@Plantminded Thanks yes ground cover plants could be the answer it does look very empty at present. I might also look at some annuals.
@Lizzie27 I am sure you are right to wait. I have broken many of the rules when planting. Years ago when I worked, I could repeat the same job in various gardens over the course of a week. I remember spending one week in Feb just pruning group 3 clematis in different gardens.. A bit like going blackberrying you see them in your sleep. There came a time in March each year that everything needed to be done at once I could have worked around the clock. Some rules had to be broken and it became gardening by instinct I guess.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
We're in the South West, Suze and have had torrential rain for what seems like months. We've also got clay soil although it's more workable (the garden's more than 60 years old) than yours by the look of it.
I was just a bit hesitant about planting C.Karl Foerster because I removed all my Stipa Gigantica canes last week and was a little perturbed to find great handfuls of dead/rotting leaves coming away from the base as well. Fingers crossed it doesn't succumb to the wet as it's the main star of my big border.
Stipa gigantea is for a dry warm site. I had the same problem in my previous garden, soil wet and a shadier spot out it came in handfuls first spring. I had a through lounge and originally planted one in the front garden that faced south, soil very much improved over years it was fine. I had the idea to create a new border at the back facing north and repeat with another S gigantea, that's when I had the problems as mentioned. It did recover and grew well as the weather improved. In one season it doubled in size and flowered fairly well for year two. No idea how it has coped in the last six months having moved. I have known the same problem with C Karl Foerster but again as spring progressed good recovery. It is difficult finding plants that can cope with extremes, grasses need to be very dry to suffer from drought a curl in the leaves are the first signs. Wet conditions present more of a challenge. But if anything will grow grass will.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
This should put your mind at rest @Lizzie27, Calamagrostis originates from damp woodland and marshy areas. It grows surprisingly well in my sandy soil too!
I think Burncoose is a great website to look at if you are planning to buy plants.So much detailed information for each plant. I am sure gardeners purchase from them as a result a good on line asset.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Plants new to me to plant in the north facing boarder which is now more or less full. Geranium Phaum Joseph Green and three plants of Pachysandra Great Cover flowers are scented remind me of Swwet box but leaves are very different. This is becoming expensive now, all these new plants but at least it is cheaper than getting a landscaper to plan and plant for me. The plants also refect what I enjoy growing plus the opportunity to try something different.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
The flowers on Geranium Phaum Joseph Green are said to be double with green stigmas.There are various hardy Geraniums available that are double but I have never come across a 'phaum' that is double? Will post a photo if I have flowers this spring. Various on line nurseries are offering this plant bareroot which I thought a little unusual but it can grow from nothing so with care I am sure it will grow away happily. This is the only plant that I can think of in my new garden with double flowers. Bees love an open flat daisy and a single would normally be my choice of flower.
I grew G Phaum Lily Lovell in my old garden which is a single, a lovely plant for shade.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I now have a pot for the corner near the drain pipe. This has taken alot of thinking about a big purchase and one I knew I would need to make. It is very heavy two young men struggled and it didn't have to go very far.
This corner is south west facing so hot in summer. It is an opportunity to really try something new to me. Thunbergia is a possible trained on some rustic canes. I already have two pot of Rubus Tricolor, seen in the foreground, to hang down the sides like Rapunzel's hair. I have grown it in a hot spot before the leaves are lovely and shiny. It is a plant for roundabouts and not to be let loose in the garden. It has a reddish tint to the stems something to remember when looks for other plants for this pot.
I saw a lovely pot on TV at York Gate, very old it would seem. It was planted with a grass in the centre that was very tall and looked great. Normally I prefer not to plant in the centre but this worked as you can imagine. Perhaps Panicum Squaw.I won't be able to disguise the pipe but if I can create some drama and interest I will be very happy.
The fillers will all need to be the same I think. I would love a Dark red or dark purple Salvia maybe. There will be so many opportunities to try things here that love the heat. Iv'e never grown S Nachtvlinder will this give enough height?
