I've been ruthless hoiking over grown and hated stuff out. I didn't realise my beds were so deep! No wonder my daughter compared the lawn to a Brazilian😐. Looking forward to getting loads of perennials. I will try to plan but resistance is futile when I see things I like.
I have concluded that nearly all ornamental grasses are a mistake and the whole "low maintenance, low watering" prairie planting thing is a con if you don't have a whole team of professional gardeners to prepare, plant and maintain it. They're used a lot round here in municipal plantings and spend nearly all year looking like straw.
Still new to this garden and climate which is a lot drier, thanks to climate change, than average statistics would indicate. This afternoon I shall be continuing to undo the mistake which led me to plant a shade bed which has turned out to be far too dry and poor, despite soil improvement, and which also gets trampled by our dogs when they're trying to greet the neighbours' dog in her garden.
Plenty more mistakes to make as we discover different pockets of soil, volcanic schist, sand and rubble around the plot.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
For me it was trying hollyhocks again, plants I previously gave up growing about 20 years ago due to hollyhock rust. Thought I'd give it another go - mistake. Nearly every leaf has now fallen and those few that remain look terrible. The bees absolutely love the flowers though and get smothered in pollen, so they will stay until they finish blooming.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Accepting a gift of two courgette plants. I don't even like them that much. I'm picking them before they turn into marrows and they lie accusingly on the work top before hide them in the salad drawer.
I have concluded that nearly all ornamental grasses are a mistake and the whole "low maintenance, low watering" prairie planting thing is a con if you don't have a whole team of professional gardeners to prepare, plant and maintain it. They're used a lot round here in municipal plantings and spend nearly all year looking like straw.
Well I can't agree on that.... just a couple of weeks ago I went to look at Nigel Dunnett's scheme up in Sheffield, it's looking marvellous. Lots of grasses and 'prairie style planting'.
My problem is my propensity to overestimate the size of my garden, and underestimate the size of the plants I put in it. Other grasses have been brilliant (Molinia 'Moorhexe', Sesleria autumnalis, Luzula nivea).
As well as being too expansive, the problem with the Deschampsia (for me) is it is too ethereal and gauzy. It might work better in a bigger garden as a mass planting, or perhaps as a single plant with room all around it. I think in a small garden rather bolder grasses work better in groups. I have only realised this by trying for myself.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Posts
Looking forward to getting loads of perennials. I will try to plan but resistance is futile when I see things I like.
Still new to this garden and climate which is a lot drier, thanks to climate change, than average statistics would indicate. This afternoon I shall be continuing to undo the mistake which led me to plant a shade bed which has turned out to be far too dry and poor, despite soil improvement, and which also gets trampled by our dogs when they're trying to greet the neighbours' dog in her garden.
Plenty more mistakes to make as we discover different pockets of soil, volcanic schist, sand and rubble around the plot.
Amen
My problem is my propensity to overestimate the size of my garden, and underestimate the size of the plants I put in it. Other grasses have been brilliant (Molinia 'Moorhexe', Sesleria autumnalis, Luzula nivea).
As well as being too expansive, the problem with the Deschampsia (for me) is it is too ethereal and gauzy. It might work better in a bigger garden as a mass planting, or perhaps as a single plant with room all around it. I think in a small garden rather bolder grasses work better in groups. I have only realised this by trying for myself.