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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.)
Thanks Wendy. GR has watched the garden developing over the months, but there's nothing to take his interest unless I leave him a few mealies. I still haven't decided what to do with the area that contains the Oak sapling. At the moment it's just grass. It might be part of the vegetable patch eventually. The whole garden is still settling in. Some areas still don't drain that well and I need to figure out which parts get the most sunlight and which ones might need some assistance with plant growth. I'm pleased with the results thusfar. This time last year it was still an old garage inhabited by dozens of mice. Most of the mice have relocated, but some still live under the woodpile. I evicted the Water Feature Mice about a week ago. I'm pretty sure they're now living near the garden gate!
Looking really good MC, a lovely aray of colour. You will decide in time what needs to be re located. Poor looking single snowdrop in the wellie boot!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
That Snowdrop was a real surprise. I've placed a small twig in the soil to support the flower. After all the effort to bloom it's the least I could do for it!
You’ve made a fantastic job of it all, MC. I'm with Wendy on the Daffodils, I think they look great, the more the merrier.!! I’m sure you’ll be looking forward to the warm days of summer when you can just sit back and enjoy it all for a while. The thing with gardens though is that there always seems to be something needing attended to.!!
Paul
My bird photos HERE
Great update MC & it's certainly come on in leaps & bounds from the pile of rubble & bags of soil. It gives me hope for our mudpile! You must be very pleased after all your hard work.
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
Thanks Hazel. Today I added a Japanese Maple and three Asiatic Lilies and I also planted two tomato plants which will remain on the patio where there is the most sunlight (whenever the sun shines again!). I started trimming the grass around the stepping stones, but before I create any more cuttings I'm going to use one of the one tonne soil bags as a home made compost bin. No doubt the mice will chew their way in at some point, but until they do, the bag will suffice.
It must be that time of year, Ron is just making a 2nd compost bin so we can turn the original one into it. He's using some wood salvaged from somewhere! Our tomato plants are about 5cm high & are out in a cold frame during the day. We've nowhere to put them yet though!
I did construct a wooden compost bin, but the mice turned it into a grand hotel! Hopefully it will take them a while to get into the bag. I doubt there will be any more frosts here, but just in case, I will place pint glasses over the two plants overnight.
I've been wondering how your garden was getting along MC, lovely to see all the colour with the green grass and the primulas doing so well. That little snowdrop will surprise you with the way they multiply, and if your asiatic lillies grow as mine have done you will be well pleased with them.
Well worth all the backbreaking work you put in, and I bet the birds will love it too.
Lot to learn
A few more photos taken earlier this afternoon. The Plum trees are coming into bloom as is the Flowering Currant. Narcissi have joined the Daffs in the sea of yellow flowers and the Primula plants that I salvaged from my Mums abandoned garden are all thriving.
Victoria Plum
Marjories Seedling Plum
The newly acquired Primula plants have settled in and added to the raft of colours near the Chalet area
Flowering Currant
and again
Narcissus
Where's Wordsworth when you need him?
The Strawberry plants are progressing nicely
Yesterday afternoon I added the high level planter in which I sowed 'flowers for bees'. Hopefully they will come through before the Baby Spadgers arrive and turn it into their personal dust bath. I think I've left it too late.
More Primula plants.These are the ones I retrieved about a fortnight ago. They are now re-hydrated and growing nicely.
The Tulips have bloomed at different times, giving a continual splash of colour to the patio
I'll have to check the name of this tomorrow
Same goes for these guys...