My Garden – Mid Year 2013

I thought as I was at the start of two weeks annual leave with no plans for going away just pottering around that I would start it with giving you a tour of the garden.  I have done this in the past but  not for a while and I enjoyed Loree’s tour of her garden so much I am copying her.

So lets start at the kitchen door – above is the view from my kitchen.  Unusually my greenhouse couldn’t be much nearer to the house if I tried.  This is essentially because my garden slopes and the area outside the house is one of the flatter areas plus it meant it was easy to run electricity to.

From the back door we will turn left and go along the narrow patio and look back

I like this border as the foliage combinations please me and it has filled out well despite my heavy handed editing last year.  Back along the patio to the other side of the greenhouse.

The ‘Japanese’ fern border planted up earlier this year.  I think I am pleased with it but I am waiting to see how it develops.  Looking to the end of the patio there is the ‘succulent theatre’

This works really well for the succulents but I need to do something with the fence.  The ground is hardcore here so everything is in pots.  I have a young clematis growing up the trellis so I think I will have to wait to see how that does.

Turning left we go up the bottom steps that you can see in the Japanese fern border picture above.  At the top of the steps if you turn left again straight away you have the new path (not quite finished) between the Big Border and the Cottage Border.

I so pleased with the path, it is exactly in the right location and really makes the Big Border work for me.  I am also very pleased with the Big Border which is really looking fab right now and you can see this is where I have been devoting my energies recently.

We carry along the new path and at the end we come to the original Woodland Border which is looking a little worse for wear partly because of the time of year but also because I was going to put a path through here back in March but then the whole workshop scheme took over.  Now I don’t think I want a path through here so I need to think out the planting and fill in with more substantial plants at the back.

We shall skip past here quickly and we come to the bottom of the Top Steps.  If we go up these we will see the compost bins to our left and ahead another neglected shade border.

Terrible I know, I hang my head in shame.  I planted a Rhododendron up here earlier in the year but it has died.  I think it got waterlogged before planting but its dead.  I still want a substantial shrub in here so I may go for another rhododendron or maybe something else, the thinking cap is on ready for Autumn planting.

Turning right at the top of the Top Steps we have a long straight path which takes us along the back of the garden and along the top of the slope.  This is an access path as the slope is so steep.  You can see there is a raised border along the fence line and I have planted 3 large Bamboos in there to screen the fence but more importantly to provide height and mask the house behind.  They are in their third year and just beginning to get going.  The rest of the planting in this stripe is awful and its has been a dumping ground for plants so I want to clear it out and rethink the plant.  I think lots of big foliage plants or shrubs that will provide lots of interest would be good.

On the other side of the path you look down on what is left of the Daisy Border (photo below is from bottom of border).  This was seriously reduced when the workshop went in and needs sorting out. I had to move lots of plants back in the Spring quickly and I’m not sure what is what now so I am watching and waiting as the Asters start to flower and then I can sort it out.  I had planned on a rockery here but I just don’t think it would fit my garden.

So we go back along the top path and down the Top Steps and we can either head straight on or we can take a left and go along the hidden path behind the Bog Garden.

The Bog Garden isn’t been that great this year mainly as we have had little rain.  However, I’m not convinced by it so I am giving it another year and if this time next year it still isn’t looking as I want I might have a re-think.

The secret path brings us out by the workshop and after a step or so we have the grass path on our right which takes us back along the top of the Big Border and to the bottom of the Top Steps.  We won’t go down there as we will be backtracking but here is the view if we had.  The border on the left is the other side of the Bog Garden which is quite dry and I am seriously struggling with.  It is very shady  and I am going to include this as part of the woodland area I think.

Right so back to the Workshop.  When you stand outside the Workshop you are on the gravel steps which are an extension of the Bottom Steps from the patio – if you get my meaning!.  The only area left to show you is the fence border along these steps.  This is my current project.  I pulled a Ceanothus out of here some weeks back and have been painting the fence.  I have plans for the planting here which has to take into account the dry shade but I also have a plan for decorating the fence which may or may not work!

So that’s my garden – don’t get me wrong I’m not dis-satisfied with it but my tastes are changing as is my experience and knowledge and I think this is leading the changes I want to make.  We are back at the steps which take us to the patio where you are welcome to join me for a cuppa and cake.  Oh there is the front garden as well but I am showing that each monthly in the End of Month meme so I won’t bore you with it now.