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I have just finished planting up the three raised beds. Looking a bit lost and lonely at present. West facing they are in an area of the garden that is not really seen directly from the house. Infact that is what I liked about the garden when we first viewed the house, asmall garden but not visable all at once. The plan is to experiment and have some fun, a place to try out new ideas. I hadn't a clue how to plant up three ornamental raised beds, all I know is I want them to look good in high summer. I have repeated the same plants in each bed but in a different area of each. These include Parahebe perfoliata, Libertia peregrinans, Oenothera Apricot Delight, Salvia Caradonna, Verbascum bombyciferum, Panicum Mum's Best Red, Geranium Rozanne, also Verbena bonariensis and three Gauras. In one bed which will be the hottest there are three Sea Hollies and in the central bed three Calamagrostis Eldorado. The end bed will be more shady. There is at least one shrub in each, a scruffy looking Nandinia Gulfstream, Hedera Erecta at the shady end and Corokia Cotoneaster. Nepeta Neptune, Seslaria Summer Skies, Melianthus Major and Nasella. Haven't got a clue what to expect possibly a mess but all a learning curve.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Posts
@Lizzie27 I am sure you are right to wait. I have broken many of the rules when planting. Years ago when I worked, I could repeat the same job in various gardens over the course of a week. I remember spending one week in Feb just pruning group 3 clematis in different gardens.. A bit like going blackberrying you see them in your sleep.
There came a time in March each year that everything needed to be done at once I could have worked around the clock. Some rules had to be broken and it became gardening by instinct I guess.
We've also got clay soil although it's more workable (the garden's more than 60 years old) than yours by the look of it.
I was just a bit hesitant about planting C.Karl Foerster because I removed all my Stipa Gigantica canes last week and was a little perturbed to find great handfuls of dead/rotting leaves coming away from the base as well. Fingers crossed it doesn't succumb to the wet as it's the main star of my big border.
I had a through lounge and originally planted one in the front garden that faced south, soil very much improved over years it was fine. I had the idea to create a new border at the back facing north and repeat with another S gigantea, that's when I had the problems as mentioned. It did recover and grew well as the weather improved. In one season it doubled in size and flowered fairly well for year two. No idea how it has coped in the last six months having moved.
I have known the same problem with C Karl Foerster but again as spring progressed good recovery. It is difficult finding plants that can cope with extremes, grasses need to be very dry to suffer from drought a curl in the leaves are the first signs. Wet conditions present more of a challenge. But if anything will grow grass will.
Geranium Phaum Joseph Green and three plants of Pachysandra Great Cover flowers are scented remind me of Swwet box but leaves are very different.
This is becoming expensive now, all these new plants but at least it is cheaper than getting a landscaper to plan and plant for me. The plants also refect what I enjoy growing plus the opportunity to try something different.
Will post a photo if I have flowers this spring.
Various on line nurseries are offering this plant bareroot which I thought a little unusual but it can grow from nothing so with care I am sure it will grow away happily.
This is the only plant that I can think of in my new garden with double flowers. Bees love an open flat daisy and a single would normally be my choice of flower.
I grew G Phaum Lily Lovell in my old garden which is a single, a lovely plant for shade.
It is very heavy two young men struggled and it didn't have to go very far.
This corner is south west facing so hot in summer. It is an opportunity to really try something new to me. Thunbergia is a possible trained on some rustic canes. I already have two pot of Rubus Tricolor, seen in the foreground, to hang down the sides like Rapunzel's hair. I have grown it in a hot spot before the leaves are lovely and shiny.
It is a plant for roundabouts and not to be let loose in the garden. It has a reddish tint to the stems something to remember when looks for other plants for this pot.
I saw a lovely pot on TV at York Gate, very old it would seem. It was planted with a grass in the centre that was very tall and looked great. Normally I prefer not to plant in the centre but this worked as you can imagine. Perhaps Panicum Squaw.I won't be able to disguise the pipe but if I can create some drama and interest I will be very happy.
Iv'e never grown S Nachtvlinder will this give enough height?
The plan is to experiment and have some fun, a place to try out new ideas.
I hadn't a clue how to plant up three ornamental raised beds, all I know is I want them to look good in high summer.
I have repeated the same plants in each bed but in a different area of each. These include Parahebe perfoliata, Libertia peregrinans, Oenothera Apricot Delight, Salvia Caradonna, Verbascum bombyciferum, Panicum Mum's Best Red, Geranium Rozanne, also Verbena bonariensis and three Gauras.
In one bed which will be the hottest there are three Sea Hollies and in the central bed three Calamagrostis Eldorado. The end bed will be more shady.
There is at least one shrub in each, a scruffy looking Nandinia Gulfstream, Hedera Erecta at the shady end and Corokia Cotoneaster.
Nepeta Neptune, Seslaria Summer Skies, Melianthus Major and Nasella.
Haven't got a clue what to expect possibly a mess but all a learning curve.