Friday 29 April 2016

Down The Garden Path: April

 
 
 
Let me take you on a little trip around my garden...
 
 
 
 
 
 
Well, I now have a garden path!
 
 
 
 
 
And a very wibbly wobbly hedge, I really need to improve my topiary skills ;) I'm thinking this will be a great hungry caterpillar, I will under plant it with something colourful.
 
 
 
 
 
I'm really pleased with how the top garden has developed. It reflects the studio perfectly. It's in a more formal, modern style than I'm used too, but I shall plant in an informal way to balance it out. It will help in terms of my mobility, and also little dogs that like to eat plants! There's going to be another Agriframe arch over the bench...and a smaller one at the beginning of the path.
 
 
 
 
You can really see the slope in the the lawn here, it would have cost so much more to have had it completely levelled, actually I quite like it. The beds have been positioned back from the retaining wall, otherwise I think it would have looked too oppressive for the lower potager garden.
 
 
 
 
 
The plants are being held in a nursery bed, until they can be planted. This summer we will replace (that's the Royal We) all the grass with slate.
 
 
 
 
 
My dahlia bed...nothing! Oh only a rouge potato.
 
 
 
 
 
The view up the garden. Two of the beds will be flowers and the rest vegetables and fruit. Down the side of the path I've put a collection of pots with all sorts of stuff in them. I might change the contents depending on the season, or I might just plant lots of lavender into the soil.
 
 
 
 
 
Baby verbena, I want a garden full of them.
 
 
 
 
 
And this is where my greenhouse will go, it will be arriving at the end of the summer. I'm beyond excited. It's a traditional brick and wood one, with a cold frame. It will mean I can still garden in all weathers, and have more early spring flowers.
 
 
Hope you enjoyed your visit. There's still only little bits of colour but it's starting to take shape. I'm pleased with the structure, the bones of the garden, it's now time to colour it in! I've been very fluid with the design, very nearly drove Mr Landscape mad, I've changed things so much. It's the way I work, I have a general idea, but then change it and adapt as I go along. I have an outline, now for the filling in bit.
 
So what will May bring...
Well I'm hoping warmer weather!
Lots of potting on in the greenhouse.
Putting the veg out into their position in the garden.
Install the arches, and plant the climbers.
Start to fill the raised beds in the top garden.
Decide on the patio furniture, I'm thinking settee and chairs for the top patio and a little bistro table on the bottom one, to catch that early morning sunshine.
 
 
 
Thank you for all the super comments on my last post. I rested a lot this week and I'm starting to recover. Next Friday I'm off for a couple of nights to Venice with some brilliant ladies, so I need to be very careful, and conserve as much energy as possible. I'm very excited...again!
 
What are you up to in your garden? Please let me know!
 
 
 
Amanda :) xxx
 
 
 
 

 

29 comments:

  1. You really do have a lovely size garden it is all looking very nice, my Dahlias from Poundland are doing ok still small, all the salad veg are coming along very slowly we just need some warm weather x

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    1. I'm hoping it's just the cold weather and not duff tubers, or worst still brown instead of green fingers!!! ;) xxx

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  2. I seem to always say this but I do love your garden!! I'm working on mine and I will send you a link to see it when I get further along. You've given me a lot of ideas!!!

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    1. Please do Judy, I'm very nosey when it comes to gardens! ;) xxx

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  3. OH WOW. So much achieved and how lovely it will look in a few more months. I am still waiting for my garden man to give me a quote, even with a phone call this Tuesday I have still heard nothing. Think I will try someone else. Enjoy your time away.

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    1. I find the whole business of getting quotes frustrating, most never even get back to you. Mr Landscape Man has been very reliable, that's why we've stuck with him, he's not cheap but just having someone get back to you has been great! Good luck with your search :) xxx

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  4. I love the bay tree in the old wash tub. x

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  5. It's all taking shape beautifully. The path is lovely and those big beds at the top of the garden are fantastic, I can imagine them in summer spilling over with flowers. A greenhouse will be brilliant, great for pottering around in on chillier days. I dream of a greenhouse. One day... Glad the garden is going so well, and I'm wishing you a good weekend. CJ xx

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    1. I really need to get some colour in there now CJ, it looks so bare. The grass is really squidgy to walk one so I might need to wait a few weeks, give me chance to plan it out :) xxx

