Not a complete before and after, but really pleased with this new border. First pic taken on this day last year, the second today. There had always been a really narrow border there, never wide enough to have more than a row of single plants really, so last year I bit the bullet and made it much more substantial. Tried to plan it to have interest for as much as the year as possible. Last year was a bit of a write off for it while the young plants established, but this year it’s come into its own.
Thanks @Fire, there are a couple of roses and clematis on the arch, but the rabbits have knocked them right back, hopefully next year they will be strong enough to cope
Excellent work @Jellyfire! I like the range of colours you have used, plus the varied heights and forms of your plants. Looks like you have a stunning location there - the skyline and tree silhouette in your second photo are delightful! (Is your tree a Eucalyptus?)
Thank you both, the tree is a self seeded Ash sapling @Plantmindedthat is rapidly turning into a monster. The odd looking tree stump was a huge ash that was getting way too big for the garden, the birds nest in the hole in it, and the woodpeckers like it though so I left the stump, will get a rose onto it at some point, although my wife thinks we should carve it into a rather rude shape to shock the neighbours...
@Athelas the rose is Rambling Rector, brief but spectacular, and a scent to die for. They are not for the faint of heart though, this one is controllable because its on the arbour, i have another in which has engulfed an old shed then escaped into the neigbouring trees and is a probably 8 or 9 metres high and wide. The view on the pic above is the north side, it mainly flowers on the other sides where its pretty spectacular
Here are my before and afters. As my first ever garden that didn't belong to and wasn't heavily restricted by a landlord, I am really quite proud of it, especially given the small space.
The first photo was from approximately January 2020, given the Christmas tree, and the latter was from a few days ago. Please excuse the patchy lawn (it had just had its first mow in a long time) and the pots on top of the shed - we were having friends round for lunch and I had to clear the garden table, which is where they were previously. They are for refreshing the washing-line hanging baskets, whenever I've got a moment!
Out of sight are a lot of potatoes, garlic, carrots, parsnips, courgettes, and runner beans in tubs, as the patio near the house is in shade from about 11am even in high summer, so we never use it for sitting out and I didn't want to waste the space. They get bright sunshine in the early morning, so they seem to do alright.
Hope you like it. I have worked hard on it and get much joy from it.
Thanks, @Jellyfire, I really appreciate it. Your photos were gorgeous and an inspiration - such beautiful colour and variety! It made me feel more confident to post my own, even though my garden is on a much smaller scale x
What a transformation @WillowBark ... I can feel your satisfaction now everything has come together after all your hard work! 😃 Is that a globe artichoke near the fence on the right? What else have you planted?
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There had always been a really narrow border there, never wide enough to have more than a row of single plants really, so last year I bit the bullet and made it much more substantial. Tried to plan it to have interest for as much as the year as possible. Last year was a bit of a write off for it while the young plants established, but this year it’s come into its own.
What rose is that on the arbour (?) in the second photo? Looks amazing
@Athelas the rose is Rambling Rector, brief but spectacular, and a scent to die for. They are not for the faint of heart though, this one is controllable because its on the arbour, i have another in which has engulfed an old shed then escaped into the neigbouring trees and is a probably 8 or 9 metres high and wide. The view on the pic above is the north side, it mainly flowers on the other sides where its pretty spectacular
The first photo was from approximately January 2020, given the Christmas tree, and the latter was from a few days ago. Please excuse the patchy lawn (it had just had its first mow in a long time) and the pots on top of the shed - we were having friends round for lunch and I had to clear the garden table, which is where they were previously. They are for refreshing the washing-line hanging baskets, whenever I've got a moment!
Out of sight are a lot of potatoes, garlic, carrots, parsnips, courgettes, and runner beans in tubs, as the patio near the house is in shade from about 11am even in high summer, so we never use it for sitting out and I didn't want to waste the space. They get bright sunshine in the early morning, so they seem to do alright.
Hope you like it. I have worked hard on it and get much joy from it.
Is that a globe artichoke near the fence on the right? What else have you planted?