I have found a review of January a bit difficult to report. As you all know the weather has been appalling, if it has not been constant rain, we have had snow. It is all becoming a bit depressing, and I think I can count sunny days since the start of 2013 on one hand. The photos in this report were taken last Sunday, one of the few sunny days and I have been busy with one thing and another so this report is a few days late.
I have hardly been out in the garden it is so very boggy and the flowerbeds have standing water at the edges. By the time I had finished doing a few necessary jobs last weekend and walked around trying to find something interesting to photograph, the lawn was quite a mess. Thank goodness lawns recover without too much ado.
There are hopeful signs of spring around, the hellebore are flowering in abundance and the snowdrops have made a splendid appearance in the front garden. It’s so lovely to open the lounge curtains in the morning to see them.
A recent post I set out my 2013 project turning the garden into an original Cottage Garden with vegetables growing with flowers in the same beds. The next few weeks are being taken up with planning but before then I still need to find a simple computer program for garden design. I have looked at quite a few and like the one on the Shoot Gardening website but if anyone can recommend one I would love to hear from you.
I have taken some photos of the flower beds so that I can decide what to remove, move and leave in situ. The first job is to sort out the general “garden stuff” area. The shed is a definate to replace, I have put it off for far too long because of the beautiful Clematis Montanta growing over it, but it was not so good last year and there are no signs of any buds so I am wondering if it has had its day.
The one part of the garden that is going to give me a bit of a headache is the north facing wall. It is full of plants that love damp conditions, such as the hydrangea, astilbe, hostas and ferns. You can see looking at the bottom of the wall how very damp is has been lately. There is a large Ribes, which although is lovely in the spring does the garden no favours for the rest of the year so that may be a shrub to go – finding something in its place is another thing. This may be a bed without vegetables because I am not sure what likes boggy clay.
That brings me to ideas for planting. I have come across a blog by Rosalind Creasy all about edible landscaping. It has given me some fabulous ideas. Rosalind has written a number of books about the subject and her book called “Edible Landscaping” has some beautiful photos, plans and planting suggestions.
Excited by her ideas, I emailed Ros Creasy to ask if I could use some of her photos on my blog so that I can post about the progress of the garden revamp. Ros very kindly came back and agreed, suggesting that I scanned photos from her book and asked me just add a copyright, which I have duly done. Below is what I will use as the basis to work around for the garden. I love the colours and the pots and the whole layout which may not be for everyone. There are those who like everything in its place and a place for everything, all neat and tidy. I like the slightly crowded overgrown look.
This End of Month Review for January 2013, doesn’t really report much about what has happened in the garden but at least you know what I have to work with and will be a good reference when reviewing the garden in January 2014.
Please take time to visit the other blogs that contribute to this so very useful monthly meme, hosted by Helen at Patient Gardener.
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