Hiya again. Thought I would say more about my garden. we moved here 3 years ago for our retirement - no regrets(Malvern) in the shadow of the hills you see as you go up and down the M5.
The garden was so neglected all we had were untamed trees and brambles. we cleared it completely, gained quite few feet when we eventually found the boundaries
The garden is a wedge over 100ft at the back boundary, 60ft on one side, 80ft by the house and the other one is about 80ft There is a conctrete path to one side so it has had to stay, On the one side also it seemed at some time to be terraced slightly (putting greens we think by the number of golf balls) in one aea I have put my veg beds, the higher one I am making a shrubbery - half done, In the main part of the garden I have dug a fairy dell - not planted, with pergola(new clematis and roses) and a seating area I hope will not be seen from the house as the shrubs grow.
The soil is clay and really hard as I guess it has had nearly 50 years of compression.
This year I am finally getting my head around what plants to put in.
Glad to see such a great response! I know u can put where ur from on a profile, but it's not the same as having an actual discussion (which is the reason we're all here!) Its interesting finding out about how much each garden is affected by the area as well as individual factors.
Our garden is medium sized, south-facing (though we get a lot of afternoon & evening shade from a selfish neighbours tree) with fantastic soil, thanks to the close we live down being built on what was once a nursery. My main challenge's for this year are to carry on renovating the garden (we bought the house last year with a really overgrown garden) and growing as many chilli plants as possible!
yes figrat,hubby works there actually in the gardens at the moment they are experimenting on potatoes one lot growing in sand,and one lot in coconut matting both are doing well,the other thing is spinich without soil for birds eye again in coi matting from seed to plant in four weeks,as i live right near the zoo i wake up to the gibbons calling every morning,what a racket they make.
We're about 15 miles west of Inverness & near the Moray Firth, about 130' above sea level & being near the coast our weather is far better than inland at such a latitude.
Our house is 2 1/2 years old, developed from a field which was 150+ years ago a massive cattle holding & sale area so perhaps that explains why things grow so well......
The plot is about 50' wide, I'm still trying to work out what to do with the front, I currently have a very small planted patch courtesy of the builders, the rest is grass. At the front we have neighbours & streetlights; at the back we look over a golf course towards a mountain a few miles away. The back garden is about 50' long, & we have a selection of raised (flower) beds, paths, an arch & obelisk - as yet not in position. The back is north-facing, so currently only half sees any sun. The soil is acid & seems to hold moisture, is not a heavy clay, but is exceedingly stony/bouldery. It's not easy to "just push in a few canes"
A single track road runs between us & the golf course so we are very exposed. At the end of the garden is a dyke - drystone wall, only 3' high so it's a bit like a goldfish bowl at times. I'd like to plant a few spikey thinks along the dyke but it has scalpings as foundations just below the grass & don't think anything would grow there.
I spent most of my life in Teddington, Middx on light sandy soil in a narrow SW facing back garden - a real sun trap. Bit different now!!
I'm in Findon Village, a couple of miles west of Worthing, South Coast....seems to rain all the time:/ but can't grumble as we're nestled in the South Downs I have front, side and back garden but we've had to turn the front garden into a drive due to so many cars parking outside our house and then going up to London (we're alongside the A24). The side garden is now the vegetable beds and lawn, (evening sun spot for hubby supping his cider while I tend the veg beds during the Summer and the back is flower beds, containers and patios ...I love it
I'm from Yorkshire, but have lived for the last 7 years in a small village, up a mountain in Piedmont, Northern Italy. Today it is snowing and I am really missing good old Yorkshire weather. Do hope spring arrives soon..
Was definitely born under a Wandrin' Star, but putting down some roots now in a biggish village South Anston, south of Sheffield but not far from Worksop. Husband has lived here all his life, apart from 4 years at University doing a degree. We move later this year to his Dad's old house, just across the road from us, bigger house, MUCH bigger back garden. OH has also promised I can have chickens when we get there. Still trying to reclaim most of it from Brambles, weather is a big problem.
Will be good to post some 'before' and 'after' photos, I think the back garden will take a bit of a back seat, the whole house needs rewiring, new kitchen, new bathroom (turquoise bathroom suite anyone?!), redecorating throughout, not been done since the 60's / 70's, so patterned carpets throughout, orange/brown/dark green wallpaper (yes, in SAME wallpaper). Needs gutting but money very tight, having to do a room at a time, after clearing all stuff in there - OH's Dad was a War Baby, so never chucked anything out because 'it might be useful'.
Garden is much easier, as OH has no idea what he's doing, so much easier to get out there and attack brambles. Very cathartic, but can't do much at a time cos I've got ME/CFS, and can't overdo it or I pay for it later!
Posts
Hiya again. Thought I would say more about my garden. we moved here 3 years ago for our retirement - no regrets(Malvern) in the shadow of the hills you see as you go up and down the M5.