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  6. your garden is coming along so beautifully and thinking an arch over a bench will be so good especially if you have honeysuckle or something else with a lovely scent growing up it, hopefully lots of sun for you to sit out and enjoy it. Have love;u time in Venice so good to read the resting has helped and you are feeling stronger

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    1. Thank you Margaret, there's always lots of seating areas in my garden! ;) xxx

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  7. Looks like you have been very busy, it's coming along great! I've been tidying up my new garden too. It's very I tempting to jump in and change things/dig things up, but I think I need to leave it for this summer and see what appears. I've grown lots of flowers and veg plants to fill the gaps for now xx

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    1. You're so wise Claire, who knows what treasures are beneath the soil! :) xxx

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  8. Your garden looks wonderful!! You have made such a huge difference since you started work with the cabin and so on and the new beds, paths and so on. It looks fabulous and I can see how it is now so much more usable for you and for anyone else enjoying it too! Hope you have a great time in Venice!

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    1. Thanks Amy, when I looked out of the window this morning it hit me just how different it was, so many changes in just one year! :) xxx

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  9. You have such a beautiful yard Amanda! I love what you have come up with with the help of the landscaper. It's just amazing, and I'm sure it will bring you so much enjoyment to be out puttering and relaxing in your new space. Our weather has been far too cold for too long this spring as well, so I hope for both our sakes it dries up and warms up soon! I love that new patio, and getting new seating is going to be such fun.

    I read your previous post just now too. I do wish you all the best with your legal battle, and hope that it doesn't become too draining on you. Sometimes the giants just want to do that most lovely of things and "settle", which saves time and money to all parties concerned. You seem a smart and fair person, and I'm sure that your parenting skills are as good as the next person. Don't sell yourself short on that score. You have so much to take into account, and I'm sure a lot of your wise words sink into your lovely daughters' conscience every so often ;) I know I could sometimes beat my head against the wall when dealing with my two kids/adults! But step by step we're surely preparing them for the big wide world, and they'll manage quite well and we'll be left wondering how they turned out to be such amazing people ;)
    Enjoy your day Amanda, and take care of yourself. Venice sounds like the perfect place to spend a little time pampering and having some well-needed fun.
    Wendy xox

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    1. Thanks Wendy, it only been possible because I now have my pension, I'm really pleased with how it's turning out. I've put all thought of legal battles from my mind and I'm concentrating on getting myself as well as possible for Venice...I will think about that when I get back. I'm looking forward to soaking up the wonderful Italian atmosphere ;) xxx

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  10. It looks like you've worked really hard - and a greenhouse! I'm so envious of that. I'd love one to garden in, but also to sit in and listen to the rain whilst drinking tea.
    I almost bought a verbena the other day and can't think why I didn't...
    S x

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    1. Thank you Sarah, I'm still pinching myself, never thought I would be able to have one...and yes being able to garden in the rain is a plus too! ;) xxx

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  11. I love the shape of your patio and the new path looks so good too. It will be so exciting to see the garden develop and fill with wonderful flowers and vegetables over the next few months. Sarah x

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    1. I'm hoping so Sarah- it's been so cold and wet a lot of what I've seen has either rotted or not germinated! I will try again, we are optimistic souls us veg gardeners! ;) xxx

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  12. Lovely! My favourite bit - after your studio! - is your raised beds in the bins! Be really interested to see what you do with the slate - we are FINALY getting rid of our little bit of lawn and having the gravel garden of my dreams - I only hope I don't make a mess of it! Lx

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    1. The slate will just replace the grass around the beds Lynne, it's such an ackward place to mow, your gravel garden will be lovely :) xxx

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  13. Your garden is a lovely size but I imagine it takes a lot of work too! Look after yourself as you plant it up, I know how easy it is to push too far and then regret it :-)

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    1. I'm just doing half hour stints Sharon...that just feels about right! :) xxx

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  14. Your garden is really taking shape now. I love all your raised beds, especially the new wooden ones. Once you have verbena established in your garden, you'll never be without it...it throws out 100s of seeds each year & you'll find seedlings everywhere in Spring. Verbena is such a lovely plant, flowers all Summer long & butterflies love it. Look forward to seeing May's post :)

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