Finishing the Leftover Turf

Lee used up the rest of the turf by laying this on the very worn out pathway by the Beech Hedge. It was also on a slope so we've tried to level it out a bit. The area wasn't prepared as much as the Vegetable patch but fingers crossed, breaking and raking the soil a bit will be enough to get it going. The slabs have been lifted from the main lawn area and placed here where the soil gets a bit compacted in the Winter.

What a difference, so glad we started to take photos of our progress.

Before (Springtime)

After (Summertime)

Border by the Pond

Although most of the major borders in the garden have been cleaned and re-stocked, the crocosmia still keeps coming back. So we had to tackle the border by the pond again by digging out the existing clumps that were thinned out before. Great excuse to go to the garden centre and buy a few more plants for the bees and butterflies.

This walkway not quite finished yet

This border cleared for the second time!

The Little Pond that is my next Project!

The Last Border !!!

Another Border full of Crocosmia and Geraniums. I really like Crocosmia but not everywhere. I have saved some for planting at the Side of the house at the front and the rest has gone to good homes.

So this is what the border looked like before I dug it out. As always mum has been helping and kept me going :)

More Crocosmia and Geraniums

Very Full and Messy and Plants Overcrowded

Border extended round to path

and more Geraniums to the Back

The Garden in June

Everything has gone mad and we haven't finished the rest of the garden yet. Just look at all these lovely flowers. One small problem is that the geraniums are so big they are covering all the other plants, might have to be digging some of those out when I get back round to those borders. Glad I haven't watered anything with Miracle Grow yet!

Unusual Honeysuckle

Very Full Border

Eddy the Gargoyle amongst the Crocosmia

Cherry Tree

Border by the Pond Left

Border by the Pond Right

Border by the Beech Trees

Lovely Rocks

Another patch cleaned and we found lots of lovely Big Rocks. Really needed to clean this border so that we can plan our archery range. Targets are going to go on the side of the Garage which means we will be shooting down towards the targets. At least now we can see what's going on. There's lots of Crocosmia and plants emerging, which will stay on the left and lots of Ivy and a low Conifer on the right, this will stay also and some of the rocks will be put back once we are finished. We are planning to put some steps down the middle. Lee found 4 frogs!

Lovely Big Rocks

Border Trimmed Back

Pond Border

The cleaning continues in the border by the pond.

Lee has taken the old wheelbarrow to try and fix it up as the wheel has fallen off and some of it is rotten. He's also put in a wooden line edge so the grass doesn't get into the border so quickly and moved some big hefty rocks into the border.

Some overgrown plants were given a hard prune as they were too tall and leggy and I've moved some of the little plants like 'Lungwort" into little groups. There's quite a few ferns in here too so should look nice and full by the Summer.

This border already has a Mahonia, Forest Flame, Fuchsia, Azaleas, some lovely Ferns, Hardy Geraniums, a few Rockery plants and an established Weeping Cherry. Acquilegia is between some of the shrub roots so these will stay and also the little Primroses for the bees. I've planted some Irises, a tiny Magnolia Tree, Witch Hazel and Poppies.  There were a few Lupins in the Vegetable patch so I've moved these over as well. I'm just waiting for some evergreen plants to arrive and then I can finish this off.

There are a couple of not so healthy roses so I've dug these out and will replant them somewhere else as they don't seem to be doing very well here. I'd also like to put some ferns just behind the pond to soften up the back edge.

Before Photo

Before Photo

Before Photo

Rebuilt Wall End and found a Toad

Before

After

Plant Shopping

I've got 3 Big borders left to do (plus the grass verge outside) and there are not enough plants to fill them up so I've done a little internet shopping from a mail order catalogue company called 'JParkers'. Prices are really reasonable and much cheaper than going to the garden centre for the amount I will need.

16 plants

and 13 Free!

The Roses and Quince are going to go on the left hand side of the garden to deter Luna from going too near the fence. The 3 Dwarf Rhododendrons and Free Lillies will go in the pond border. Might put one of the Sky Rockets in there too for some much needed height. That leaves the Black Pussy Willow, 2 Sky Rockets and Free Rhododendron for the border in the open area of the garden that will screen off our archery range.

I spent around £56 for 16 plants so I'm not expecting them to be large specimens or have instant impact. In time they will grow and fill out but I'm secretly hoping they won't be too small.

Really looking forward to receiving these and it's given me some much needed inspiration to carry on in the garden. Better get cleaning and digging those flower beds (no easy task) and I'm still doing the border by the Little Orchard!

Little Orchard

I'm not getting any younger! 2 days digging out the weeds in this border, saving plants and worms. We've decided to cover this with garden membrane and bark. Not sure what the trees are yet, but I'd really like a cherry tree in there. Still a bit of work to do, the edges still need to be cleared, hedge trimmed and some slabs put down by the chicken coop so that we can turn the car round easier. Can't get the Magnolia out of it's pot ...

Starting to clear it

This is a nightmare

More plants to save

Almost there

Bark has arrived

Cleared and Ready.