AN AMBLE AROUND THE GARDEN TODAY

I thought I'd have an amble around the garden today while doing a few jobs here and there to give me a sense of what is happening as Spring draws nearer.

My old Cottage stone Sinks need a complete sort and replanting with new plants



but I'll leave that for some warmer weather!

Last year this suffered badly from too much shade from the big old Buddleia and other shrubs so I've pruned the Buddleia back severely and cut back some other shrubs. So it should do better this year.


Climbing Rose "Masquerade" is still stubbornly putting out flowers.


The borders are starting to show shoots poking out of the soil




The Aconites I planted earlier are showing through nicely.


Some of the Clematis prunings, the big sack is already full and there's another huge pile on the Compost Bins

 

The Palm got away during the Winter with little damage


While the Snowdrops are doing really well










This Pot feeds water into the Wildlife Pond and must be around 18 years old, sits out in all weathers and is still only showing slight frost damage.




One of my favourite Pots which is around 15 years of age and is holding a intermediate Peony and some Tulips. The Peony is showing some good buds on it, hopefully, promising a good year.

 

I grown fonder and fonder of Ferns used in the shady areas


This one is one of several planted along the banks of the Wildlife pond


Some of the borders need the Shrubs cutting back, another "tomorrow" job


Cutting back the old Hellebore leaves brings to light the new flowers




Spring must be on it's way


Some Clematis are showing leaf already


The Herb and Succulent bows have again stood the Winter well and seem to be happy.


This Euonymus is really old and is in a really deep shady corner but it still catches the eye when you're walking around.

 

Yes, Sheal, it is.........Fool's Gold

 

@Perki

It's not a big garden, Perki to be honest. It measures in width, from East fence to West fence at the top on the Patio, 95'. At the bottom it's around, in width, around 103', while being, again, around 100' in length. It also drops from the House down to the Wildlife Pond by about 18" inches. As I've said before, I garden on around 350' - 400' of pure sand with the Old Roman Quarry only 25 yards from my front door.
But, over the years, I've had over 200 tons of top soil added,(which doesn't go very far), Tractor Loads of Farmers Manure tipped over the original bottom fence, along with numerous trips for Manure from the, at least, 8 Stables within 5 miles of me. So I've now got about 12" depth of reasonable, light, fertile soil on the top.
There's only 6 Houses in the Grove, with nothing on the Quarry side except 20' high Conifers. (directly in front of my House, of the Cul-de-Sac. One of my next door Neighbour's, (to the West), garden is about 25' in width but about the same length as mine, the other Neighbour's, (to the East), garden is almost triangular in shape, so at the top it's around 60', and at the bottom just less than 90'. I wouldn't want my Neighbours garden to the East as it was used by the Builder to dump bricks, concrete, and anything else they could.

Yeah, I know, but I don't drink to excess, don't smoke and, since I lost my Wife, my garden is my passion as it's full of our memories together. She was the one with the Artists eye, a clever Gardener, knew all the Country tales, folklore of the plants and Herb uses so the garden is really in her memory although I doubt she would recognise it now, and would tell me off for overplanting.
I, as you know, use a lot of Hardy Perennials in the borders with several layers of thousands of Bulbs planted underneath them throughout the borders. Most of the Shrubs were planted to hide the fences and the Climbing and Shrub Roses have gradually grown in number over the years. I describe the garden as being a " overplanted chaotic Cottage Style" but that isn't a deliberate move but one brought about by seeing a plant, liking it, and buying it Anyway, a garden is always changing by itself .......I'm merely helping it along

 

Hi Adrian, well, down South is always at least a couple of months of us here in West Cheshire although probably you might get warmer Summer than us but colder Winters

 

@AdrianBg

Hi Adrian, Well, I use a lot of Ferns on all the banks of the Wildlife pond to soften the edges and to provide cover and shelter for the Wildlife. It's really great plant and once planted you just leave it to get on with things. There's also Hostas, Astilbes, Clematis, Flag Iris and a Jasmine Hedge that runs along the bank on the House side of the pond so you can sit out of sight by the pond and just enjoy the quiet.








American Skunk Cabbage


I love sitting there and it's great for Wildlife, and all because I decided to dig a hole in the ground back in '93

 

@AdrianBg

You're more than welcome, Adrian. It's what GC is all about, swapping ideas, successes and failures and the GC Gang have given me a lot of advice and help over the years.