The deck which we've built should more than cater for outdoor dining, particularly in the evenings when we will use it primarily as the large pines which are in the neighbours garden provide shade from the sun at that time of day.
Its rare that we have very hot days, but certainly those days where you dont want to be in the sun all day, it would be good to have somewhere to chill out. I didnt want to lose any light from the addition of a pergola but would have liked something which made the area a little bit more secluded.
cc - I think you could have a pergola which wouldn't completely dominate the area, by using a simple construction of just a couple of timbers across the space. You could have something like a clematis planted to give a little shade which wouldn't be too dense or block too much light. Perhaps even across one corner rather than across the width of the space, or only across the front as I forgot you have an access gate there at the side too
That space is crying out for a nice little seating area
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Just a bit of an update, nothing other than to show that the grass is coming on nicely. Had its first trim at the end of the week, and raked a couple of bare areas and laid down a few more seeds to cover.
Whats the latest I can think about planting bulbs? I really wanted some Alliums in the borders as a bit of a statement piece, but having not yet sorted out what I want where, and what I'm going to plant, I dont want to be putting anything in to just have to move it again.
Can anyone give me some advice on what to do with this Cox' Apple? The story behind is that it was bought last year but it didnt get planted until this spring. It was a bit of a stroke of luck that it survived winter without being planted out, probably due to it being mild and being placed under the car port to protect it a little. I've not had one before, and looking at young fruits, it appears I need to prune it in some manner. Its branches are very spindly with few spurs. It provided one solitary Apple this year on its first fruit. What can I do to help it along?
Looking at the shape of your apple, I think you can train it in a fan shape. You need to put up some wires to secure your branches to and trim any vertical shoots. If you have a side of your garden the gets all the sun, plant it against the relevant fence.
Why not continue your decking to the wall, it would give you more entertaining space and you could still paint it as you said earlier, and have your raised planters built in. It would tidy your grass edge at the same time.
Thanks for the suggestions, I'm hoping the Apple grows a little more yet as its only just 6ft tall, and I think it should be about 8ft as the ticket indicates. It just looks a bit wide branched with some of the branches almost a metre long. Maybe I'll see what happens with it next year, as it was only planted once growth had already established this year.
Verdun, thanks for your comments I am happy to go with a wider border, something that flows is the aim so if its got to be wider to achieve that effect, then it'll be widened. I had the hose pipe leading around the garden at the weekend to get an idea of what might and might not work. A bulge in the border either side looks like it'll work. It'll provide an opportunity to get some colourful annuals in there to get a good display.
Garden maiden, I did think of running the deck right around the corner for a secondary entertaining area, but with it being in shade over autumn and winter, it would end up slimy and slippery. The grass edge will be tidied and cut into, I just wanted to over grass that area so I could cut into it at a later date when plans are finalised. There is a plan for some kind of water based feature beside the deck, at the base of the grass incorporating some planting too.
Since i've created the deck, i've had a series of other ideas which I thought might have made the garden look bigger, or created some intrigue, but with the requirement of having a nice grassed area for my young daughter to play on, this probably makes most sense. It also extends the garden room outside as the wooden floor inside runs the same orientation as the deck outside of it.
Evening folks, absolutely no developments on the garden i'm afraid, its been far too wet. The grass has developed nicely, and I've just added some autumn fertiliser to it to encourage it over autumn/winter. It'll probably need a bit more seeding come next spring, but i'm quite happy to do that, considering how much money was saved by not turfing.
Soil looks to be quite good in the planters, as I threw a load of horse manure into it, and there's worms aplenty in there.
I wanted to ask peoples opinions on online plant suppliers? Are there are any which are good to use? It does seem that the likes of plantify/crocus etc are cheaper than the local garden centre, and have particular varieties of plants which can't necessarily be sourced locally.
Posts
The deck which we've built should more than cater for outdoor dining, particularly in the evenings when we will use it primarily as the large pines which are in the neighbours garden provide shade from the sun at that time of day.
