My tiered garden log.

Thanks everybody!
It means a lot! The garden has been looking like a mess for so long, it's hard to see what good work i've done, because i just see the pile of rubbish next to the nice bits, and the next job to do, rather than the jobs done!

Anyway, a little update, and a lot of dust!!

The poorly rose is getting better, and looking better.



Pretty! and it's actually got structure now.

The chillies are doing what chillies do best... grow chillies, and LOTS of them, you wouldn't believe the back four plants were completely chilli-less (we've eaten them all!) and now they have a load of chillies back on and growing!



The other roses are looking better, i'm sure next year we will have closer to what we wanted in the first place.



I trimmed the top of the sambucus about a month ago (or it feels that long ago!) and it refused to grow, until i looked at ground level, it's taking over!!!


You wouldn't believe that was a twig at the start of the year.

Now the important bit, the step we have started to make the shuttering for.



And i gave the apple tree a trim!
It'll make it easier to pull when we do take it out.

Now the dusty bit!
We've cut all the pavers we had left!!


Pavers cut around the pillar.
We also made a path to the patio with what we had left.



And over-all view

as i say, all i see is the mess around, because i know i have to tidy it up one day!

 

It will look a whole lot different when you've tidied up and can see what you've achieved.

 

I always find that the clutter at the end of a project is very demoralising. Wish I could pop round and help you with the clear up. Underneath is a stunning transformation!

 

Morning everyone!

Progress!

But first, we have flowers.
The roses are going for it (AGAIN!) i think it's strange how the roses start bright purple then turn green, but it's a nice change




Pretty white roses, finally.

The pink ones- again- off like madmen!



The strawberries are running wild. (YAY) i want these just to go mad this year, as i won't get around to that top level any time soon.



I had a tidy up too.





Which made another part more messy, but hey ho! i'm happier.



I started on the height change on the middle level.



And finished, plus re-planted most of the tulip bulbs in the process.





It's the only thing we could think to do, they are full pavers buried down nice and deep, so they are pretty sturdy.

I need some planting ideas now to hide the step up! Any ideas? Something nice and low but pretty and either drapes down from above to cover the wall, leaving enough space for the tulips to grow.

Or grow up from the base but still allowing the tulips to grow?

 

Wow!

Great progress again!

My first thought was a little boring - aubrietia. But it does fit your spec. Easy, low-growing, pretty, and would probably hide the step up fairly quickly.

I'm sure others will be along with much "fancier" ideas soon enough!

 

That looks like what I'm looking for.
But on rhs it says chalk/loan soil freely draining. Unfortunately I've got thick heavy clay soil which has never seen free draining in its life! :( boo.

 

Well, for a start, on the edge of a drop like that, it will be free-draining!

And I grew up with the stuff (along with a silver-leaved plant, "snow in summer" - don't know it's posh name), and we that was on a heavy red clay that you could make pots from!

 

That sounds promising then! But it's on the bottom of a slope with a massive wall acting like a dam. This level is bouncy to walk on it gets that wet...
It's better than that water being in the house though!
I might give them a go

 

Rockery plants would be ideal Neil. Your bulbs will come up through them.

https://www.google.com/search?q=roc...kHNg&dpr=0.95#tbm=isch&q=rockery+plant+images

 

I'll have a look to see what's for sale in the garden centre, although it's probably not the best time of year to be planting things...
Hmm.
I might even treat myself and go tonight after work! I'll try and find something nicer for my planter at the top while i'm there too.

Tiny update:

First part of the step concrete is in, this is the base layer, them we are adding an extra inch or so on top once we have the other step fully cut and shuttered.

suprisingly enough it was rock hard this morning.

With what was left we cemented in the clothes drying rack thing. (now what are they called again?) rotary washing line?



The wood is to keep the pole vertical in the ground, which is then held down by the two blocks so nothing moved while it set (48 hours or something daft!)

