What are we doing in the garden 2024

Thank you @lizzie27, that must have been a very enjoyable visit. I wish I lived closer, I'd be there every day! I've got both of Neil Lucas' books and have read about their mulching which looks really good. You'll find the Hakonechloa will give a good backdrop for your cherry tree. I look forward to seeing your photos .

 

@lizzie27, I copied this arrangement from the Knoll Gardens website about three years ago, using Hakonechloa macra on the left and a larger group of H. macra aureola under the Acer on the right. I'd recommend the second variety as its variegation attracts and reflects light. Enjoy your planting!

 

@fairygirl Not a good idea to put the clear pot inside a ceramic one. The reason for the clear is that unusually the roots need the light so hiding them away they wont like it. Put the clear plant pot on a nice ceramic tray with some gravel and allow this to help with the humidity after spraying. The bathroom is a great idea as long as there is some light and it doesn't get too hot.

 

One question, that high hedge on the left in the background, does it belong to you?

I get a lot of ideas from Mrs Hillard, and of course many others in the “what is looking good” threads.

 

Hum, no @simone_in_wiltshire, that delightful laurel hedge runs behind my fence and my next door neighbour’s fence, growing in the two gardens behind us. It’s about 12 feet high in places. The neighbour behind me pays £600 to have his bit cut every year, using scaffolding, but they often leave bits that they can’t reach . I resent having to control it on my side. I can’t reach the top now and there’s a sloping bank on my side to negotiate which I’ve fallen down a couple of times so I now pay a contractor to do it. The hedge does provide privacy though and we can’t see each other!

 

@Plantminded - I had been pondering whether the hakonechloa would survive under my largish purple leaved cherry tree as it would be between that and a wall so dryish conditions which aren't ideal.

I need to get it out of its pot in any event which is needed for something else - the grass will either survive or not I guess! I'll try to keep on top of the watering.

Your mention of the laurel hedge behind you fills me with horror as our newish neighbours (non-gardeners) had one planted a few years ago along the full length of our properties. It is already just above our 6ft fence and has started to push through the slats. At the back it could become even more problematic as it's planted on a bank their side and we won't be able to access it our side.
Additionally it has the potential to ruin our beautiful side view across to the hills opposite.
I can foresee laurel hedges taking over from leylandi as the bane of gardeners across the country!

 

I’ve grown Hakonechloa in very dry full shade under a huge cherry laurel @lizzie27 . It did fine. Not as full and luscious as it would be in damp soil but grew well enough to look good. (I only ever water once on planting and usually a maximum of once or twice during first few months)

 

If you can improve the soil a bit @lizzie27, it should be OK if you keep it well watered until it gets established. I also have a row of it growing alongside my steps next to the house, on my sloping bank. The soil is very dry there but the Hakonechloa seems quite happy. I put it there to stop the blackbirds throwing soil near the edge onto the steps and it’s worked.

Yes, laurel does become monstrous if it’s not properly controlled. The plants in the hedge behind me have huge woody trunks like trees. I’m amazed that the plants I grow near to the fence and hedge seem not to be bothered by the laurel, bearing in mind that it’s allelopathic . I hope you are able to protect your view with some gentle neighbourly persuasion!

 

@Plantminded If I had such neighbour, I would give him Christmas presents every year just to value his work for your advantage That hedge looks stunning, but please be careful.

Reminds me on Corsham, I was stunned by it. Took a picture, sent it to my family with the subject "Oh damned, and I applied for a job as a gardener". Typical German, they thought I'm serious and were discussing how they can fly me out of crazy England.

 

I bought the bark and I'm pleased so far with my change. The path will be done properly (requires first a walk through the woods) once the second Verbascum has finished in March, if I discover ladybirds sleeping in it over winter. There are a very few plants also on/along the path, but they can be easily moved.
It doesn't work quite well in the picture, but it looks actually really good to have the higher plants in the middle of the bed.

 

I spent a couple of hours in the garden this afternoon. Firstly, redoing some of the digging and weeding that my wife had left. Secondly, tidying a section of the garden I've not tackled since we arrived - and was surprised to find two dead trees, both in excess of 30ft high.
Having cleared access to them, it was time for tea. However, I did find that one of them literally snapped at the base as I twisted it. But I can't remove it immediately because other trees are supporting it.
Tomorrow's challenge.
The other dead tree will take a bit more work.

 

Very tidy @simone_in_wiltshire . I like that hedge too. My neighbour at the back’s not getting any Christmas presents from me unless he lowers his voice when he’s in the garden, especially when he’s talking to Barry on his mobile phone.

 

Thanks @Plantminded and @Butterfly6, it's rained hard today so might get a chance to plant the grass tomorrow while the soil's still damp - says she, hopefully.

I know that road well @simone_in_wiltshire, I grew up there.
Your new path layout looks good.

 

@lizzie27 I read that it takes several gardeners to cut that hedge. We thought that folly was once a real house until we were told the story. I can imagine it's a hard nut to crack for Germans to understand all this.

 

Thank you again @On the Levels . I should have said that I already knew about the roots and the light - sorry! Funnily enough, I'd said to daughter that we could sit it on a tray of gravel/grit for that moisture and to make it easier for misting etc. I can give her some gravel, but we then thought that perhaps a posher glass to put it in [rather than a 'normal' pot, as such] with gravel in the base would be a good solution, so that's what we might look at on Thursday, if you thnk that would work?
The bathroom would be hotter in the mornings, but there's good diffused light from the window, and she could just have it in there when she has a shower, and do a bit of swapping around between there and the lounge, in the corner that isn't near the big French doors. It gets pretty hot in there in the afternoons/evening as it's pretty much SW facing.
I presume they put them inside little pots for selling - I expect people would be put off if they were just in the plastic pots! Or maybe its a tactic - plant dies, so they buy another one.
Am I just cynical?

Once again -many thanks for your help. I've bookmarked the page with your original advice re the roots/new growth etc, so we can check as we go along.

Love that hedge @simone_in_wiltshire. Many of the large estates which have lots of topiary spend months keeping it right. In 'ye olden days' when this was the new fashion, labour was cheap, so it was easier to maintain. Like many fashions in gardening [formal beds and topiary are classic examples ] it was a way of showing how well off you were.
Those formal beds were also designed to be seen properly from the first floor windows of the house, so it was only the inner circle who would get that privilege.