I can vouch for Crocus, had great service from them this year. I started out spending money weekly at the local garden center, then found it much more economical to source deals online. The others I've used are less general, but if you want fruit trees, native plants or pond ponds let me know. I've had good service and excellent quality buying online with no disappointments.
Brilliant thread chicken chaser, it helps so much seeing someones else's hard work
Just been trying to plan the next stage of the garden and it includes more hard landscaping before the planting can start.
Just after some opinions really, think we have it down to 2 designs. I'm not trained in art or computer aided design so its pencil and paper!
This is the actual space looking from the back gate. To the right is the house extension with deck beyond and to the left the garage.
This is the first. It puts the garden arch into the centre, and the paths have curve to them which breaks up some of the square edges in the garden. The surface is likely gravel.
The second is squares which ties in with the square deck. The lawn still has curves to it though. The gravel interspersed with flagstones.
The purple triangle is slate monolith. The central bed will get a lot of sun, whereas the bed beside the garage would be light shade in summer with only a little sunshine in the evening and in winter full shade.
Best get the arch and put it into the vague position and move it about until it looks right from different parts of the garden/house. I've put sweeping paths on my natural walking routes, so in a way they plan themselves. So I would put the arch in what I thought was the best position, see how people naturally go to walk through it and where they go, then plan the paths or paving based on that.
I prefer the second pic (sorry Gemma!) as it ties in with the geometric nature of the design you already have and gives you a nice little secluded seating area. The dividing bed will have a different feel from the shadier one beside the garage as it'll be sunnier, and it'll form a nice 'screen' to the main garden area. It also links well with the extension and round into the deck. The arch leads you round nicely into the rest of the garden.
Nice sketches too cc!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for the comments, I'm having to realise that whatever design I go with, I'll always be looking at other designs wishing something else!
Missus thinks the border at the front is too large and cuts down opportunities to sit out other than on the bench. My idea is that the deck is the main entertaining spot whilst this is somewhere to sit sheltered away from all of the neighbours and out of any wind. She thinks I should get rid of the bed idea and stick with some planters or pots which can be moved about depending on usage.
Finally coming to the conclusion of the hard landscaping, and looking ahead to getting planting. Unfortunately i've not planted any spring bulbs due to not knowing where things were going to go.
So far, only a couple of plants picked up to go in. A Fatsia, 3 Trachelospermums, 2 Fargesia Robusta bamboos and a Choisya Sundance. Aside from the Trachelospermums, would the rest be ok to go out now?
I've got plans to buy a couple of acers - likely 'Bloodgood' for a crimson shade and 'Sango Kaku' for its year round interest. Looking for some decent specimens to give some impact.
I'm looking to add height in the garden through vertical planting so i've added quite a few trellis along the fence lines to blend it in.
I'll try and get some photos tomorrow of the 'blank canvas' before I start painting with plants.
This is the point where all of you on here come in to help me along with choosing, siting and growing! As its been mentioned, no space for a greenhouse in the design but I plan on getting a mini growing cupboard/cold frame type of thing to bring on plants in early spring.
As promised, here is the garden in its current state. I've placed a few plants about but not planted them into place quite yet, aside from the Fatsia and ferns against the shed. I feel I need more of a plan before I tackle the centre bed.
Its taken me a while because of so many other commitments but i'm pleased with the result so far. I just need some help and advice regarding the planting now.
I'm planning on sorting the deck first, by lunch its in full sun and its a real sun trap. I'd like it to be pretty evergreen which is why i'm looking at the likes of Phormiums, Bamboo etc. The Trachelospermums should like the sheltered spot against the wall. I'm a bit stuck with regards to getting height out of the planters using shrubs, particularly the planter beside the one with the bamboo in. Any ideas? Certainly ideas on complimentary plants into that area first of all would be much appreciated.
It looks lovely, chicken chaser, well done. Has anyone suggested choisya? It's evergreen has white flowers and the leaves are perfumed. It comes in a golden variety too, Sundance, and a smaller one, Aztec Pearl. Very different from bamboo and phormiums so would be a contrast.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Posts
I can vouch for Crocus, had great service from them this year. I started out spending money weekly at the local garden center, then found it much more economical to source deals online. The others I've used are less general, but if you want fruit trees, native plants or pond ponds let me know. I've had good service and excellent quality buying online with no disappointments.
