I have a big 1/2 acre garden that came with our house and really had to get into the garden in a big way despite three young boys and two businesses...
My aim has been maximum enjoyment of the garden with minimal maintenance.
What has worked for me are:
hardy osteospermum (flower from April to November if deadheaded) provide plenty of ground cover and easy to grow. Make sure you get the hardy variety of osteospermum
rudbeckia
salvia nemorosa caradonna
I find these three plants are the mainstay of my big borders and provide good cover and colour
The other suggestion I might make is to ask a local tree surgeon if they don't mind providing some free bark chippings. My local tree surgeon was has to pay £50 to take his chippings to the recycling centre so always happy to dump a load to provide mulch to cut down on the weeding..
As well as the hardy geraniums, campanulas and border phlox go well with roses and would give that blousy look. C. Persicifolia comes in several varieties in blues and white and needs little care except cutting down in autumn. C. Lactiflora is blousiness personified, if carefully sited will need little in the way of staking ( a couple of canes and a string round the middle) and will get better year on year. However it is big and you will need to watch out for and remove self sown seedlings. Phlox are generally well behaved, flower into autumn, don't need staking, are easy to cut down and start early in spring so you can see where they are. They make a good backdrop for spring bulbs. Daylilies are easy too and though they look better deadheaded, this isn't compulsory, though it is quite a nice pottery job!
If you want clear borders in winter you could grow some annuals such as Cosmos, and then just yank them out in the autumn. You could get different look every year that way too!
Hazel - everyone .... thanks so very much for your responses, and so quickly too. I feel better just for knowing I have some support and guidance.
Me and the boy (Tibetan terrier) must go get dinner before I burn it (again) ... but I promise to post some photo's of how this all looked back in a day - Good and Bad!!
Andi - we also have a thread for pix of our gardens, so you might want to take a look in there to give you some ideas of what other people are growing. Obviously, soil conditions, aspect and location can affect any choices, but there could be something that takes your fancy
I'll find it and bump the thread up for you.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks FG, and everyone else who has been very patient with me on this. It is hard to explain what it is I'm after with this "new" garden. Of course I want it to look lovely etc, but it must be "do-able". I'm not as hunky and manly as I once might have been, and putting those arches up; whilst back in a day I would have taken it in my stride, did became something of a struggle - just the two hands but several things to hold required some serious krypton factoring!! And they was bliddy heavy - fresh out of the pressure tanks they were steeped in solution and way heavier than a normal wump of lud.
But here's an embarrassing couple of pic's of when I first plucked up the courage to go back down there after a couple of years or so ........ I could of wept!
These were just last year before out of shame and embarrassment I finally decided to get a grip. .................... and one from happier times - this just dated '03 .....
This just a drive by shot from out of the back door (probably) ... It's been several years since I looked through these old files, and I must admit there have been quite a few smiley moments, and there are some really impressive (to me) shots of the Garden looking pretty dapper back in a day - I don't think for a minute I could achieve that - but I'd like to do it justice and show it some respect.
That last photo is a delight Andi. Let it spur you on to more changes and alterations. Take your time and enjoy it. Taking pix of the progress is a huge help on the days you feel deflated and wondering why you're bothering
And I know exactly what you mean about it taking a toll...we're not 27 any more.... much as we'd like to have that energy and strength!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You are never going to lose the memories, but it is sensible to try to simplify things, for easier maintenace.
It doesnt have to be picture perfect, though we'd all like that sometimes, just reflect your taste. Grow dahlias, but yes in pots may be easier. You already have a love of roses & know what you like.
Mulching although an effort initially works wonders to improve, maintain the soil & suppress the inevitable weeds. BTW new bark chippings direct on beds not adviseable- they need to be rotted down a bit first, or used on paths or in a wooded area which is less planted.
Lots of plants already mentioned are almost no maintenance, nothing really is, but by careful research- ask on here- you can make a more informed choice.
Gardening can be a form of therapy IME, but once the bug bites.... J.
Posts
Hi Andi,
I have a big 1/2 acre garden that came with our house and really had to get into the garden in a big way despite three young boys and two businesses...
