Completed Garden

Images shown - Before, Axo, and completed garden.

The clients had recently added an extension to their property, and the builders had trashed the existing garden (which wasn't to the clients taste).

The client wanted clean lines to tie in with the new interior, a lawn, large decked area for entertaining and screening from the neighbouring gardens. It also had to be low maintenance and they were on a tight budget (having spent on the house). The property has no side or rear access so everything had to go through the front door!

The solution, Indian sandstone used for the patio and path, and the surplus reclaimed bricks used as raised bed edging. Bamboos and ball balls were sourced from Homebase (which had a sale on), and a further 10% discount was obtained for bulk buying! The bamboos are contained within larger pots (50p each from Coblands) sunk into the ground to restrict root growth.

Miscanthus s. Gracillimus add height and movement behind the box balls and will eventually blur the deck edge.

Lawn supplied and delivered by The London Lawn Company. We were lucky. Since the lawn was laid it hasn't stopped raining! The ugly water butt may yet be obsolete. Does any one know where you can buy 'pretty' ones?

Dickie

Late Summer Colour

This is the effect I wanted from the sunflowers - Sun, shining through the petals and picking up the reddy pink of the Miscanthus flowers beyond. Elsewhere, Rudbeckia fulgida v. deammi ( from a tiny pot bought at Hadlow Garden Centre a few years ago) looking fresh with Echinacea purpurea and Allium christophii.

Dickie

Combining well

Sunflower 'Ruby Sunset' looking good behind the newly opened flowers of Miscanthus s. Malepartus (I'd like to see a mass planting of the two), and Fargesia sp. engulfing a Fatsia japonica, the greens almost matching, but the differing forms providing contrast.

Dickie

Love Wales!

Just back from a camping holiday on the Pembrokeshire Coast - sounds awful doesn't it, but...it was great!

Stunning scenery (the cliff top treks from Whitesands Beach near St. David's) great views of wildlife (peregrine falcons, gannets and seals), good weather (most of the time) and fantastic gardens (The National Botanical Gardens and Aberglasney).

Loved the cities - Swansea for the Mumbles Mile, Gower Peninsula, Joe's Ice Cream, Clyne Gardens, The Kardomah Cafe (time warp heaven), No Sign Bar and the National Waterfront Museum, and Cardiff for the covered markets, Millennium Stadium (on time and on budget!), National Assembly and Wales Millennium Centre on the waterfront, and
.....'Chippy Alley' after last orders.

Really sad to be back......

Dickie

Hydrangea petiolaris

Just noticed the colouring on the new shoots of the Hydrangea this morning. Lovely contrast as the new wood turns from green to chestnut brown. Reminds me of electrical cabling.

Dickie

Sunflower 'Ruby Sunset'

Five days in the life.....who says I've got time on my hands?

Dickie

What took you so long?

I love Nicotiana 'Lime Green' and grow it every year. The packet of seeds has lasted for three years, but I only had a few left. These were sown in February but are incredibly late, only now beginning to flower.

The perfume is lovely - at it's strongest in the evening (I think they must be pollinated by moths in the wild).

Quite by chance I planted them in front of Euphorbia c. subsp wulfenii 'Lambrook Gold'?(itself self sown, blown in from my neighbour's garden). At this time of year, early in the morning, the lime green flowers look great with the glaucous foliage of the euphorbia behind them. A combination to remember for next year.

Dickie

Plants for next year

At this time of year, I begin to find it difficult to access the garden. Seedlings are developing, and taking up all available space outside the back door.

I'm trying the following for the first time this year:

Lychnis x arkwrightii 'Vesuvius', bronzy maroon foliage and molten orange flowers.

Digitalis stewartii, long thin spires of old gold/orange flowers, 4-6ft tall.

Santolina chamaecyparissus 'Santa', uniform mounds of grey green foliage.

Kniphofia caulescens, arching blue green leaves with tightly packed coral-red flower buds

All seem trouble free and easy to grow.

These, together with white Foxgloves and Verbascums, various Euphorbias and Lychnis
coronaria will be planted out in September to take their chance over the winter and will hopefully provide a good summer display next year.

One thing is for sure - I need a bigger garden!

Dickie

This week

Cactus flowered dahlia's really coming into their own.

Stachys byzantina 'Big Ears', a late starter, but now looking great.

Anemone x hybrida 'Whirlwind'. First one open today, my colony much depleted by the dry weather.

Dickie

Hummingbird Moth

4 p.m Friday 4th August 2006.

Hummingbird Moth in the garden feeding on Verbena bonariensis. Looked like a tiny hummingbird, mousey brown body. Black end with white spots. Long tongue for feeding on nectar.

Fisrt one I've seen. It's wings beat so fast they make an audible hum.

Apparently they can't survive the winter here, so are summer visitors from southern europe.

Too excited to take a photo - it whizzed off anyway - so here's one from the net.

Dickie

Still hung up on you

A selection of tickets through the years.

More dates next week. If you like her music, beg, steal or borrow to get there. Madonna back to her best...

We are not worthy.

Dickie

Catherine Grove Green Space Action Group

I'm lucky enough to have a small park opposite my house.

Due to confusion within Greenwich Council over which internal department is responsible for it's upkeep, it has become neglected.

Shrub borders are overgrown, Sycamore seedlings have sprung up everywhere, and the paving and benches are in a state of disrepair. As a result of a nightclub opening around the corner, families are now reluctant to use the space because of discarded needles and other unpleasantries lurking within the grounds.

I've therefore leafleted the surrounding streets and set up the above action group. So far, twenty local residents have offered their time, to help with the clearing and renovation works.

I've applied to 'The Greenwich Pride Award Schemes' in an effort to obtain funding,so that a programme of clearing the borders, improving the soil and the autumn planting of shrubs, bulbs and perennials can be commenced. I should have a decision from them towards the end of August at which point things can get moving.

Our local councillor, Maureen O'Mara, has become involved and thanks to her efforts Greenwich Council will shortly be replacing the tired paving and benches.

It's nice to think that this underused space can be reclaimed. I'm hoping that by the spring of next year we will have turned the corner and that we can look forward to having a local public park that is family friendly, safe and enjoyable to be in.

Watch this space for developments!

Dickie

Out this week

Centaurea montana, grown from seed in February are beginning to flower. Germination of the seed was not good (two plants from a packet of seeds), but I've now got two full sized specimens, which should provide useful early colour next May.

Elsewhere, Cactus flowered Dahlias are opening, and crowding out all the other plants around them (I must try to space them better next year!) The colony of Rudbeckia
fulgida v. deamii are beginning to bloom, looking good with Echinacea and a backdrop
of Agapanthus foliage.

Dickie