Planting Time

Hopefully this weekend, I'll get round to planting the climbing roses and the honeysuckles. Of course it all depends on the weather, which isn't looking too promising.

As the roses are heeled in, and the other climbers are in pots, there isn't too much of a problem. I still haven't ordered my plugs for spring bedding, it's been so difficult deciding what to have, I keep changing my mind. So far, I've thought of petunias, busy lizzies, begonias, senatti and stocks. Whether I've got room for so many plants, is a matter of debate. Hopefully. I'll find room for them somewhere. Next year, I'm planning a couple of window boxes. As they'll be in the shade for most of the summer, the busy lizzies will be ideal for them. Any left over, will be able to go either in the garden itself, or in my tubs. It's quite fun, not knowing exactly where everything is going to go. I'm sure the garden looks better for that.

My New Rose Trees.

Hooray, my new climbing roses have arrived. I'm really quite excites, as they're all old fashioned scented ones. Hopefully they will fill the garden with their perfume for the whole of the summer, once they are well established.

I've begun to think about my hanging baskets and tubs etc., for next year. I love the smell of the purple petunias, so they are a must for the baskets just outside the door. Rather than lobelia, I'd rather like to add some trailing busy lizzies. The problem is, that I like my tubs and baskets colour co-ordinated, whilst my partner, thinks they look better multi-coloured. I guess for a jolly, summery splash of colour, he's right.

How nice it would be to be able to get some feedback about this from a few other people. After all, everyone has their own thoughts and ideas on what makes the perfect garden. Perhaps some of you would like to contribute at: Perennial Flower Garden Ideas.

Windy Weather Isn't helping.

It's been extremely windy for the last few days, so the garden is certainly not looking its best.
Hopefully the weekend will bring some better weather, so that I can get out there and do something.

There are now quite a few dead annuals to remove, as well as planting up new tubs etc. I really don't know where the weeks go, I'm so busy now. The web site is looking good, but does take quite a lot of my time. It will be pretty cool, when people start to put messages on the blog, so that it really gets moving.

If you'd like to write on really virgin territory, click on the link below:

Perennial Flower Garden Ideas.

Almost Time To Rest.

The garden is really beginning to slow down now. I will have to empty my tub of annuals, ready for planting my new fruit tree. This is something I'm really looking forward to. Ballerina trees are something new to me, so it will be quite interesting to see how they do.

My winter pansies are just beginning to set buds, in another tub. I had to remove the Asters and Nicotianas, some time ago, from that one. The pansies I've planted in baskets, are not as far advanced as the others. That's no bad thing, as I really want the Petunias to finish before I get rid of them.

Once my fruit trees ans climbing roses arrive, I'll only have to buy three honeysuckles and a couple of other scented climbers, and the garden will be complete for this year. It's only a case then of waiting to see how it looks next year, and making any changes and additions.

The break will give me time to make a start on the other garden, there's quite a lot of soil moving and hard work to be done on that.

It will be interesting to see how that plot develops. Although it's planned in my mind, I've commited nothing to paper.

To see more about gardening, including articles and advice, have a look at Perennial Flower Garden Ideas, where there's lots going on.

What a Change

There's been quite a dramatic change in the garden, this last week or so. The weather has been so much cooler, really autumnal. The runner and french beans are gone, as is the courgette and calabrese. The latter was pretty unsuccessful, because of the cabbage white and its friends.

Caterpillars are devastating the sprouts and the cabbages now, we'll be lucky if we see any crops at all. Next year they will definitely have to be netted, to keep the little blighters out.

My Busy Lizzies are just about finished now, but geraniums and petunias are just about holding their own. Hopefully, my baskets of winter pansies and ivies, will be mature enough to put out when they have finished.

I'd love some of you to have a look at my web site Perennial Flower Garden Ideas, and please leave a comment or two , to tell me what you think of it.

Country Gardener: Noted: Nice things take effort

Country Gardener: Noted: Nice things take effort

Beginning My New Garden

I'm very lucky, as I've got a new garden. We've moved house and although the garden is rather small, it was completely neglected for a number of years. I therefore have a completely blank canvas.
There's only one slight problem, I've had to give up half of the back garden for vegetables, this means my flower garden isn't quite as ambitious as I'd have liked. The good thing is that I've got the front garden to play with as well.

Because my gardens are small. I've decided to concentrate on perennial flowers and not to have grass. Instead, I've planted two thyme circles in the front garden, not only do they only need cutting once a year, but they make the dog smell good too.

I haven't started on the other garden yet, but it's definitely in the planning stage. I'm still thinking of perennial flower garden ideas, along with climbers and ferns, as it's shady. Hopefully I'll be starting on that in the next few weeks, as the vegetable garden is now slowing down.

We grew several basic crops this year, with no fertilizer or watering, just to see what condition the soil was in. To my surprise, we haven't had to water once, despite several weeks with no rain, nothing wilted at all. We've had a bumper crop of tomatoes from only 2 plants and masses of French beans.

Next year should be better, as we will be on our 2nd rotation and have compost ready to go on, when digging commences. I hope the caterpillars don't mind, but we're definitely going to net the brassicas next year.