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I recently demolished my garage in order to extend the garden and within the last few days I have broken out the garage floor slab. The idea is to create flowerbeds around the perimeter and to lay turf adjacent to that. The broken out flooring was only a couple of inches thick and once I have broken it down even more I was intending to put a topsoil/compost mix on top to create the flowerbeds. I am assuming that the broken up flooring will assist with drainage and stop the soil from simply washing away when it rains? I have several bags of Homebase topsoil and was intending to mix them in with compost of some sort. Can anyone offer advice and tell me if this is a good idea? I intend to plant climbing roses and honeysuckle at the far end of the garden because I have installed trellis at high level. Going forward I will be planting runner beans and tomatoes on the more exposed wall and pyracantha and other Sparrow friendly plants elsewhere. I will post some photos when I get home, in order to give a better idea of the layout. Hope someone can offer some advice. Thanks.
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
Good organisation paid dividends MC ... did you have to lay down in the road to reserve the space? Lol
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Looking forward to the end result now MC, you will be able to take a well deserved break after all that work. Plenty of hot baths and robin visits maybe will help you recover.
Lot to learn
Delivery made direct to the garden! How's that for service? Woodcote Green - I salute you!!!
Brilliant MC & so exciting ... hope the weather is not too bad there!!
Thanks Wendy. It's been raining on and off all day, but still quite warm.
Just took a trip to Homebase to see what might be available for the rockery (I will add to it as it progresses and the months pass). Here's a few possibilities. They also have Conifers for other parts of the new garden. No purchases made yet, just browsing...
Selection of small Alpine plants
Sweet Wiliam
Various types of heather
One suggestion for rockery ... Saxifraga (Latin for stone-breaker) varieties, really green leaves & many tiny pretty flowers (google for images)! Also can't go wrong with the succulents in your pics, literally hug & spread over stones/rocks! Sweet Williams are another pretty & colourful choice ... Just check that Heathers are suitable for your soil, they used to always require ericaceous but many have been hybridised to grow in different types, even my very chalky soil! Don't forget the smaller bulbs too, like Muscari, Tete-a-Tete & Cyclamens for splashes of colour!
I'm sure others will have more tried & tested suggestions for you MC!
Thanks for the suggestions Wendy. I recognised the little Alpine plants from the rockery that my Mum had in her garden. They spread across the rocks like a little green carpet. I want to keep to small plants and maybe edge the whole thing with a 'wild area' where I will put flowering weeds and some wild flowers. Some more lavender will also feature somewhere across the back. While there will be several distinct areas, I don't want to create a sterile area that's too organised. The fence and trellis will have climbing roses and ivy at each end and maybe the middle section will be divided into several strips which I will use for potatoes, carrots, peas and so on. Lots of ideas, but also lots of time to let the whole thing evolve. The Oak sapling needs a home too!
Yes definitely must plant the Oak, is it making good growth? I am going to grow more trees in pots from seed, picked up a conker yesterday & going to Northdown Park at weekend for acorns & sycamore seeds! They make very attractive pot plants whilst small with very attractive foliage, have a very statuesque Avocado tree I grew myself!!
It's still healthy but needs to have a garden rather than a pot.