It is lovely. I'd just plant more evergreen shrubs, spaced so they eventually knit together. Gradually your space for perennials (and bare soil to weed) will close up, reducing your maintenance input over time. Pop a few pretty deciduous shrubs into the mix too, purely evergreen would be boring.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Thank you so much for all your interest and advice. You have really cheered me up this morning and I am now seeing that part of the garden with different eyes and I can more easily see that it would make a lot of sense to make more of what I already have. Yes, I have alchemical mollis in abundance, also golden rod, good king Henry, fuchsia David, geranium Splash Splash, lily of the valley, cowslips, astrantia, iris, peonies, arum lilies, laurel, and daffodil bulbs. I also have big chunks of Cotswold stone which h I use as stepping stones.
Rob, my husband , really likes the idea of making a raised veg patch for me and has already measured the plot and it is 5 m x 1.8 m.
I can't wait to get started but rain is forecast so I will keep myself busy in the greenhouse
Totally agree with Buttercup and Will - let the self seeders do their thing in between established shrubs, and knit everything together, maybe increasing some of the grass, but not necessarily everywhere.
Use what you have, move stuff around.
Particularly like the idea of not bothering with edging and letting plants to it instead - a lower maintenance garden would probably suit many of us, irrespective of health issues
I have never had the issue of little nut trees self seeding everywhere, but I suppose regular mowing would help.
I think it's really important to focus on gardening being an enjoyable, creative hobby. It's not like housework, it shouldn't be a chore. Ignore the 'rules' about beds and borders and mulching and pruning. Grow what you like in a way that you can manage and don't feel you have to do things they way it says in books or on TV. Think of it as making a little area of woodland fringe, with a clearing for your house and veg beds. Be glad you have woodruff running wild. It's keeping out many much worse weeds. Grow roses and peonies in the long grass instead of dahlias in carefully managed borders. Grow geranium Ann Folkard through your shrubs rather than clematis over a pergola that you have to prune regularly. Gooseberries and rhubarb will grow perfectly happily in amongst everything else.
It'll be beautiful
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
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It is lovely. I'd just plant more evergreen shrubs, spaced so they eventually knit together. Gradually your space for perennials (and bare soil to weed) will close up, reducing your maintenance input over time. Pop a few pretty deciduous shrubs into the mix too, purely evergreen would be boring.
Thank you so much for all your interest and advice. You have really cheered me up this morning and I am now seeing that part of the garden with different eyes and I can more easily see that it would make a lot of sense to make more of what I already have. Yes, I have alchemical mollis in abundance, also golden rod, good king Henry, fuchsia David, geranium Splash Splash, lily of the valley, cowslips, astrantia, iris, peonies, arum lilies, laurel, and daffodil bulbs. I also have big chunks of Cotswold stone which h I use as stepping stones.
Rob, my husband , really likes the idea of making a raised veg patch for me and has already measured the plot and it is 5 m x 1.8 m.
I can't wait to get started but rain is forecast so I will keep myself busy in the greenhouse
Totally agree with Buttercup and Will - let the self seeders do their thing in between established shrubs, and knit everything together, maybe increasing some of the grass, but not necessarily everywhere.
Use what you have, move stuff around.
Particularly like the idea of not bothering with edging and letting plants to it instead - a lower maintenance garden would probably suit many of us, irrespective of health issues
I have never had the issue of little nut trees self seeding everywhere, but I suppose regular mowing would help.
I think it's really important to focus on gardening being an enjoyable, creative hobby. It's not like housework, it shouldn't be a chore. Ignore the 'rules' about beds and borders and mulching and pruning. Grow what you like in a way that you can manage and don't feel you have to do things they way it says in books or on TV. Think of it as making a little area of woodland fringe, with a clearing for your house and veg beds. Be glad you have woodruff running wild. It's keeping out many much worse weeds. Grow roses and peonies in the long grass instead of dahlias in carefully managed borders. Grow geranium Ann Folkard through your shrubs rather than clematis over a pergola that you have to prune regularly. Gooseberries and rhubarb will grow perfectly happily in amongst everything else.
It'll be beautiful
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”