Friday, May 15

Come into the garden - part 1

I've often shown shots of our garden but I thought that it was about time I gave you an overview so that you could maybe put things into some sort of perspective. 

Our garden isn't very big (we would like it to be bigger), along the top edge it is about 27.5m (90'). Being a corner plot it is also a very irregular shape which also means that it is smaller than the length implies. The drawing below isn't to scale but is intended to give some idea of the layout.

The garden wasn't designed it has just evolved over the years and has undergone various personality changes. It is divided into several areas and so to keep posts to a reasonable length I will share one area per post.


To kick things off I am concentrating on the area directly behind the house. First some shots taken leaning out of the bedroom window.

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The porch roof hides some parts of the garden primarily the patio but as that is due a makeover this is no bad thing.


Looking in more detail - on the left is the start of a newly planted perennial bed that will have a red and yellow theme and be at its best - I hope - in late summer although spring interest will be added in the form of spring bulbs. Two plants that I bought for this bed died over winter so I am on the lookout for helenium Ruby Thuesday (or Tuesday) and have a few more new plants on my wanted list for this bed.

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Along the screen behind this bed are two new climbing roses and I am thinking of adding a red clematis. The end of the bed is punctuated by a red camellia and a white flowered oak leaved hydrangea - hydangea quercifolia.

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Moving around the bed, partially shaded by the Malus Profusion crab apple, is the blue and white border.

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This bed was disappointing last year but this year has filled out nicely, Martyn gave the crab apple a severe pruning last year to reduce the amount of shade. The only disappointment has been that I seem to have lost most of the white daffodils and tulips. I'll need to plant more in autumn.

Back nearer to the house we have the pond area. The palm is a trachycarpus wagneriana which is just forming its flower buds.

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To one side of the pond is our pebble garden and the Living Lid that I have posted about recently.

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On the far side of the pond us the summerhouse and a small patio area.

That's all for today's visit - I'll take you to another area on a later post.




28 comments:

  1. What lovely aerial pictures of your garden - it is quite ornamental and beautifully planted.

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    1. It's the only part really visible from an upstairs window, Elaine. Tree and buildings hide the rest.

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  2. I love getting the overhead views. You can really see how it is put together that way.

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    1. You can, Daphne - as I said above it is a pity that I won't be able to show the rest of the garden from above,

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  3. I envy you your pond. There was a derelict one here, quiet large but stupidly placed in the middle of the wood in permanent shade. And of course in autumn it just filled up with leaves. It must be fascinating watching all the creatures that live in it. Did the frogspawn come to anything?

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    1. Our pond being raised isn;t on a natural spot, Jessica but the garden slopes up from the house which made finding a natural spot with sunlight a problem. We can become very distracted watching the fish

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  4. Maybe your garden isn't as big as you'd love it to be but it's still a little oasis. I love your pebble garden. I kinda got a few new ideas for my succulents now :D

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    1. Beware the birds uprooting succulents, Leanan - we have had to net ours

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  5. Your garden is cozy and well planed, Sue.
    I love the trellis, summer house, the pond. I'd love to have pebble garden too.
    Happy GBBD!

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  6. I did enjoy seeing the the plans, I always like to know the layout of a garden. Yours is lovely and I will look forward to seeing future posts on it. It is well established, the summer house is gorgeous, wish I had one! That palm is brilliant too and the living lid and pebble garden are fascinating.xxx

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    1. We have lived here almost 40 years, Dina although the garden has undergone many changes in that time.

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  7. It's such a lovely garden, I especially like the summer house and the pond, it's a really good size. The big terracotta pot is very nice too, is that a hosta I spy in there? I do hope the snails haven't got to it yet. Mine is in shreds. The willow screen is a great backdrop for everything.

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    1. All the pots on the edge of the pond are hostas, CJ. This year we are trying our best to control the slugs and snails with nematodes and a spray that is supposed the deter them

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  8. AnonymousMay 15, 2015

    It's lovely to see your garden! The pond is huge! And I see there are some fish living there, exciting.

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    1. There are fish, Aga all bought as little babies,

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  9. This is a great way to showcase your garden! Everything looks really well maintained. If it were me, I'd get rid of the lawn though! :)

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    1. I could have predicted that you would say dig up the grass, Mark - we did think of it once for all of 10 minutes but we like grass and think it sets off the plants, It has shrunk over the years though.

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  10. What a gorgeous layout - so many different features. Are you sure it wasn't planned? I don't think you could have done a better job, even if it was!

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    1. No planning Margaret - well not formally as a whole. We just concentrated on each bit and added features as we went along and changed the shape of beds. The garden has changed over the years - maybe that's another post although much would be predigital and not often photographed,

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  11. Not at all how I imagined it :-} It's lovely and shows how much work you have both put in over the years.

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    1. I'm intrigued as to what you imagined, Jayne. Is it smaller that you thought?

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  12. Thanks for the tour. I love looking round other people's gardens. Went to Millrace Garden in Garforth this week and of course watching Chelsea. Ideal for copying good ideas.

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    1. I've never been to Millrace, L Glad that you enjoyed your virtual visit of my patch.

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  13. I agree with many of your comments above, Sue and do like your garden a lot! You’ve so many different features in your space with so very many viewpoints to stop and catch your eye. It’s great to see border layouts to get a better picture of plantings. There is so much to like in your garden and I’m sure you both enjoy sitting in your summer house after a long day (filming) at the plot ;-)

    Shame about your living lid (great idea btw) and I do suspect Blackbirds to be the trouble makers after seeing them wreck a large border planting of Sempervivum’s planted in gravel many years ago. I tried chicken wire and failed to halt the carnage. Could you not try a temporary pea stick idea as you use on your plot so they get established? If the sticks were short it might not be so distracting perhaps.

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    1. Thank you for the lovely comments Shirley, I think you are right about the blackbirds, Unfortunately the lid is very shallow and mostly pebbles and so it wouldn't be possible to pop stick in and they would probably be collected by something as nesting material. anyway :)

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  14. Simply gorgeous. So much interest with the change in height and change in materials for the paths. I bet it seems larger than one would expect it to feel. The summer house is sweet. It looks inviting.

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    1. The change in height was brought about by necessity Lisa

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