Time for a Rethink

Now that I have more time for gardening, I’m reassessing some parts of the garden to see if I can make improvements. First for this treatment is the Lower Garden in front of the old part of the house. It is tucked away in a corner and always seems to be bottom of the list for attention. As a result, although it does look lovely in spring, it is pretty unsatisfactory for the rest of the year and is in need of replanting.

Pretty in Spring

The two New Dawn roses that climb up the obelisks are an ill-disciplined pair, they flower poorly and shoot off in every direction and most of the other roses, with the exception of a Cardinal Richelieu, seem to be struggling, while the majority of the perennials have to fight for survival.

By this time of year this whole area is looking tired and is in need of a revamp

There are a few exceptions – a very happy group of white Agapanthus africanus, clumps of iris sibirica, self sown geranium palmatum and a growing colony of hollyhocks – but the plan is to dig up the rest of the perennials and relocate them in other parts of the garden. There are some good shrubs and small trees that I will then underplant with grasses (there are already plenty of spring bulbs) and at the appropriate time (April) I will divide up the agapanthus so that I can spread them through this area. If it all works as planned, the result should be that the Lower Garden requires less work and looks better for much longer. Watch this space.