merledogs Posted July 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 (edited) Alex, you have done a huge amount of work! Top patio looks great now. Are you going to put a little table up there? I love the black tubs that you have. Did you get them from your favourite Rhodo shop? I also see you have a greenhouse. I now have greenhouse envy! I did have some seating up there, because it gets the evening sun, so once I've finished everything I may do that again. The black tubs are these Smithy tubs which were on offer at Bents (£18 for two). Might go back and get some more because they do hold a lot of soil, so lots of space for roots to spread. The smaller ones were £5 each or three for a tenner from Asda. Greenhouse was there when I moved in. Didn't use it for years but have started using it as a shed now. I would get rid of it to make a bit more patio space, but it has its own concrete base so would be hard to move Edited July 3, 2011 by merledogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 What a difference! Well done Alex, I think you definitely need a seat up there, so you can relax a bit and enjoy the results of all your hard work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 Wow, looks fabulous Alex If you cut the lavendar back (after it's flowered obviously!) then it should re-grow and flower again next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 I've been tackling the front today. I have dug up a total of 11 plants, planted out 11 plants and I have four more to plant out in the back shortly. I am growing an informal hedge from Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken' which doesn't grow huge like other Laurels. At the front corner I have planted an Eleagnus pungens 'Maculata' so that the gold will contrast against the Laurels. I pulled this Azalea up which was there when I moved in. Thought it was about time the poor thing got some shade. Two of the dwarf Rhodos which I have relocated to pots. Once I've planted out the four Skimmia Japonica Rubella then I will shuffle some plants about, because a few of the Rhodos are getting morning sun and they really don't like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 The four Skimmias I just planted out down the right of the top patio ... I now have to fence them off so the dogs can't pee on them The Escallonias I planted out yesterday are looking a bit droopy - I'm hoping it's just because they don't like being moved and that they will perk up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 I have greenhouse envy too I'm seriously considering chopping down a horrid old tree and getting rid of the equally horrid bamboo because then I'd have a nice space for a greenhouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 I bought two more poppies today I've nowhere to put them but they were half price so I couldn't resist What soil do you grow poppies in? and what position? I want to grow them, but I am struggling. I have a south facing garden and rich soil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 What position? Erm...... upright and in the mud I've no idea what way my garden faces It gets a lot of sun in the morning but nothing after lunch time, does that help? Having had chickens ransacking my garden for two years, now that they're fenced off at the top of the garden, the rest of the garden has really benefitted from vast amounts of chicken poo. The soil is amazing, really lovely and full of worms. So much for having no room for more, I bought six more Poppies yesterday because they look nearly dead and were only 99p each in Homebase. I planted them out and this time next year they'll be as good as new. I also got half price cucumbers, tomatoes & an aubergine plant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Our laurel hedge has got a bit high so hubby is going to top it. There is also gaps in our hedge where some of the plants failed. Someone suggested planting the slips that are cut off the top to fill in the gaps. So questions: - Would they need to be soaked in water for roots to form or plant them using rooting powder? - Plant the slips in pots or straight into the ground? - Anything else I should know?? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Georgia came home last week from school with a runner bean plant she had grown from seed. I've already got runner beans growing in the garden and as this one was much smaller I didn't want it to have to compete with those. I hadn't realised how difficult it'd be to buy one or two more! B&Q didn't have any, neither did Homebase so I've just been to Frosts where they only sold packs of 12 so now I'm going to be drowning in runner beans Picked up a couple of sweetcorn plants that caught my eye while I was there I have no room for more veg so why couldn't I just leave them alone? Mind you, I nearly came home with another chicken because I felt sorry for her being in a pen all on her own so really I didn't do too badly with just sweetcorn & runner beans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) I would have brought the chook home I just worked out that I have planted 43 new plants of one sort or another this year Not counting the ones I have relocated. The garden did need a complete makeover though cos the dogs had pizzed on everything and killed it. I've had to fence off all the new plants in the back garden so the dogs can't get to them and it will be several years before they are mature enough to withstand the abuse from the dogs. I bluddy hope they all survive the winter, or I will NOT be happy! Once it's finished, I really don't want to be doing anything other than minimal pruning next year. Some of them are winter flowering so I will be standing outside in the freezing cold sniffing them Edited July 6, 2011 by merledogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumpole Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 looking fab now merley one you spurred me on ive been putting off sanding and oiling my top decking for a couple of years now on account that its right outside the back door and is a nightmare to do because i have to do it in stages and barricade bits off from the dogs while it dries. yesterday i bit the bullet and did it (under close supervision from pickle) before to the left and after to the right (with a pickle in the middle ) and finished (along with my back) needs another coat or two but the sanding was the hard bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 (edited) Looks fab, what a difference! Loving the furry ickle ornament too Unfortunately all the plants I planted out are now behind a barrier of plastic netting covered with bin bags, so the dogs can't wee up them Edited July 10, 2011 by merledogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Looks fab, what a difference! Loving the furry ickle ornament too me too You're all doing so well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 The Douglas Spirea triffid that I chopped down hadn't seeded itself (as I thought) from my neighbour's the other side of the fence, it was the roots from their plant coming up under the fence and shooting up, which means I can't get at the roots to dig them up, so I've just had to chop them right back as far as I could and will just have to cut back any shoots which spring up. Ho hum, these things are sent to try us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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