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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.)
Sounds like he's got the wildlife bug!
I'm amazed at the progress you've made already, MC. I can't wait to see what it looks like when you've finished! Glad you had a friend who could take over with the breaker.
I've finally got my house on the market and will be going out into the garden to tidy up the perennials this afternoon before the rain returns. I'm not sad about moving on except for losing the garden. But I have a vision in my head of a summerhouse/potting shed with a discreet SBS using the back wall of the shed (with an observation window) and the 6ft wooden fence in the next garden. The idea of the trellis with the wire panels is a winner. Is it big enough for blackbirds? Can't do without my daily blackbird fix.
Wendy - I'm with Byron. When my grandchildren help me with planting or digging up, we relocate any worms we find to areas that are safe. Usually we take a break after the first one we find and watch the others emerge and more rapidly away. Slugs and snails are relocated to neglected areas at the end of the road. (I know snails can return}. I know real gardeners are ruthless with 'pests' but I can't bring myself to kill them.
Thanks GMM. Starlings can get through and I suppose if you made the aperture in a suitable spot, you could snip a section to make it wider for a Blackbird to enter. I pile up the worms in a bucket of soft, damp soil until I have finished and then place the pile of soil back on the garden. Snails and slugs are relocated to the stone wall and woodlice are left to scuttle away unless GR gets them first!
I finally planted rose # 1 (Dorothy Perkins) this afternoon. It took some time to cut and complete the trellis recess and the timber support, complete with post-crete to form a solid base, but it was worth the effort. I figured that there was no point having everything behind the trellis as the light would be restricted, hence the recess here and a second one which is currently on the mental drawing board!
Look who turned up to see what was going on, just as the camera came out!
There he is, on the light to the left. You really couldn't make it up. Check the exif data if you don't believe it. I had trouble myself, just as well I got this photo as evidence!
Rose #2 (Best Wishes). GR returned a few times so I tried to distract him with mealies (some of them managed to escape from his dish and were making a run for it when I took this photo).
Well that has certainly got the stamp of approval MC, and the roses look good too. You're doing well.
Lot to learn
Great update MC with your roses & 'site manager' Robin!!
Did you know there is a dwarf patio rose called Robin Redbreast & a shrub 'Photinia' aka Red Robin?
Hi Wendy, I was not aware of those two plants. I will see if I can find them locally. Thanks for the tip.
BTW, have you found a spot for your Oak sapling yet?
Here is where I found the Rose
I think that it might well get pride of place, right in the middle of the central area of lawn. Plenty of room for both roots and branches to spread without causing damage (for about 100 years).
Sounds good, but will eventually shade your grass out of existence (in about 5/10 years time) so a good idea is to underplant the lawn with a fair number of Snowdrops/Bluebells/Aconites/White Wood Anemones & the like so there will always be some colour & interest!