Brilliant thread chicken chaser, it helps so much seeing someones else's hard work
..if you've got half an hour to spare, you could read up on some of them here...
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/talkback/the-good-guys/175670-11.html
Thanks to both of you, Gemma thanks for the kind words and Salino, thanks for the advice. I'll have a read.
Just been trying to plan the next stage of the garden and it includes more hard landscaping before the planting can start.
Just after some opinions really, think we have it down to 2 designs. I'm not trained in art or computer aided design so its pencil and paper!
This is the actual space looking from the back gate. To the right is the house extension with deck beyond and to the left the garage.
This is the first. It puts the garden arch into the centre, and the paths have curve to them which breaks up some of the square edges in the garden. The surface is likely gravel.
The second is squares which ties in with the square deck. The lawn still has curves to it though. The gravel interspersed with flagstones.
The purple triangle is slate monolith. The central bed will get a lot of sun, whereas the bed beside the garage would be light shade in summer with only a little sunshine in the evening and in winter full shade.
The arch in the middle works for me.
Best get the arch and put it into the vague position and move it about until it looks right from different parts of the garden/house. I've put sweeping paths on my natural walking routes, so in a way they plan themselves. So I would put the arch in what I thought was the best position, see how people naturally go to walk through it and where they go, then plan the paths or paving based on that.
I prefer the second pic (sorry Gemma!) as it ties in with the geometric nature of the design you already have and gives you a nice little secluded seating area. The dividing bed will have a different feel from the shadier one beside the garage as it'll be sunnier, and it'll form a nice 'screen' to the main garden area. It also links well with the extension and round into the deck. The arch leads you round nicely into the rest of the garden.
Nice sketches too cc!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for the comments, I'm having to realise that whatever design I go with, I'll always be looking at other designs wishing something else!
Missus thinks the border at the front is too large and cuts down opportunities to sit out other than on the bench. My idea is that the deck is the main entertaining spot whilst this is somewhere to sit sheltered away from all of the neighbours and out of any wind. She thinks I should get rid of the bed idea and stick with some planters or pots which can be moved about depending on usage.
Finally coming to the conclusion of the hard landscaping, and looking ahead to getting planting. Unfortunately i've not planted any spring bulbs due to not knowing where things were going to go.
So far, only a couple of plants picked up to go in. A Fatsia, 3 Trachelospermums, 2 Fargesia Robusta bamboos and a Choisya Sundance. Aside from the Trachelospermums, would the rest be ok to go out now?
I've got plans to buy a couple of acers - likely 'Bloodgood' for a crimson shade and 'Sango Kaku' for its year round interest. Looking for some decent specimens to give some impact.
I'm looking to add height in the garden through vertical planting so i've added quite a few trellis along the fence lines to blend it in.
I'll try and get some photos tomorrow of the 'blank canvas' before I start painting with plants.
This is the point where all of you on here come in to help me along with choosing, siting and growing! As its been mentioned, no space for a greenhouse in the design but I plan on getting a mini growing cupboard/cold frame type of thing to bring on plants in early spring.
As promised, here is the garden in its current state. I've placed a few plants about but not planted them into place quite yet, aside from the Fatsia and ferns against the shed. I feel I need more of a plan before I tackle the centre bed.
Its taken me a while because of so many other commitments but i'm pleased with the result so far. I just need some help and advice regarding the planting now.
I'm planning on sorting the deck first, by lunch its in full sun and its a real sun trap. I'd like it to be pretty evergreen which is why i'm looking at the likes of Phormiums, Bamboo etc. The Trachelospermums should like the sheltered spot against the wall. I'm a bit stuck with regards to getting height out of the planters using shrubs, particularly the planter beside the one with the bamboo in. Any ideas? Certainly ideas on complimentary plants into that area first of all would be much appreciated.
It looks lovely, chicken chaser, well done. Has anyone suggested choisya? It's evergreen has white flowers and the leaves are perfumed. It comes in a golden variety too, Sundance, and a smaller one, Aztec Pearl. Very different from bamboo and phormiums so would be a contrast.