Apple Blossoms new project

I've decided to take the plunge..... and change....

'what was the veg patch to a colourful seasonal patch'

with a little friend who keeps me company daily...



A bit sad really as I enjoyed growing and nurturing the vegetables however I think I grew enough to feed all of Hampshire and gave most of it away due to the freezer being full to the brim....... so have decided that a small patch for just the two of us is more practical.

Yesterday, I dug up the last of the veg and made a lovely warming bacon joint stew with the last of them mmmmmm tastes lovely.



Had a good clear out and then plotted on what needed to go where.... and where to put in all the bulbs I'd purchased



A friend brought me a gift of 2 x Cortaderia Selloana White Feather which was a lovely gesture, as you can see from the photo above I have placed them in the centre of the plot to give height and character however, having read up about them I am really worried that they will completely overtake the whole area and wondering if I should place them more in a corner of the garden on their own so that they have the room and not smother other plants. I'm probably answering my own question however I would be really grateful for any advice, can they be thinned out yearly, are they difficult to look after, does anyone have any experience in keeping them dwarf like? or are my initial thoughts correct and that I should contain them to their own place in the garden?

for any help

 

I can't give you any answers, Apple Blossom, but I've decided the same for next year. Have removed veg plots and will be turning them into flower beds. I have decided to use just the back of garden and pots for veg next season. Oh well, back to leaf clearing. All the best.

 

Hi @Rustler I agree, I too am just going to use pots as I had great success this way this year and to be honest it was quiet enough

I spoke today to the friendly gardener and he told me that I would probably be better moving it to a site of its own to allow it to grow to its full potential. He showed me a place to put it and I have to agree it will look lovely where he suggested it just means a bigger job as its an area I was going to leave for a little while so I could concentrate on my new project, looks like I have two projects to do now

I called into the garden centre today and got some real bargins... Managers Offer.... lots of plants and shrubs marked down to £3.00 will list them over the weekend as its too dark now and I've only just come in after mopping up more leaves... its like an endless battle but very therapeutic

 

I have to keep telling myself the gazillions of leaves dropping daily are good because of the lovely leaf mold they produce . If i didnt keep telling myself this i would go nuts

 

I've just found my receipt and today I purchased lots of things.... and in medium pot sizes

Rudbeckia Fusigida deamii
Helenium Siesta Mariachi
Agapanthus Windsor Grey
Leucanthemum Freak
Hemerocallis Sammy Russell
Hemerocallis Pink Damask
Kniphofia Royal Castle x 2
Aquilegia Winky x 2
Viburnum Finus Eve Price
Helleborus Harvington Hybrid x 2
Monarda Prairie Night
Echinacea White Meditation
Iris Orange Caper
50 variety mixed daffs
50 garden mixed tulips
Secateurs x 2 special offer
Empathy bulb starter

And all for just over £60 plus with my £20 vouchers I felt as though I had got myself a good bargain

 

So funny...... may I ask you about leaf mold, I have read that if you put the leaves into a bin bag and ensure it has holes and then place them on top of each other by the following year you will have good mulch? Last year as we had only just moved in and the garden was in such a mess I didn't think much about the leaves and just dumped them in the back of the wood with all the other garden waste whereas this year I should really put them to better use. I'm not even sure why we have to have leaf mold and how would it be used. Sorry for my ignorance but I am still learning as I'm going

 

Im still learning all about it too
What i do is go over most of them with the mower and then rake up the rest. I bought a roll of chicken wire and 5 fence posts and made a cage for them to rot in ,about 1.5m by 1.5m by 1.2m high. This is sighted in a shady spot at the bottom of the garden out of sight.

When its ready to use i will put some on a bed containing treefern/palms/lupins/other stuff too.Some for the raspberry/blackcurrant plants also.Any left over will be used to bulk up container compost/sand too to save money.

Personally i dont fancy the black bag way but thats just me

 

Neither do I really but I just thought this year if I could use them it would be quick fix I like your idea of putting them in their own place and I dare say that it gives easy access to them and more air around to dry them out.... I can feel a nagging bout coming on Mr AB, the problem is living in the New Forrest I think I could start a business selling leaf mold The only ones that really get on my pip are those from the magnolia trees as they just don't rot and they are feisty little buggers when your trying to gather them up

 

Someone somewhere will get it together and start making this stuff to sell as you cant buy it anywhere.
Youll have to keep them out of your new pond too btw , mines netted but the small silver birch still get in .

 

MMMM and that is a task on its own.... every day even before I go to work I have to net out all the leaves that fall into the water.

That's it we should start up a business

 

Thank you for all that information @shiney, at the moment I have decided to leave them where they are for a year as there is another area that they can go into but it needs some work on it at the moment. Mr AB said he liked them where they are and that if necessary he will move them for me next year. I have had a good read up and yes I understand that the leaves can be troublesome and that you need to be careful when tidying it up.

The soil is very rich where I have put them however they do have flowers being produced at the moment, but that could have been from them being in a pot at the garden centre. The other site that is probably better for them is very dry and will provide them with all the space they need to grow.

 

Hi Apple Blossom,

Well done on your new project

I can't wait till next year to see it in all it's glory

Let me know if you want any hardy Fuchsias to help fill I out a bit or a couple of miniatures to put at the front.

 

Thank you Anthony, the weather at the moment is delaying the project so I have to do a bit at a time and thank you so much for your kind offer. Its a big area to fill so I may take you up on your offer