With garden openings over for 2024, my ramblings around the garden involve a combination of “this is gorgeous!”, “aren’t we fortunate?”, “thank goodness that’s over” and “how can I improve this?”. Already thoughts have turned to potential ‘tweaks’, nothing major, and ways to improve things I don’t feel have really worked – perhaps I will write a post on them in due course…
In the meantime, let’s have a stroll around the garden and see what it’s like at its prime, starting with the usual view from the back of the house (above). If you compare it with twelve months ago (below), you can see the impact non-performing clematis have made:
As shrubs and roses mature in the shrub border, adjacent to the streamside grass and the photos above, they give the impression of closing in on the path through it, and judicious and discreet staking and tying in is often needed at this time of year.
The woodland has been a welcome shady spot on recent hot days and it very much highlights the plants that thrive in such conditions, especially in the more recent ‘path less travelled’, where many were added after the path was reclaimed from the straggly hedge. At the end of the woodland is the bothy, from where you can look down over much of the back end of the garden. At the edge, Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’, a replacement for one ousted from the original snowdrop border, has suddenly ceased to be just a lanky stick, transforming itself into a lanky stick smothered in huge blooms.
From the back of the shed you look out over the main borders, climbing rose ‘Strawberry Hill’ against the fence and the clematis colonnade a little to the right. You can be under cover here, sitting on a bench with a table for your cup of tea and cake, admiring the view which
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Some planting combinations are designed to be stable and static, with reliable perennials that work well together and stay largely in proportion for years. Other schemes are more dynamic, changing dramatically year by year as plants self-seed and move around, perhaps making use of annuals and biennials to add interest.
Annuals are a topic that elicits strong responses from many gardeners. With the word come visions of manicured plantings, most frequently including foliage obscured by a lavish floral display. While some folks love the bright and reliable spreads of color, others meet them with disdain for their intensive use of resources and stiff appearance. Typically, when I think of annuals, I think of a different group and look entirely: increasingly, I usewater-wise annuals as texture-rich fillers that compete with weeds in new or revamped plantings, and as filler color where I expect to have a dull spot in the perennial beds and meadows. I’ve begun using them also as cut flowers, complementing the smattering of perennial blooms I cut for the kitchen counter. Such annuals blend effortlessly with naturalistic and cottage plantings, and reliably reseed each year. Many of these plants aren’t what come to mind when someone says “annuals”; if you’re more interested in annuals that complement your beds rather than replace them, read on.
Each of our 2-for-1 Gardens has its own story to tell and many of these gardens have inspired famous authors, playwrights and poets. Enjoy a visit over the summer using your 2-for-1 Gardens card to these inspiring gardens and save money on your visit.
Each of our 2-for-1 Gardens has its own story to tell and many of these gardens have inspired famous authors, playwrights and poets. Enjoy a visit over the summer using your 2-for-1 Gardens card to these inspiring gardens and save money on your visit.
Collecting and storing water is only one side of the story. Learning how to use this water effectively is just as important to ensure we make the most of every single drop of this most valuable resource. Naturally us gardeners often have much higher levels of water consumption compared to the average person, and as a result we are possibly the group of people who waste the most water. I know I have certainly been guilty of this in the past!
If a cup of coffee (or several!) are part of your morning or afternoon routine, it's likely that you've tossed a lot of grounds. Coffee grounds are actually full of organic matter and are wonderful to add to the compost pile to create a nutrient-rich amendment. There have been some misconceptions about used coffee grounds and whether it's a good idea to add them directly to your soil, and your houseplants.
The gardening world has taken on sustainability with gusto. From no-mow May’s to pollinator-friendly displays, there are plenty of ways to create a haven for local wildlife in your garden.
Hi GPODers! Imagine never having to pack up and leave the lake house after summer vacation is over. Today we’re in the garden of Peter and Geri Riendeau, who made that dream a reality. However, after finally settling into their retirement dream home they built on a beautiful lake in southern Maine, they were still hard at work. They spent nearly a decade creating the dream garden to match this slice of paradise.
Gardening is not just a hobby, it is a way of life that allows us to get closer to nature. In our country, only 50 no deposit free spins in casinos can compete in terms of popularity with gardening, which has a special place in the hearts of millions of people. The history of British gardening goes back centuries, and this activity continues to attract more and more enthusiasts. In this article, we take a look at the best garden centres in the UK that offer a wide range of plants and gardening products, high quality service and many additional services. Whatever your preferences and level of expertise, you are sure to find something useful and interesting for you.
Summer might be the peak production season in your garden, but above-average temps and heat domes don’t quite make for happy horticulture. Even if you’re growing in a mild climate, plant protection throughout the summer is an important practice and can even be helpful when prepping for an out-of-town getaway that might disrupt your usual routine. From keeping an eye on the forecast so you can plot your next move, to knowing which plants need watering and those that definitely do not, we’re sharing all the tips to avoid any summer stress and keep you growing gracefully. Here’s to a resilient garden and not forgetting to protect and hydrate appropriately, yourself included.
Hi GPODers! Today we’ve got an incredible garden story from a frequent GPOD contributor that is a demonstration of how magically small our big world can be. Bas Suharto has previously shown off gardens he has designed and built (check out some of those submissions: Building a Garden With Bas and Building a Japanese-Inspired Garden) as well as his own incredible home gardens (Parterre Garden in Ottawa and A Japanese-Style Garden in Ottawa). But the garden in this most recent submission caught Bas’ eye long before he was asked to lend a helping hand the space.