to keep warm, you work *faster*!!!

 

I saw
Solanum crispum Glasnevin

Online today. Would that work in that gap?

G.

 

How about Sambucas Nigra?

G.

 

Good evening @Jack Sparrow

I have both plants you mention and would like to share my experience.

It would work, but would create work for you The potato vine, once established in the ground, is a *big* booger! I would easily reach 8ft in height and a spread to match in just a year or three. It is a beautiful plant and the flowers are great - it is a semi-evergreen, which means it does lose leaf but keeps a minimum of greenery through the winter.
The issue you may have with it is: you need to keep on top of it! It would require annual pruning back, hence my comment: it would work, but it would create work for you Something to think about, perhaps?

Moving on ...

I adore this shrub! It is also known as "the poor mans acer"
It is deciduous (which means it is bare in Winter) but the gorgeous, frothy pink flower heads are beautiful. Plus, those flower heads ripen to orbs of black coloured berries, which the birds love, love, love!
However, back to the "it would work, but it would create work for you" mantra.
They are fast growers and, in a limited space, would require annual pruning to a) keep it contained; b) reduce unwanted height/spread and c) to open up the structure for the best "look" and flowers.
I adore this shrub, have one in a pot and prune it each Spring. The pruning's of last year have been potted up, and rooted, to take to a plant sale later this year. The beauty of this shrub is that it won't mind being grown in a pot; doesn't mind shade; doesn't object to being damp and looks fab planted with Astilbe (which likes similar conditions).

PS: don't spend money on a Sambucus Nigra ... if you want a cutting, I'll make you one

 

Hi @“M” Thank you for responding so eloquently.

Growing a climber is something that troubles me anyway. The only climber I ever had was inherited and i wasn’t able to do anything with it. I’ve never had to start from scratch before. There are at least 2 or 3 sites around my garden where the lack of space would make a climber the obvious solution.

Once established, any climber would need trimming to size would it not? Especially as the designated space is very limited. Are there alternatives that are easier to control? In an ideal world I would love plants that just look after themselves.

I read that potato plant is poisonous. How poisonous is it.? Would my pets be at risk? They are not nibblers as such but you never know when something might take there fancy. It looks and sounds very similar to “belladonna”. How closely related are they? My neighbour once told me he had a friend who said they had bought a potato plant. He told them they had bought deadly nightshade. Even if he were wrong, he would probably tell me the same thing.

Once the new fence has been painted that area should be good to go. In October I improved the soil with compost, bark and fresh manure. I’m hoping the manure will have broken down enough by spring to plant into it.



I see there are several varieties of Sambucas Nigra. If I read them right, black beauty needs cutting down to ground level and black lace needs cutting back to woody stems. Which variety do you have? Do they behave differently?

I am still undecided what to do about that spot, if anything. It’s not a priority either way. There are plenty of places around the garden that are far more important to concentrate on.

@“M” do you have any photos of your sambucas. It would be interesting to see how it looks. Your offer of a cutting is very kind. Although I am not prepared to commit myself at this point, I would be daft to turn down such a generous offer. Once established I’m sure I could find the right spot for it somewhere.

All help and advice is much appreciated



G.