Small Garden Project

WOW! The pond looks fantastic now! Loads better than the way it was before!

Your slow worm friend will be thrilled!

 

Spent today pottering about in the sunshine and realised I hadn't posted any pictures in a while.



The turf has taken brilliantly, and I'm getting to grips (literally) with the mower. And there are now actual plants in the beds!



The rose was here when we moved in, but we had no idea what colour it would turn out to be until it exploded in pink a couple of weeks ago. I've never seen such a productive rose - it's literally bending under the weight of the flowers. Attempts to support it have so far failed, I'm wondering if the hard prune I gave it a few months back has caused an over abundance of flowers on weak new growth? It still looks spectacular, though sadly it doesn't appear to be a scented variety.

Most of the rest of this bed is annual seeds - aneomes are just starting to poke through, and the mass of green in the middle is a mix if poppies and cornflower seed scattered back in March. I've got lavender seedlings that will hopefully go in here next year but just wanted quick colour for now. The sweet peas are making short work of the trellis; I've always grown them in pots before so wasn't sure how they'd cope with harsher soil compared to compost, but they don't seem to mind. The only difference I've noticed is they're later to flower this year - usually I have a few flowers by late May but this year I've only just got buds appearing now.




This is the shadey bed at the top of the steps, to the right of the lawn as you look up the garden. It was bare for a long time and I couldn't really figure out what to do with it, but I went to RHS Malvern with my mum a few weeks ago and came back with a lot of inspiration. It's now probably my favourite bed - possibly because it's been the most carefully planned/thought out! The acer and the hosta are both planted in pots submerged in the soil so I can easily extract them whenever we eventually move on. I've got some aquilagia seeds in the coldframe to hopefully fill a few more gaps next year, though the geranium ("Elke") at the front is already spreading out well.



The top corner has filled amazingly; all my dahlias took, though I've already got plans to rearrange them slightly next year... Definitely missing height at the back here though, there are cosmos and verbena hiding away back there but they've not grown as tall as I'd hoped thus far. Again, have lupins and foxgloves (both of which have warmed on me immensely since I started this project!) in the coldframe to hopefully add in next year.



Not the best photo - most of the small bedding plants I grew this spring are finding their feet in here, along with a few zinnia that have just gone out. Will hopefully fill over the next few weeks. The geums at the back were £2 each in B&Q reduced section; a good water and they've been brilliant since.



Shadey corner, mostly being given over the rhubarb now. Looking forward to crumble...



I scattered some limnathus (poached egg plant) seeds in the narrow bed infront of the hens; either it has taken brilliantly or there's a very wiley weed making itself at home. No sign of any flowers yet... The barer patch to the left has my 50p heathers slowly recovering and bushing out again; hopefully with time they will fill it. Again, inspiration from Malvern, next year I'm hoping to re-do this small patch as a little alpine garden, with some nice stones and smaller alpine planting.



The pond has come a very long way. The plants we put in round the edges have taken off and naturalised already, and the water lily has sent it's leaves back up. We've got 5 flower buds so far, just waiting on them opening... Also been visited by dragon flies, newts and many small swimming things I couldn't name.



And finally a couple of flowers in pots on the patio. Anemones just starting to open - I'm hoping they time it for a good display altogether. The dahlia is my favourite by far, I love the sun colours. It was a wilko tuber, best £2 I've ever spent.

It's come a long way since January! I love that it's reached the point now where I can go out for a wander round, or sit and read, or do odd jobs, without feeling there's a further list of tasks to get onto. I'm already planning changes, but it's tweaking rather than heavy structural stuff now - and I'm not sure that will ever stop!

 

What a difference. Your hard work is certainly paying off.

Rusty

 

It all looks amazing. You must be very proud of what you've achieved.

 

Looks brilliant wish my garden was that small ...............

 

Bravo!!!!!!!

An amazing transformation and well catalogued too - you must feel so proud of your result (rightly so!). I admire your perseverance with the pond, wonderful outcome

 

It's looking amazing 2nd_bassoon! All your hard work has paid off.

 

Looks stunning, lawn looks great

 

What a lovely garden to spend time in! You've transformed it. Think your poached egg plants are at the same stage as mine - could be weeds, but have appeared just where the seeds were sown! I hope you are enjoying your beautiful outdoor space!