Help with front garden beds

Breezy · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:46 am Post subject:

Well done Mel B, what a lot of colour and it will lift the spirits when youwalk out in the morning. I am curious about the unrendered walls as have recently moved back to Ireland and see them everyplace, is it a style statement or skimping by the builders. I have also seen it in Italy and they tell me it is builder sloppiness. It would be nice to do something with them to lessen the harsh effect and add backdrop to the lovely display. Hope that sounds all right?

tagwex · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:15 am Post subject:

Skimping plain and simple unless fair face blocks are used but they never are.

Good guy · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:24 pm Post subject:

On the subject of paint: I prefer not to paint wooden fences, unless for a special 'point of interest' effect, as I'd rather let the wood weather naturally and 'disappear' into the foliage. Also, painting is expensive, labour intensive and needs renewing from time to time - I'd rather spend money on plants!
But those unrendered blocks can look very unsightly and though they will eventually weather, grow moss etc it can take a long time. I've used a kind of sage green in the past, on rendered walls in the garden and it's worked well - you just don't notice them. Also, the colour has weathered very well - I've only re-done it once in 15 years!

tagwex · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:42 pm Post subject:

There is a lot less maintenence on painted blocks than there is on painted timber as well you know.

tagwex · Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 3:03 pm Post subject:

HEY MEL!

Time for an update and more pictures. Getting curious on these projects started one and two years ago.

mel.b · Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 3:22 pm Post subject:

So I'm back with a bit of an update...

These two pictures are from April when the tuilps were in bloom. Before that I had Daffodils in Feb.

These pictures were taken today. Yesterday I planted the minature dahlias in the border. I had wanted violas again but I think I had left it a bit late to get them? I wanted boxes of all one colour and there were only a few boxes of multi colour left. Also the labels on them said flowers Feb - June, however mine flowered right through until about Sept, so I'm not sure but decided not to risk it as I didn't want something multicoloured and / or that wasn't going to flower. A few violas have come back from last year so I have left them there as I could have done with another 10 or so dahlias.

The weigela is just past it best - it was looking fantastic last week and the Rugosa rose has just started to flower as well and is looking great. The Grevillia is also doing really well and I gets lots of comments about it. I need more bark and as you can see I haven't done anything with the wall. I'm getting a small wall built to replace part of the wooden gates as well as then a new smaller gate as well as my gates have blown down twice in storms and I have a big dog so that's not ideal Shocked

That's happening in the next few weeks and the guy building the wall is going to plaster what he is building so I might have a chat to him and see how much it would be to plaster the others as well. I'm not a huge fan of the painted blocks look it was my neighbour who painted the tall one at the end.

Progress is being made on the other garden bed, although that is not a labour of love at the moment! I'm currently just digging out all of the rocks. I dread to think how much top soil I am going to need to refill it.

As you can see I have dug out some massive rocks. I'm about half way done and just trying to tip away at it although with the warm weather it's not what I really want to be doing! I'm also hoping there's someone out there who wants / needs a lot of rock because I have no idea what I am going to do with what I have dug out!

kindredspirit · Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 8:39 pm Post subject:

I might take all your stones and rocks.

mel.b · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2016 7:23 am Post subject:

tagwex · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:02 am Post subject:

Good guy · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2016 10:45 pm Post subject:

Great to see the progress, Mel. Well done, you must be delighted with the results so far. I don't envy your rock clearing, though - I'm going to be opening some new ground on Thursday and I know it will be a pick and shovel job as my whole garden is stoney, except where I've cultivated it.
But the satisfaction is there, when the job is complete.

mel.b · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2016 3:54 pm Post subject:

Rocks finally were cleared last weekend. Was one of the those jobs that you wonder why you started but now that it's started you have to finish and yes, there is satisfaction in having done it.

Just trying to decide on what to get for hedging for this side. On the other side I have Saracocacca Confusa which is lovely although seems to be slow growing. I was in the local garden centre today and they had small ones for €5. Otherwise I was just thinking of Laurel which will grow a lot faster. Any thoughts?

Good guy · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 10:46 pm Post subject:

Berberis Darwinii makes a quick growing hedge, is evergreen, has lovely yellow flowers in early summer and makes edible berries in Autumn -they are very sour but make a delicious jelly. You can mix it with other Berberis and holly to get variety of colour, texture and seasonal interest.

tagwex · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 11:55 pm Post subject:

Don't listen to him Mel as he speaks with a forked tongue!

mel.b · Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 6:38 am Post subject:

Ado 2 · Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 8:33 am Post subject:

I have a mix of viburnum,holly and hawthorn in my front hedge. Stops the kids from leaning against it too ha ha ! !