We cut the edging stones for the rose/lavender border, i'm going to double the width of it and re-plant the lavender out a bit so it's got more light, it looks like it's struggling so close to the wall.



I can't wait to get my fence up so it doubles the height the roses can climb.

Also cut the last couple of blocks for behind the wall ready to mortar in.



So yeah, that's about it, another view of the step.


Doubling the width is going to make a massive difference!

I don't know if i've mentioned this before, but i have got to say i'm impressed with how it's stood the test of time.

A little back-story to my shed.

When we rented a terrace house, the shed was in front of the house, and the garden at the back, so every time i needed to cut the lawn, i had to drag the lawnmower through the house.

We didn't have enough money to buy a shed, and never saw the point as it was a rented house, it wasn't perminant, and we were looking to buy our own house at the time, so spending money was a no-no.

So a couple of requests on facebook and a little wait, my old friend from school contacted me, with 6 rotten fence panels he was getting rid of from his parents, covered in ivy, well rotted on the bottom of the posts, most of the panels i burnt if i'm honest.

But what came from it was 4 shortish posts, bottom rot cut out, re-painted. and lots of little pieces of wood to work with.

I made this to fit exactly under the back window, on the patio inbetween the house and our neighbours fence, it was big enough to store our lawnmower, strimmer chiminea etc.

So after spending 10pound on the long pieces of lumber (treated 3x2's) using the offcuts from my grans roof for the felt, £3 on some flat sheet for the roof and this is what came of it £13 later!



~When we moved into this house, it needed to be out of the way, it was never built to last! so we popped it on this retaining wall at the bottom of the garden, and the legs magically lined up with the below pillar! It's now probably 3 years old, doesn't leak, i've had to pin the cladding up a couple of times, but it's never let us down.

Not bad for a temporary solution!

 

Isn't it good spending time sorting out those niggly little bits and pieces. The extended step will make such a difference when trotting up and down.

I like the shed Neil. I reckon it'll be around for a good few years to come.

 

Well I bought this to go with my mint while it grows... Pretty and hassle free!

I didn't see any of the plants listed :( I'll try another garden centre this weekend

 

Been busy. i know it's not planting... or gardening really- maybe the better term is carpeting, but i've been getting everything ready for the artificial grass .
Put my borders up both sides


Then weedproof membrane


and more

And it's ready for some sand and artificial grass

While i was doing the end border, i widened it a bit, so i re-planted the lavender a bit further away from the wall to give it a bit more of a chance.



Then with the offcuts i made a path to my greenhouse...


Which i didn't like, so i reverted it back to the path i'd made earlier in the day.



Bodge, but it's nicer than walking on all the mess!

Which meant i had to find a location for the spare artificial grass- well, i din't really, i just wanted to get the last bench out of the garage so i have some space to work in there!



Hodgepodge viewing area/breakfast area!

Which also meant i now have more space here!
Almost ready for jet-washing which might be happening this week!



Oh and i finally fitted the hosepipe reel to the wall, which i've been meaning to do forever, much better!


Oh and i've been harvesting some more mega chillies!
For some reason this year i'm growing giants on all the plants bar the buht jokila (cant spell that one!)


They are jalapeno's and hungarian hot waxes (two plants next to each other)


Thats a chaianne which are only supposed to be this big...



Anyway, updates as usual Nearly winter! 9degrees C this morning!

 

well.. late last night i got this somewhere near spot on level with sand...

camera phone, in the dark. never a good mix.



Artificial grass! not exactly gardening, but hey! It's what we want for the washing line.

And this morning before work, with a little bit of wood on it, to hold it down... honest!



It'll look a lot better once it's cut and tucked into the borders and the washing line in.


My grade is also slightly off on the right (GRR!) it should drop to the bottom left, which it does (drainage) but the side with the wall isn't perfect... hey ho, it'll drain enough for artificial grass!

 

Ta Daa!









Still a little creased, but it'll settle!