SuburbanGaze

We have found a use for the bricks that were in the garden when we moved here.  We have placed them outside the shed and its proven to be a better surface to use where there is increased foot-traffic. We are debating on changing the entire pathways from grit to pavers but this is way off in the future.

The back part of the garden is now beginning to take shape with the Cottage Border to the left, beyond that the stumps, then the hedge, a new empty planting bed and finally the pond. 

Since June 2015 we have had two huge coniferous tree stumps in the garden which we have tried lots of methods of breaking down.   We have used an axe, a log-splitter, a wood grenade, and attempted to set them alight out of sheer desperation. They are far too heavy to lift and have been dragged around the garden as we have progressed through the design.   Having enjoyed 3 series of  Big Dreams Small Spaces  we watched an episode where an area of a community garden was turned into a log garden.  They used pieces of wood in a pile that were planted up with shade-loving plants.   Using this as inspiration we have dug out shallow dips in the soil and dragged the two root structures onto an empty bed.   This area is about 4 meters wide and 4 deep with  the old Apple tree to the left and ending with the native hedge to the right.  It will eventually become a shady pocket within the garden. We have added a little soil ...

Bark and twigs have been placed across the base of the hedge to create additional habitat for wildlife.  The hawthorn is doing really well and is ahead of everything else, the field maple is just starting to bud.

Our squirrel-proof bird feeder the only one we have found to work is attracting lots of birds throughout the day including Blue Tits and Coal Tits but mainly colourful male and female Chaffinches that are very noisy but very pretty!

Having a not so healthy looking clematis for a few years was perplexing, we had it in a container against a North East facing wall.  It hardly got any sun apart from right at the end of the day as the sun sets.  As our garden knowledge has grown we have found a permanent home for it in a border in a sunnier position that faces due South.   We have used some leftover plastic trellis from the allotment and used pins to attach a piece of wood to the top and bottom of it then screwed those into a fence post, this enables the plant to catch rain water and have a space between the fence surface and the trellis to wind around.  We have finished it off by painting the wood batons the same colour as the fence panels.   

Two more slender trees have been purchased courtesy of Mail Order Trees  and placed in the new border round the first circle - a step towards that much needed privacy.  We have chosen two trees with all-round interest that both have a narrow structure with a second Amelanchier and an ornamental pear tree. All planted, staked, watered and looking rather good.

From flower to seeds to flowers of the future.   Should take around 2 years to create flowering Agapanthus from these - patience is the key!

Starting with some inspiration from the Gardeners World Planting for Shade publication we have created a low-maintenance evergreen border beneath the shade of the Willow. We have planted a Strawberry Tree that we have had in a pot for several years and underplanted this with Euphorbia purpurea, Heuchera Blackberry Jam, Stachys lanata, Hebe rakaiensis and Pachysandra terminalis.   We have also added a cute Bee House above the flowering Hebe for solitary bees.

Last October we planted some Iris bulbs around the pond margin and they have begun to flower.  If left alone undisturbed they should naturalise nicely and form clumps.  

We have spent the week tweaking the garden design because we want wider borders around the top circle.  We have moved the circle inwards by reducing the lawn size slightly. This means we can plant around the full circumference of the circle and create an enclosed private zone.