Maintain Plot for One Growing Season?

I've just started my level 3 in horticulture (like a week ago...) and one of the tasks that we have to do is to maintain a small plot of land for one whole growing season and we basically have free reign (within reason) and we can do almost anything with it, which I'm rather excited about:D I've so far decided to do a Tresco abbey inspired garden (on a much smaller scale :P) and was thinking of maybe doing a dry stone wall (no idea how much it's going to cost or were the materials will come from or how ill get them to college or even if my tutor will let me:rolleyes and plant it up with things that sum up the Tresco abbey gardens

so far the plants which I would like to include are:

1) Aeonium 'Atropupureum' (also a plain green one which a neighbor has kindly agreed to let me have a couple of cuttings off, although she doesn't know yet:D)
2)Lampranthus (pink and purple varieties)
3)Echium pinana
4)Centranthus ruber
5)Gazania 'cultivar'
6)Some kind of palm as yet undecided
7)Protea cynaroides
8)Agave as yet undecided about which one
9)Kniphofia
10)Aloe as yet undecided about which one
11)Tree pelargonium dunno which one
12)Senecio glastifolius

I know some of the plants which I have included probably aren't actually at the Tresco abbey gardens (such has the valerian) and I'm still undecided about a few of the plants and obviously some aren't gong in the actually wall, but so far what does everyone think? I'm open to plant suggestions as well as plant gifts LOL

 

This is going to cost you a fortune!

When the school year is over do you have to leave it there or can you dismantle it and pack it to me? :D

Sounds wonderful. Is it a realistic project?

Don't forget some fuzzy "filling plants" here and there to keep the thing together while the various stunners do their thing in turn.

 

Sounds good keep us updated. I think u should consider what Ivory has picked up on about the cost and what will be happening to the plants after. If u see anything in my garden (not that there's much in there lol) that u would like cuttings off you're more than welcome just let me know and good luck with your course

 

"so far what does everyone think?"

Bold and Brave. Go for it!

"This is going to cost you a fortune!"

Plants will be bigger at the end of the year, maybe factor in selling them (eBay ??) to recoup cost, or even maybe make a profit.

"which a neighbor has kindly agreed to let me have a couple of cuttings off"

I wonder if you can get from a cutting to a decent sized plant next year, starting now? if you wind up with tiddly plants it may look a bit "one year too young" and that might be disheartening, or mean that you fail to meet your objective??

 

Well I believe that it would probably stay there although I'll ask:p the plants that I would like to include are very much realistic, but the dry stone wall idea is debatable:rolleyes: I was thinking of maybe getting some rubble or old bricks off freecycle maybe, although they would have to deliver and there's the problem of me never building a dry stone wall before...lol although I suppose a more realistic idea to would be to have a large rock garden...

could anyone recommend some nice fuzzy plants at all? as you have probably gathered many of the plants in that list wont flower in there first growing season such as the echiums but it will still look nice as i intend to pinch some canas and things from this years summer bedding

Again the cost would be a problem although everything in the garden plant wise I intend to use the college's huge array of spare plants and take cuttings and sow seed so that should help out with the cost


picking up on what Kristen said about one yea too early, our objective is only to maintain it so effectively I could just do a lawn...:thumb:

 

Where is the plot? Is it at college? Will it be one that is a blank canvas or will it be one that previous students have maintained for a year.

It would seem strange to me that you would be given a blank canvas as there will be new students doing this every years so they would either have to rip out everything that the previous student had done - or you will be given a plot that others have had for the year before you. That may put restraints on what is possible - or at least practical. If it is like this there will be more mature plants already in situ that you may have to work round.

 

I'm pretty sure that we have to have a blank canvas as we have to prepare the ground before using it as part of the syllabus...as for the types of restraints, previous students have created ponds so I don't think there are many restraints I have the feeling that the only restraint we have is the maximum size of the plot and how much we are willing to to spend on it:thumb:

Oh there's a thought a small pond surrounded by a rock garden...*Start 's me thinking again...*

 

So are the plots recycled every year then. seems a bit of a shame to go to all that trouble and expense just to have it stripped again for the new students next year.

I think I would try to keep it as cheap as possible - and use lots of imagination. A pond sounds like a great idea. :thumb:

 

Id go for the rockery aproach. To build a tidy dry stone or even wet stone wall you need to have more stone than you actually need in order that you can pick the ideal stones...

Not sure about the senecio, a bit boring for a limited space imo.

Bulbs?

 

I was thinking along the lines of bulbs as well Pro Gard but I'm still unsure of what bulbs to get/use?

I like the idea of crocosmia as it's relatively common (means I can just ask around on here or a neighbor and I'm sure most would have a load of corms spare...as they spread like wild fire:p) Also I've seen some lovely Hedychium's on the island recently and would love to include a couple

also is the Senecio glastifolius really that common? as I've never seen it apart from pictures in books

 

For the Agave, i would stick with the tried and tested americana, although there are a wide selection of other fairly hardy ones, especially if well drained.

For Palms, the biggest on Tresco are CIDP (canary island date palms) and a tatty Jubea. CIDP are fairly cheap, although the bigger ones can cost a fair bit. Trachycarpus are a good hardier alternative, as are Butia. Hardy Palms (www.hardypalms.co.uk) is having a closing down sale, so if you were planning on getting a palm soon, then you may save a bit by getting one before he closes.

I have sent you a pm

 

Thanks for the info Gaz but if I'm lucky I may get a palm (probably a young Trachycarpus) for free if I can get one from Ventnor botanic gardens as Ive only just started my work experience there and my boss/supervisor seems really nice but if not £5.00 seems a bargain, but it doesn't mention postage at all...


***Edit***

Hmm ...postage seems to be £16

 

I was at a show yesterday and the Women's Institute stand had really cheap plants and they had an agave for £1.25 so u could try places like that

 

Oops double post

 

:yez:Thats another place I'm intending to get plants as well we have a WI sale/coffee morning every Friday here in Shanklin although many of the plants which ill use in my plot are available from the college's collection