Mike's Evolving Garden

I'm having more changes to my garden this year because the bottom part has become an awful mess ... I think it happens over time, especially when one isn't able to keep up with the necessary work.
Therefore to make things a bit easier I've decided to have decking around where my raised bed and cold frames are, it's just loose slabs now but they have become uneven and weeds grow in between them so decking will be better.

My garden helping lady came yesterday (it was her 1st visit this year, and she comes once a month) and she moved a few things for me, that were in the way of where the new decking will be - Weigela, Fuchsia, hardy Geraniums etc.

Here are some photos ...
and since my garden lady started digging things up yesterday, and moving pots around, it's in an even worse mess than it was before, so don't look if you're a tidy fanatic
(but it will be better when the decking is down )

 

I think we'd best wait for the 'after' shots Michael.

 

Sometimes - things have to look a lot worse before they get better @Michael Hewett
Are you making a level area in front of your cold frame etc? That will certainly help. You seem to have quite a pronounced slope there.
Some shallow, broad [ie deep] steps up to a nice even area will make life a lot easier for pootering around with seedlings etc. Broad steps are very handy for sitting pots on too.

 

You have been hiding this area from us Michael!! But you have been very busy with the kitchen and greenhouse etc of late. It will be a nice place to sit with those pots filled with "pretties".

 

It does look potentially like a nice space @Michael Hewett, no worse than a typical garage tidy up!

 

Thank you all for commenting on my garden.

@Sheal I thought I'd show some 'before' pics for people to see the improvement after the work has been done

@fairygirl there's quite a step up to the cold frame and I'm hoping the new decking will cover it, or make it a smaller step. There will also have to be a step from the garden path up to the decking.

@Victoria I haven't shown many photos of this area, except for the raised bed. It was tidy once but now the slabs have become uneven and the whole area is weedy too.

@Plantminded yes there's a lot of stuff there to get rid of and organize, but when it's better for me to walk on that will be easy to do.

 

I guessed that was your intention Michael. Looking forward to seeing the area when you've finished.

 

Yes - a nice level area around the cold frame makes it much safer @Michael Hewett.
Look forward to seeing all the updates. Hope it goes well

 

I thought these were the "after" shots.

 

'Mikes Evolving Garden' hasn't evolved much this year so far, he hasn't even sown any seeds yet. He usually does it in March and April but now it's May and no seeds have been sown.
The weather is too cold and wet, it's the worst spring we've had here for a very long time, and this has held up the seed sowing and also the tidying of the perspex shelters where Mike does the sowing and potting.
Maybe next week ... ?

Even the cacti haven't been watered properly - some haven't had a drop since October ! Sometimes the cactus-watering begins as early as February, but not this year.

However, the potatoes and onion sets are in so that's something to be grateful for isn't it ...

Come on weather, warm up please ! (but not too much )

 

Next week we may be wearing shorts and tee shirt, and sitting in the shade

 

Perhaps whoever is in charge of the switch needs waking up.

And soaking wet.

 

Put the thermostat on 18 degrees please. A blue sky and a gentle breeze would also be welcome

 

I've been tidying my greenhouse and rearranging the shelving. My garden helping lady did it with me last week. The cacti are tidier now, and the succulents (most of them anyway) have moved out.

My garden lady helped me take all the plants out and we moved the shelves together and I swept the floor. Then she helped me bring all the cacti back in but we left the succulents outside. They'll be all right until I get their summer home ready.

Today I've been watering and putting the cacti in order, because my garden helping lady didn't place them as I wanted, and I needed them all back in while she was here so I didn't say anything, I was just grateful to have some help.
But now they are all positioned as I want them.

I've also been tidying the perspex shelter where my succulents will go when I get around to it in the next few days, and in there I found some Fuchsias I thought were dead but they're not, and some pots of mint, so I brought them out and watered them.

Here are some photos of my cacti in their summer positions
What's on the tall black shelves are mostly cuttings ...









Through the greenhouse side window (last photo) you can see into a place built from perspex sheets, where we once grew Fuchsias. It's in a mess now, and full of junk. I will be getting rid of it soon and I hope to construct a new shelter for my succulents.