Know exactly what you mean Joyce - my planting is largely self sufficient as I work full time and have other interests - as you know! It means I'll eventually have time to mainly potter and footer with the odd thing now and again, rather than feeling pressured into constant pruning, staking and grafting out there.
Don't think I'll have forty years' worth left though...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I learnt so much this year. This time last year I had a brand new patio and paths, no lawn (and the place it was going to be was 6 inches below where it needed to be), almost completely empty beds which were being used as paths, one overstuffed shed and a very long list. Now I have a lawn which is more or less thriving, beds which have had flowers in all summer and still do and I'm still picking the tomatoes. I've got a new shed (the old one is now OH's workshop - we're both happy) and I've just painted it and started to hang eveything where I need it. There's a hole which should have been a pond by now and a pile of sleepers which should have been raised beds, but they're next year's lessons.
I've learnt that I need to plant things a bit earlier so they have time to get going, that I need to protect against slugs more proactively (and that copper tape around the chopped off collar of a pot, sunk into the ground, ìs very - though not always completely - effective), and that it's possible to get loads of tomatoes from plants in pots. I've learnt that I need to plant beans out when they're bigger (but start them earlier) and their supports need to be sturdy and not get tangled up with my washing line. And I've leant LOADS on here, not least how to tackle my lawn-raising project, what the different types of iris are and countless other things.
I've still got a very long list though. Long may it be added to!
So thanks all.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
I am an owner occupier and so is the mass of brambles and weeds owner next door.. I know exactly the pain of a rat infested tip council garden next doo an occupier who regularly dump old fridges furnature and rubbish in the front garden !! as well as the back. Yep I have real gems both sides of me.. What I wouldn't give for Agent Orange lol...
I have learned this year in my garden not to take the eye off the ball re watering, weather forecastes are not accurate and it was hotter in my back garden than Death Valley at 122f yes I did check..
So I need to look at watering... and definatelu not bothering to grow those Yellow cues again yuck... and I will also not bother with the Butternut Squash they take up space and spread and not one flaming Squash .. I still think containers are the way to go, but they do dry out faster..
Slugs n' Snails are still public enemyno 1... I may give my autumn sown onions a start in cells in the greenhouse this time as the ones planted out in end Sept were a disaster... They were such a small yeild..
I may as well have gone to Sainsburys!! My non certified potatoes have been the best crop ever...
Posts
Know exactly what you mean Joyce - my planting is largely self sufficient as I work full time and have other interests - as you know! It means I'll eventually have time to mainly potter and footer with the odd thing now and again, rather than feeling pressured into constant pruning, staking and grafting out there.
Don't think I'll have forty years' worth left though...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think it'll take me the rest of my time to "finish" my garden. But what a way to go.
Hosta
I learnt so much this year. This time last year I had a brand new patio and paths, no lawn (and the place it was going to be was 6 inches below where it needed to be), almost completely empty beds which were being used as paths, one overstuffed shed and a very long list. Now I have a lawn which is more or less thriving, beds which have had flowers in all summer and still do and I'm still picking the tomatoes. I've got a new shed (the old one is now OH's workshop - we're both happy) and I've just painted it and started to hang eveything where I need it. There's a hole which should have been a pond by now and a pile of sleepers which should have been raised beds, but they're next year's lessons.
I've learnt that I need to plant things a bit earlier so they have time to get going, that I need to protect against slugs more proactively (and that copper tape around the chopped off collar of a pot, sunk into the ground, ìs very - though not always completely - effective), and that it's possible to get loads of tomatoes from plants in pots. I've learnt that I need to plant beans out when they're bigger (but start them earlier) and their supports need to be sturdy and not get tangled up with my washing line. And I've leant LOADS on here, not least how to tackle my lawn-raising project, what the different types of iris are and countless other things.
I've still got a very long list though. Long may it be added to!
So thanks all.
I am an owner occupier and so is the mass of brambles and weeds owner next door.. I know exactly the pain of a rat infested tip council garden next doo an occupier who regularly dump old fridges furnature and rubbish in the front garden !! as well as the back. Yep I have real gems both sides of me.. What I wouldn't give for Agent Orange lol...
I have learned this year in my garden not to take the eye off the ball re watering, weather forecastes are not accurate and it was hotter in my back garden than Death Valley at 122f yes I did check..
So I need to look at watering... and definatelu not bothering to grow those Yellow cues again yuck... and I will also not bother with the Butternut Squash they take up space and spread and not one flaming Squash .. I still think containers are the way to go, but they do dry out faster..
Slugs n' Snails are still public enemyno 1... I may give my autumn sown onions a start in cells in the greenhouse this time as the ones planted out in end Sept were a disaster... They were such a small yeild..
I may as well have gone to Sainsburys!! My non certified potatoes have been the best crop ever...
I'm going to buy plant labels.
But will you use them PP?
Well I haven't ordered them yet so today I potted up 40 little somethings of two different sorts.
I'm kind of banking on nut! 
Pp stick them in well, I end up losing mine !
......
pp. I bought labels last year, roughly this time, from wilko. reduced to 20p a pack of 50. Worth a look if you have one locally.