The garden was so neglected all we had were untamed trees and brambles. we cleared it completely, gained quite few feet when we eventually found the boundaries
The garden is a wedge over 100ft at the back boundary, 60ft on one side, 80ft by the house and the other one is about 80ft There is a conctrete path to one side so it has had to stay, On the one side also it seemed at some time to be terraced slightly (putting greens we think by the number of golf balls) in one aea I have put my veg beds, the higher one I am making a shrubbery - half done, In the main part of the garden I have dug a fairy dell - not planted, with pergola(new clematis and roses) and a seating area I hope will not be seen from the house as the shrubs grow.
The soil is clay and really hard as I guess it has had nearly 50 years of compression.
This year I am finally getting my head around what plants to put in.
Bjay
The land of rugby
Our garden is medium sized, south-facing (though we get a lot of afternoon & evening shade from a selfish neighbours tree) with fantastic soil, thanks to the close we live down being built on what was once a nursery. My main challenge's for this year are to carry on renovating the garden (we bought the house last year with a really overgrown garden) and growing as many chilli plants as possible!
As for avatars, I'll change mine now!
yes figrat,hubby works there actually in the gardens at the moment they are experimenting on potatoes one lot growing in sand,and one lot in coconut matting both are doing well,the other thing is spinich without soil for birds eye again in coi matting from seed to plant in four weeks,as i live right near the zoo i wake up to the gibbons calling every morning,what a racket they make.
Well you'll never guess where I live!!
We're about 15 miles west of Inverness & near the Moray Firth, about 130' above sea level & being near the coast our weather is far better than inland at such a latitude.
Our house is 2 1/2 years old, developed from a field which was 150+ years ago a massive cattle holding & sale area so perhaps that explains why things grow so well......
The plot is about 50' wide, I'm still trying to work out what to do with the front, I currently have a very small planted patch courtesy of the builders, the rest is grass. At the front we have neighbours & streetlights; at the back we look over a golf course towards a mountain a few miles away. The back garden is about 50' long, & we have a selection of raised (flower) beds, paths, an arch & obelisk - as yet not in position. The back is north-facing, so currently only half sees any sun. The soil is acid & seems to hold moisture, is not a heavy clay, but is exceedingly stony/bouldery. It's not easy to "just push in a few canes"
A single track road runs between us & the golf course so we are very exposed. At the end of the garden is a dyke - drystone wall, only 3' high so it's a bit like a goldfish bowl at times. I'd like to plant a few spikey thinks along the dyke but it has scalpings as foundations just below the grass & don't think anything would grow there.
I spent most of my life in Teddington, Middx on light sandy soil in a narrow SW facing back garden - a real sun trap. Bit different now!!
I'm in Findon Village, a couple of miles west of Worthing, South Coast....seems to rain all the time:/ but can't grumble as we're nestled in the South Downs
I have front, side and back garden but we've had to turn the front garden into a drive due to so many cars parking outside our house and then going up to London (we're alongside the A24). The side garden is now the vegetable beds and lawn, (evening sun spot for hubby supping his cider while I tend the veg beds during the Summer
and the back is flower beds, containers and patios ...I love it
I'm from Yorkshire, but have lived for the last 7 years in a small village, up a mountain in Piedmont, Northern Italy. Today it is snowing and I am really missing good old Yorkshire weather. Do hope spring arrives soon..
nearly burnt the roast spuds reading all these posts!
I lived near Ash (Canterbury), now live near Notts in small village called Cotgrave
Did live in 3 bedded house (small garden) but fell in love with a bigger garden that happened to come with a small bungalow....who needs rooms anyway!
3 years in my lovely garden and still planning, still planting, still loving it...plus have an allotment too!
Was definitely born under a Wandrin' Star, but putting down some roots now in a biggish village South Anston, south of Sheffield but not far from Worksop. Husband has lived here all his life, apart from 4 years at University doing a degree. We move later this year to his Dad's old house, just across the road from us, bigger house, MUCH bigger back garden. OH has also promised I can have chickens when we get there. Still trying to reclaim most of it from Brambles, weather is a big problem.
Will be good to post some 'before' and 'after' photos, I think the back garden will take a bit of a back seat, the whole house needs rewiring, new kitchen, new bathroom (turquoise bathroom suite anyone?!), redecorating throughout, not been done since the 60's / 70's, so patterned carpets throughout, orange/brown/dark green wallpaper (yes, in SAME wallpaper). Needs gutting but money very tight, having to do a room at a time, after clearing all stuff in there - OH's Dad was a War Baby, so never chucked anything out because 'it might be useful'.
Garden is much easier, as OH has no idea what he's doing, so much easier to get out there and attack brambles. Very cathartic, but can't do much at a time cos I've got ME/CFS, and can't overdo it or I pay for it later!