Another bed

Six months ago I was digging out a bed for long missed and desired roses (15ft long), that's now under way although the roses are difficult to see at this point.



Yesterday I started another bed as part of the process of turning my front garden into something more than lawn and drive. Although I've kept it tidy, I've done nothing out there since I moved here eight years ago, apart from plant a couple of trees as I've been concentrating on the complete overhaul of my back garden. My lawn also needs a great deal of work as it's choked with moss.

Here's the bed, now clear of turf and ready for double digging. It's approx 17ft long and 8ft across at the widest point. It looks like a tear drop from each end, but the shape is of an eye.





Plants are a while away yet, but they will be perennials.

 

How big is your front garden sheal? it looks huge on that last pic
Itl soon be planting up time do you know what you want or are you still shopping about ? x

 

It's approximately 60 x 60ft Joolz and twice the depth of my back garden, I'd prefer it to be the other way round though. I don't know why they built my bungalow so far back on the plot and what is more annoying, my deeds state we can't extend into the front garden if we wanted too, sides or back only.

As you know, I've got a lot of seeds underway and I'm yet to work out what's going where. But a must have is....Sambucus 'Black Lace', that's definitely going to happen. My gardens are cottage style, so my plant choices are traditional. I've got a fancy for these too.....

 

Looking good Sheal

 

Thanks Mr. Grinch.

 

I planted one last yr but i struggled to find this week,its about an inch tall but is sprouting so i cant get ya a cutting yet sorry xx

 

Not to worry Joolz but a kind thought. We've got rain for the first time in three weeks, so it's stopped the digging for the time being. Back on it the other side of the weekend hopefully.

 

After a snowstorm just before Easter that took three and a half weeks to thaw, I finally got back to double digging the bed and today got it finished with the help of my other half, Pete. Now Pete's idea of gardening would be to concrete the lot having no interest whatsoever, so I was chuffed he gave me a hand to finish it. I have back issues that are progressing so I'm limited now on how much time I can spend doing the heavy work.

So here we go, obviously it still doesn't look much, this coming week I will get compost and manure dug in and hopefully get my centre piece in next weekend, Sambucus 'Eva', I'm not sure whether this is a new name for 'Black Lace' or not but they seem to be identical.

 

Sambucus Black Lace is a very good shrub. Amazing foliage and nice pink flowers.

Whats that little tree in the background. It seems lonely ?

G

 

It could get even lonelier Mr. Grinch! That is my 'last chance' Hibiscus. Last chance because it's been in a pot for the last seven years, has made up a good stem and not grown above two and a half feet. It leafs up well every year but has never flowered, in fact I couldn't even tell you what colour the flowers would be now. Anyway, I planted it out last year and gave it a good talking to. It was told if doesn't show any signs of change this year it's a gonna! It was left in a pot for so long because they don't like sandy soil which I have and being as it didn't perform in the pot I planted it out to give it a chance having dug in a load of compost. The end of this summer will probably see it's demise.

 

I love Hibiscus, they bring a touch of the tropics to your garden. I find with mine that its the last to leaf up (mine still looks dead) and one of the first to drop its leafs. I think it looks sickly with yellowing leaf's but it comes out every year and its getting bigger. I think with these, they need a very good root run, nothing to restricted like very very compacted clay BUT they are hungry so if you have sandy soil add loads of organic matter and a mulch every year. They also need sun sun sun so a hot spot is perfect. The flowers are worth the wait.

Give it a feed Sheal, good soil and im sure it will do the biz.

G

 

Oooooooh the excitement of a blank canvas, Sheal! Have you decided on the perennials yet? It looks from the photo as though they'll need to be sun-lovers?

 

Mr. Grinch, I can't mulch it because it's in the lawn but it has been and will continue to be fed. Yes, you're right they are the last to leaf up and the first to drop.

Noisette, The garden faces south east but catches the sun most of the day even when it moves round to the west. I'm growing just about everything that will be going in there and it will be a mixture. I have to account for the fact that the Sambucus 'Black Lace' will have quite a large spread eventually but meanwhile will plant fairly close to it and move plants when necessary. The list so far...

Paeony 'Sarah Bernhardt' which I paid the princely sum of £1.20 for, I don't expect that to do much this year.

White Lupins
Grass 'Wangenheimia'
Geraniums - either blue or white
Aquilegia 'Rhubarb and Custard'
Iris 'Unknown' which I have elsewhere, it's a chocolate and mustard colour.
Papaver
Annuals
Nicotiana and Petunias as fill ins for the time being.

I have other plants but I still have to make a decision on those. This all might sound like a hideous mixture, but as I found with the bed in my back garden last year, it quite often works.

 

Beeeaautiful picture.

So yo grew them in containers ready for planting? I've never made a flower bed but you seem to no what your doing and how you want it done.

 

Thanks for the compliment Lady in blue. I grow almost everything myself either from seed or cuttings in pots and trays. To be honest I get more pleasure from growing than gardening.

It's easy to create a bed but back breaking work, I like the challenge and sense of achievement like most gardeners.