Hello Carmic. I live in Dordogne and it sounds as though you are about to do what I did over 20 years ago! My main flower garden bit was once the farmyard and, I was told by a local, there had been a barn on it. The land here is limestone, poor and rocky underneath. We had several lorry loads delivered, but I can't remember how many now, I know it was 2 in the veggie garden and 2 farm trailor loads of rotted cow manure. It was a heck of a lot of work, in the end we got a firm in to do the lawns.
The earth that was delivered into my big border, 30m x 3m, was mostly clay with rocks and roots in it. Over the years I've dug in loads of compost and horse manure so now it's higher than the lawn.
Here is a photo of some of it now. It has given me years of work and pleasure and something to look forward to each year.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Verdun, its been far too wet and a tad windy to do any digging so i have been sowing seeds to put inside the 2 plastic balcony greenhouses which I have put inside the house (south facing in a alcove of a double french door)
So far I have sown Aqelligia ( 2 diff. colours) Achellia (2 diff colours) Hollyhocks (again 2 diff. colours) taken a load of Hydrangea, Buddlia, Pinks, and Forsythia cuttings...
What my next question is are there any other seeds suitable for a traditional cottage garden that can be sown now.
Ordered Angelica..already sown the Aquilegias...looked up the Astrantia and it says sow in February...Hellebores according to Thompson and Morgon take 3 years to flower so will probablly buy the plant...similar thoughts re the paeonies...
So that still means I am 'looking for your further thoughts on seeds to sow now that just 'might' flower next year.
Posts
Hello Carmic. I live in Dordogne and it sounds as though you are about to do what I did over 20 years ago! My main flower garden bit was once the farmyard and, I was told by a local, there had been a barn on it. The land here is limestone, poor and rocky underneath. We had several lorry loads delivered, but I can't remember how many now, I know it was 2 in the veggie garden and 2 farm trailor loads of rotted cow manure. It was a heck of a lot of work, in the end we got a firm in to do the lawns.
The earth that was delivered into my big border, 30m x 3m, was mostly clay with rocks and roots in it. Over the years I've dug in loads of compost and horse manure so now it's higher than the lawn.
Here is a photo of some of it now. It has given me years of work and pleasure and something to look forward to each year.
Oh wow both look absolutely beautiful
Verdun, its been far too wet and a tad windy to do any digging so i have been sowing seeds to put inside the 2 plastic balcony greenhouses which I have put inside the house (south facing in a alcove of a double french door)
So far I have sown Aqelligia ( 2 diff. colours) Achellia (2 diff colours) Hollyhocks (again 2 diff. colours) taken a load of Hydrangea, Buddlia, Pinks, and Forsythia cuttings...
What my next question is are there any other seeds suitable for a traditional cottage garden that can be sown now.
Thanking you in anticipation
Carmic
Angelica can be sown for cold germination along with your aquilegias. Astrantia, hellebores, paeonies as well.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Nutcutlet...
Ordered Angelica..already sown the Aquilegias...looked up the Astrantia and it says sow in February...Hellebores according to Thompson and Morgon take 3 years to flower so will probablly buy the plant...similar thoughts re the paeonies...
So that still means I am 'looking for your further thoughts on seeds to sow now that just 'might' flower next year.
Carmic
oooops Nutcutlet where are my manners...???
I forgot to say thankyou so much for your advice.
Have a look through the germination section here
http://theseedsite.co.uk/
see if you fancy any of those that need autumn or winter sowing.
In the sticks near Peterborough