What is this plant and is it worth keeping?

Its great planning Crispz. keeps you awake at night... what look are you aiming for?

 

I haven't a clue! all I know is I'm gonna sell up in a year or two, so need something that looks a million dollars, doesn't cost a million dollars, and that I can keep on top off while I finish the rest of the house off.

I love Derek Jarman's garden for all its re-use of found objects, but his is very large, barren and not many plants. It cleverly doesn't look like a junk-yard though. Lots of pics here: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=derek+jarman+garden (scroll down).

I've got 2 or 3 large pieces of driftwood I'm planning to erect like standing stones, and an old bit of rusted gas pipe which looks cool.

I've found these three small gardens that I really like but they're obviously quite different from one another plant wise and also very professionally done. Also, I'm just noticing (I've not looked at them for 6 months) that none of them contain a yucca!

http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2005/exhibitors/courtyard_gardens/scenicblue.asp
http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2007/exhibitors/citygardens/adamfrost.asp
http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2006/exhibitors/chic_gardens/jogardens.asp
(My garden will have no water feature! The constant noise really winds me up).

As you can see I'm quite confused as to what I want, but I figure I've got a couple of months to wait anyway with the weather.

I'll get some proper pictures together and start a new thread about it - hopefully that'll give me motivation to keep at it. For now, here's how it looked last month. It looks even more sorry this month.


[ 15. January 2008, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: 'Crispz ]

 

Who`s it going to be Dee, Kevin Keegan or Mark Hughes? :D :D

 

Neither David... says the hub

 

Some great design ideas there Crispz, Its Amazing the things you can pick up cheaply if you shop around, no better time than now with the sales, also if there's a discount warehouse where you live, you know the ones where you pay �£25 membership, wev'e had some great bargains from ours.. have you looked at GC members gardens yet? some good ideas there Too..Looking forward to seeing some more pics Keep em coming...Dee

 

I bet he thinks it`s going to be Shearer.

 

Not heard of such discount warehouse schemes Dee, but will keep a lookout.

Unfort the best we've got round here is a B&Q and Homebase. :-/ will have to venture off into the home counties for proper garden centers methinks.

 

David,Hub thinks shearers too inexperienced..could be hughes he supposes :rolleyes: He's devastated there so c**p hehe.. me, i dont care, Newcastle Utd, have a way of always letting you down..

Crispz Our local BQ has some garden items in the sale, I got a Yard Art painting half price Sunday, and there were loads of plants and pots less than half price, Shop around theres no hurry....

 

Dee, that`s because they don`t give the manager a chance to prove himself. The thing is Crispz, if you are going to sell on in a couple of years, you should be doing the garden for your prospective buyers. Do thay want bits of driftwood and rusty pipe?

 

Just noticed your pic Crispz, maybe some screening round your fencing.. we bought ours at Wilkinsons for �£13.99, About 3m width 2+half height.. Willow.

 

Yeah Dai, totally agree with you about prospective buyers. Maybe a rusty old pipe is step too far (it does look cool though!). I think the wood will look ok if I keep it to a minimum/just a focal point/summat to break up all the vegetation.

Dee, have been thinking about screening. I'd prefer to use tallish plants on that side, but will probably secumb to screening of some sort just for privacy. That side is where the sun comes from though, so anything I put there leaves that side of the garden in shade a bit. :-/

That back bit of fence - see how the two panels are different colours? If I creosote (or whatever is used these days) them will they go the same colour, or will one always be lighter than the other?

[ 16. January 2008, 08:43 AM: Message edited by: 'Crispz ]

 

Stick with dark brown Crispz, they should look the same, maybe 2 coats, and clean them first,if you have a jet wash, it will be easier for you..

 

Crispz, I agree with Dee regarding the panels. Clean them off and then (when they have dried) give them 2 coats of dark brown.

 

Don't have a jet wash, not even so much as a hose. :-(

What's the next best thing? Bucket of hot (soapy?) water and a thick bristle scrubbing brush?

 

YUP... and some elbow grease Crispz :D