Hi Paul - the weed membrane has probably been put down to give easy maintenance. A few plants in and then gravel, but as you say, over time it gives an ideal medium for seeds and weeds make the most of that. Bcdays has made a good suggestion for you - a few packets of seeds sown and you'll have some colour for this year, and you can keep doing that till you're in a position to change the site into the garden you really want.
There is a seed swap thread on the forum too - you'll get plenty of bits and bobs for the price of a couple of stamps.
I'd be wary of the buttercups - they can colonise very quickly so you may not like them quite so much as you do now!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
One question... I wan getting a hit list together of seeds I can simply broadcast and that will come back on thier own year on year. so far my list is:
California Poppy
Vipers Bugloss
Ox-eye Dasies
Forget-me-not
Self Heal
I just wanted to check that all of these can simply be broadcast (in some sand or compost) and then just left to get on with it?
I personally haven't grown all of those from seed Paul, but self heal will certainly spread and the others do self seed so I think they should be fine if they establish.
I had a tiny narrow border under a window in a previous garden and no money at all to buy plants, so I sowed larkspur and nigella and had a glorious show of colour which the bees thoroughly enjoyed. They like a sunny spot so it might be worth trying those as well.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think Echium Blue Bedder is more attractive than the species Vipers Bugloss but is related plant and just as good for bees.
Forget-me-nots won't bloom the first year.
Do you really want the self-heal? You will probably have it/get it regardless of whether planted or not.
I quite like poached egg plant (limanthes douglasii) and it is so easy and self seeds everywhere but also easy to pull up where you don't want it. Not a native but a big hit with pollinators.
Poached egg is a great shout Watery. Excellent for bees and hoverflies
Bugle is another tough little plant which will be a hit with insects. Spreads quickly once it gets going. Likes a bit of damp and shade so if you have a little spot for that, a couple of small plants will soon spread and cover a decent area.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Spent many hours with the wife plucking weeds today and came to the realisation that this is not a sensible strategy. We will consolidate the nice grasses into drifts and also the nicer budlea's etc. We will then create drifts and clumps of some of the great suggestions for seeds and other grass specimens above.
We can then simply Glyphosate inbetween (i.e. the rest) 4x per year to keep it looking clean and neat.
I have already Glyphosated most of the Willowherb and all of the creeping Buttercup and all of the "Rosettes all over" weed and will aim to keep the areas clean. We also plucked the groundsel and glyphosated the others that were tiny. I never knew a 20L backpack sprayer full to the brim with Glyphosate could be so heavy
If we simply scattered nice seed over the area it would intemingle with the Willowherb, buttercup and all manner of the millions of tiny seedlings (weeds) of those and other as yet unkown weeds and it would be impossible to eradicate the baddies.
Thanks to everyone for their help. Wish me luck!!. I guess everyone had a "bad" area of their gardens and this is mine. I still have the back garden and the veg plot to manage so this is the lowest priority however it is the most on show as all the neighbours see it.
Well done Paul. It's your plot and we can only make suggestions - ultimately it's for you to decide what look you want to have. I think your plan is ideal, especially as you have plenty more garden to deal with and keeping the front garden neat is always the right thing to do. Time is a big factor in gardening and if you don't have enough of it you have to prioritise. I'd probably do something very similar if I was you.
Good luck with it
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Hi Paul - the weed membrane has probably been put down to give easy maintenance. A few plants in and then gravel, but as you say, over time it gives an ideal medium for seeds and weeds make the most of that. Bcdays has made a good suggestion for you - a few packets of seeds sown and you'll have some colour for this year, and you can keep doing that till you're in a position to change the site into the garden you really want.
There is a seed swap thread on the forum too - you'll get plenty of bits and bobs for the price of a couple of stamps.
I'd be wary of the buttercups - they can colonise very quickly so you may not like them quite so much as you do now!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Perfect advice. Many thanks. More pics to follow later.
One question... I wan getting a hit list together of seeds I can simply broadcast and that will come back on thier own year on year. so far my list is:
California Poppy
Vipers Bugloss
Ox-eye Dasies
Forget-me-not
Self Heal
I just wanted to check that all of these can simply be broadcast (in some sand or compost) and then just left to get on with it?
Cheers,
Paul
I personally haven't grown all of those from seed Paul, but self heal will certainly spread and the others do self seed so I think they should be fine if they establish.
I had a tiny narrow border under a window in a previous garden and no money at all to buy plants, so I sowed larkspur and nigella and had a glorious show of colour which the bees thoroughly enjoyed. They like a sunny spot so it might be worth trying those as well.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think Echium Blue Bedder is more attractive than the species Vipers Bugloss but is related plant and just as good for bees.
Forget-me-nots won't bloom the first year.
Do you really want the self-heal? You will probably have it/get it regardless of whether planted or not.
I quite like poached egg plant (limanthes douglasii) and it is so easy and self seeds everywhere but also easy to pull up where you don't want it. Not a native but a big hit with pollinators.
Poached egg is a great shout Watery. Excellent for bees and hoverflies
Bugle is another tough little plant which will be a hit with insects. Spreads quickly once it gets going. Likes a bit of damp and shade so if you have a little spot for that, a couple of small plants will soon spread and cover a decent area.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Spent many hours with the wife plucking weeds today and came to the realisation that this is not a sensible strategy. We will consolidate the nice grasses into drifts and also the nicer budlea's etc. We will then create drifts and clumps of some of the great suggestions for seeds and other grass specimens above.
We can then simply Glyphosate inbetween (i.e. the rest) 4x per year to keep it looking clean and neat.
I have already Glyphosated most of the Willowherb and all of the creeping Buttercup and all of the "Rosettes all over" weed and will aim to keep the areas clean. We also plucked the groundsel and glyphosated the others that were tiny. I never knew a 20L backpack sprayer full to the brim with Glyphosate could be so heavy
If we simply scattered nice seed over the area it would intemingle with the Willowherb, buttercup and all manner of the millions of tiny seedlings (weeds) of those and other as yet unkown weeds and it would be impossible to eradicate the baddies.
Thanks to everyone for their help. Wish me luck!!. I guess everyone had a "bad" area of their gardens and this is mine. I still have the back garden and the veg plot to manage so this is the lowest priority however it is the most on show as all the neighbours see it.
Well done Paul. It's your plot and we can only make suggestions - ultimately it's for you to decide what look you want to have. I think your plan is ideal, especially as you have plenty more garden to deal with and keeping the front garden neat is always the right thing to do. Time is a big factor in gardening and if you don't have enough of it you have to prioritise. I'd probably do something very similar if I was you.
Good luck with it
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...