Its rare that we have very hot days, but certainly those days where you dont want to be in the sun all day, it would be good to have somewhere to chill out. I didnt want to lose any light from the addition of a pergola but would have liked something which made the area a little bit more secluded.
cc - I think you could have a pergola which wouldn't completely dominate the area, by using a simple construction of just a couple of timbers across the space. You could have something like a clematis planted to give a little shade which wouldn't be too dense or block too much light. Perhaps even across one corner rather than across the width of the space, or only across the front as I forgot you have an access gate there at the side too
That space is crying out for a nice little seating area
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Might be worth you browsing the 'wish list for seed' thread and get some of your future plants that way.
Just a bit of an update, nothing other than to show that the grass is coming on nicely. Had its first trim at the end of the week, and raked a couple of bare areas and laid down a few more seeds to cover.
Whats the latest I can think about planting bulbs? I really wanted some Alliums in the borders as a bit of a statement piece, but having not yet sorted out what I want where, and what I'm going to plant, I dont want to be putting anything in to just have to move it again.
Can anyone give me some advice on what to do with this Cox' Apple? The story behind is that it was bought last year but it didnt get planted until this spring. It was a bit of a stroke of luck that it survived winter without being planted out, probably due to it being mild and being placed under the car port to protect it a little. I've not had one before, and looking at young fruits, it appears I need to prune it in some manner. Its branches are very spindly with few spurs. It provided one solitary Apple this year on its first fruit. What can I do to help it along?
Bulbs should go in now as soon as you get them. Leave tulips to early November, to avoid disease.
Pass, on apple pruning, not my scene. Sorry.
Looking at the shape of your apple, I think you can train it in a fan shape. You need to put up some wires to secure your branches to and trim any vertical shoots. If you have a side of your garden the gets all the sun, plant it against the relevant fence.
Why not continue your decking to the wall, it would give you more entertaining space and you could still paint it as you said earlier, and have your raised planters built in. It would tidy your grass edge at the same time.
Thanks for the suggestions, I'm hoping the Apple grows a little more yet as its only just 6ft tall, and I think it should be about 8ft as the ticket indicates. It just looks a bit wide branched with some of the branches almost a metre long. Maybe I'll see what happens with it next year, as it was only planted once growth had already established this year.
Verdun, thanks for your comments I am happy to go with a wider border, something that flows is the aim so if its got to be wider to achieve that effect, then it'll be widened. I had the hose pipe leading around the garden at the weekend to get an idea of what might and might not work. A bulge in the border either side looks like it'll work. It'll provide an opportunity to get some colourful annuals in there to get a good display.
Garden maiden, I did think of running the deck right around the corner for a secondary entertaining area, but with it being in shade over autumn and winter, it would end up slimy and slippery. The grass edge will be tidied and cut into, I just wanted to over grass that area so I could cut into it at a later date when plans are finalised. There is a plan for some kind of water based feature beside the deck, at the base of the grass incorporating some planting too.
Since i've created the deck, i've had a series of other ideas which I thought might have made the garden look bigger, or created some intrigue, but with the requirement of having a nice grassed area for my young daughter to play on, this probably makes most sense. It also extends the garden room outside as the wooden floor inside runs the same orientation as the deck outside of it.
Evening folks, absolutely no developments on the garden i'm afraid, its been far too wet. The grass has developed nicely, and I've just added some autumn fertiliser to it to encourage it over autumn/winter. It'll probably need a bit more seeding come next spring, but i'm quite happy to do that, considering how much money was saved by not turfing.
Soil looks to be quite good in the planters, as I threw a load of horse manure into it, and there's worms aplenty in there.
I wanted to ask peoples opinions on online plant suppliers? Are there are any which are good to use? It does seem that the likes of plantify/crocus etc are cheaper than the local garden centre, and have particular varieties of plants which can't necessarily be sourced locally.