So a couple of weeks ago it was scything time, a time I really enjoy as it is just so much fun to do. I usually wait a few days before mowing after the scything, it just gives the garden just that little bit of time to settle. Once the mowing is done suddenly the garden seems much larger. The boundaries can be more clearly seen and there is a feeling of space.
Also in this equation add some Garrya Elliptica plants sent to me by Thompson and Morgan to trial. These plants caused me some amusement as I had fairly recently written a post on my feelings about Garrya, so I looked at these plants with half-despair and half-challenge. I have to trial these plants properly and it would be wrong of me to just discard them as I am not sure how I feel about them. As I thought and thought a vision appeared in my mind: The Garrya Grove, yes I could have a grove of Garrya, what a great thing this would be. This meant the two shrubs needed to go it to the top left hand corner of the Wild Garden. At that point of the year that was pretty much impossible (impassible as well). The wildness of the Wild Garden was in full swing and to dig through to create this grove would be just too much. So the plants were kept in their pots and kept well watered through the summer.
Then last week I also received some Robinia 'Pink Marble' from Thompson and Morgan to trial and the pieces of the jigsaw finally slotted together. The Garrya Grove will be at the top left hand corner of the garden. Leading down from that towards the Woodland Border will be various shrubs including these Robinia and a rhododendron that is a nameless gift of a seedling, I do not even know what color it is, time will tell.
So these plants have now been planted out. I stand back and look at the Wild Garden and know that it will be different next year, the shrubbery and Grove will add a top boundary and a flow in the Woodland Border and the Bog Garden. I think that in time the left-side of the garden will also get more shrubs of various sorts and the Wild Garden will be more framed than allowed to sprawl as it does now.
Well, that is the plan, watch this space as the Year of the Shrub develops over the next 12 months.
Shall we finish on the a song? This has been running through my head all the time of writing this:
