Three days of digging by hand and it's finally done.
The hardest part was breaking up these big slices of clay soil, had to chop at each one with the spade..
Managed to get my hands on an electric tiller which broke down the soil further into a nice finish and helped reduce the height of the soil surface..
I'm going to leave it a few days whilst I take a rest, maybe give it time to settle a little, then chuck some manure on and dig that in. Also need to re-edge the grass to tidy it up.
I want a lavender hedge along the lawn side of the border so we get the fragrance as we walk past, and to act as a barrier to try and stop our dog wandering onto it. I bought some lavenders last year but never got around to starting the project, I might replace them as the plants don't look so good having been in their pots since then, but I've laid them out roughly where they will go.
Hoping to get some metal obelisks made that look like these..
And I have placed the two spades in the border roughly where they will go..
Not a lot happened to the new border over the last week, I've kind of been leaving it to see how it settles, and digging in some home made compost, leaf mould, feed & fertiliser.
But I have been playing around with the plants I have in their pots, sitting them on the border in different places to see where I want them, and I think I've decided.
I've sunk the pots into the soil where I'll leave them for a few days, incase I change my mind, and I've got some more plants in the greenhouse to go in the spaces..
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing your progress - it looks absolutely fabulous! You already had a garden you could be proud of, now you have given us a masterclass in how to go to the next level.
Having decided to wait a few days before planting the plants in their final positions, today I got impatient and went out and planted them!!!
I've decided not to plant the pyramid box in the terracotta pots, instead i'm going to plant them directly in the border, they should help frame the border when viewed from the house and patio. I first need to remove the half/triangle paving slab in the bottom right of the photo to make room..
I'm not planting out those lavenders as they haven't survived well in their pots, so Im waiting to find somewhere selling them as reduced in price once they have finished flowering.
Bit more planting done over recent days, and rather than have the two box pyramids in the pots I have planted them into the soil instead. Along with the row of lavender they give the border a bit of a formal feel, but the remainder of the planting is hopefully more cottage garden.
Got a local metal works making me the two metal obelisks like the ones below (6ft tall) for £150..
@LeadFarmer I have been watching your progress well done on all your hard work The obelisks will work well gives instant height which you need in a new border.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I've been watching your progress, it reminded me of what I've been doing for the last year in my new garden in France, clay soil too, large lawn, blank canvas. It's hard work isn't it? Do you still have that gorgeous pink clematis on the arch? Dr Ruppel I think. I liked it so much I bought one for my old garden, but I've had to leave it behind.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
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The hardest part was breaking up these big slices of clay soil, had to chop at each one with the spade..
Managed to get my hands on an electric tiller which broke down the soil further into a nice finish and helped reduce the height of the soil surface..
I'm going to leave it a few days whilst I take a rest, maybe give it time to settle a little, then chuck some manure on and dig that in. Also need to re-edge the grass to tidy it up.
Hoping to get some metal obelisks made that look like these..
And I have placed the two spades in the border roughly where they will go..
But I have been playing around with the plants I have in their pots, sitting them on the border in different places to see where I want them, and I think I've decided.
I've sunk the pots into the soil where I'll leave them for a few days, incase I change my mind, and I've got some more plants in the greenhouse to go in the spaces..
Having decided to wait a few days before planting the plants in their final positions, today I got impatient and went out and planted them!!!
I've decided not to plant the pyramid box in the terracotta pots, instead i'm going to plant them directly in the border, they should help frame the border when viewed from the house and patio. I first need to remove the half/triangle paving slab in the bottom right of the photo to make room..
I'm not planting out those lavenders as they haven't survived well in their pots, so Im waiting to find somewhere selling them as reduced in price once they have finished flowering.
Viewed from the far end looking back
Got a local metal works making me the two metal obelisks like the ones below (6ft tall) for £150..