My aim has been maximum enjoyment of the garden with minimal maintenance.
What has worked for me are:
hardy osteospermum (flower from April to November if deadheaded) provide plenty of ground cover and easy to grow. Make sure you get the hardy variety of osteospermum
rudbeckia
salvia nemorosa caradonna
I find these three plants are the mainstay of my big borders and provide good cover and colour
The other suggestion I might make is to ask a local tree surgeon if they don't mind providing some free bark chippings. My local tree surgeon was has to pay £50 to take his chippings to the recycling centre so always happy to dump a load to provide mulch to cut down on the weeding..
silverlight. I do exactly the same. Great for adding to the compost bins too, esp in summer when it's a mix of chippings and leaves. Perfect
As well as the hardy geraniums, campanulas and border phlox go well with roses and would give that blousy look. C. Persicifolia comes in several varieties in blues and white and needs little care except cutting down in autumn. C. Lactiflora is blousiness personified, if carefully sited will need little in the way of staking ( a couple of canes and a string round the middle) and will get better year on year. However it is big and you will need to watch out for and remove self sown seedlings. Phlox are generally well behaved, flower into autumn, don't need staking, are easy to cut down and start early in spring so you can see where they are. They make a good backdrop for spring bulbs. Daylilies are easy too and though they look better deadheaded, this isn't compulsory, though it is quite a nice pottery job!
If you want clear borders in winter you could grow some annuals such as Cosmos, and then just yank them out in the autumn. You could get different look every year that way too!
Hazel - everyone .... thanks so very much for your responses, and so quickly too. I feel better just for knowing I have some support and guidance.
Me and the boy (Tibetan terrier) must go get dinner before I burn it (again) ... but I promise to post some photo's of how this all looked back in a day - Good and Bad!!
Cheers all.
Andi - we also have a thread for pix of our gardens, so you might want to take a look in there to give you some ideas of what other people are growing. Obviously, soil conditions, aspect and location can affect any choices, but there could be something that takes your fancy
I'll find it and bump the thread up for you.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks FG, and everyone else who has been very patient with me on this. It is hard to explain what it is I'm after with this "new" garden. Of course I want it to look lovely etc, but it must be "do-able". I'm not as hunky and manly as I once might have been, and putting those arches up; whilst back in a day I would have taken it in my stride, did became something of a struggle - just the two hands but several things to hold required some serious krypton factoring!! And they was bliddy heavy - fresh out of the pressure tanks they were steeped in solution and way heavier than a normal wump of lud.
But here's an embarrassing couple of pic's of when I first plucked up the courage to go back down there after a couple of years or so ........ I could of wept!
These were just last year before out of shame and embarrassment I finally decided to get a grip. .................... and one from happier times - this just dated '03 .....
This just a drive by shot from out of the back door (probably) ... It's been several years since I looked through these old files, and I must admit there have been quite a few smiley moments, and there are some really impressive (to me) shots of the Garden looking pretty dapper back in a day - I don't think for a minute I could achieve that - but I'd like to do it justice and show it some respect.
Cheers all.
That last photo is a delight Andi. Let it spur you on to more changes and alterations. Take your time and enjoy it. Taking pix of the progress is a huge help on the days you feel deflated and wondering why you're bothering
And I know exactly what you mean about it taking a toll...we're not 27 any more.... much as we'd like to have that energy and strength!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You are never going to lose the memories, but it is sensible to try to simplify things, for easier maintenace.
It doesnt have to be picture perfect, though we'd all like that sometimes, just reflect your taste. Grow dahlias, but yes in pots may be easier. You already have a love of roses & know what you like.
Mulching although an effort initially works wonders to improve, maintain the soil & suppress the inevitable weeds. BTW new bark chippings direct on beds not adviseable- they need to be rotted down a bit first, or used on paths or in a wooded area which is less planted.
Lots of plants already mentioned are almost no maintenance, nothing really is, but by careful research- ask on here- you can make a more informed choice.
Gardening can be a form of therapy IME, but once the bug bites.... J.