new garden - deciding how to start!

The same here, but my tanks are at the bottom of my garden which slopes away into a neighbouring field, the Crofter's cows are going to love it when they're let loose in there in a couple of weeks.

 

All part of the food chain...yum!

 

I’ve just glanced at this thread, and been shocked at how things looked just a year ago.

I will head off around the garden in the next couple of days, but here is the geranium bed (or drive bed, as we now refer to it), an overview of the pond, the herb bed, and the climbers along the side of the house....

The old part of the “geranium” bed in the foreground, with the ballerina rose in full flower. The geraniums have not coped well with the drought, so are not dominating as they used to


Looking down from the top of the drive, showing last years extensions, complete with a variegated dogwood, some fine irises (thank you, @ARMANDII , these have taken well, with the extra watering this bed gets - the rest are a little sadder), and a couple of hydrangeas. You can just about make out the black trellis of the newly planted rose, to the right of the papered-up garage window.


And a more considered view
From left to right, red-leaved hydrangea, dwarf thyme, agastache/iris/opium poppy, creeping thyme/ dwarf verbena, dogwood, lavender, a different red-leaved hydrangea, dianthus armeria, campanulas, foxgloves, and then we are into the older area of the bed, as in April 2019 photos...

The view down the garden from just behind the pond bench. The pond looks so lush in contrast with the grass!

This was what had us going “wow” when we looked at last years photos. How the iceberg rose has grown since last April, along with a passionflower behind it, and then the jasmine, clematis, another clematis and finally another passionflower and a honeysuckle.


the herb garden, having hopefully come through the latest drought...
A view of the herb garden from above, showing the patio bed in the distance, complete with double philadelphus, and deutzia just finishing flowering.

 

….and we are now approaching our 10-year anniversary here. Time to work out where the original photos were taken, and start to redo them!

 

Apologies in advance, but there will be a lot of photos coming up. I will try to redo all of the views/aspects, to see what has changed...

The patio, and steepest part of the garden. The deutzia is now a fuzzy 2.5m blob; the budlheias have died

The woodstore is still full, and some of the friut trees are still there ( different dog, same photobombing!)

The bottom of the island bed and the dead cherry tree still works for the clothes line and bird feeders


Looking up to the plum trees


The island bed, now missing the sour cherry tree - one of around 20 trees that have died on us.


The herb bed looking good! The Kilmarnock willow died after a summer drought, but I kept the skeleton, as it makes a lovely bird feeder, and so gives hubby interest as he looks out of his office window. (Working from home for 2+ years now)

 

The next half-dozen photos...

Looking up across the wildflower meadow towards the veg beds and the pond


We seem to be very good at growing sheep’s scabious!


New gates finally installed, and the drive bed now nearly reaches them. The two cherry trees are doing well, especially the morello cherry


the garden shed, starting to look a little more weathered. There is a lot more light in this area now, as the neighbours insisted that we remove our two remaining conifers (at their expense).


the pathway along the side of the house, totally engulfed in hardy geranium (wheelbarrow in position to take away the cut geranium stems, as its time to reclaim access!)
I’m really pleased at the climbers growing on the house. At the far end is a type 3 clematis and a honeysuckle, middle - just after the garage window - is a type 2 clematis, this side of the window is a white climbing rose, that is slowly getting established. It was bought as a pair with the white rose at the front of the garage, but kept in a pot for a couple of years whilst I decided where it should go… I’d forgotten there were also lilies in the pot! The final planting by the nearest corner (shady side) is a honeysuckle and a salvia “hot lips”, cutting taken from MiLs garden


Soakaway working well, and the persificaria is surrounding the water barrel feature, as it does every summer (but you can see the yellow flag leaves sticking out the top)
I would welcome inspiration on plants to put in the soak-away area. The gravel goes down about a metre, but it would be good to have a little greenery to break it up a little… lavender, thyme, geranium perhaps?

 

Nearly there!

The view across the valley. You can see how much the choke berry has grown in the island bed to the right, and the medlar tucked in below it. This area of grass really suffered last summer as it was the puppy pen (lots of urea, plus digging), and there is always a lot of mole activity. Because of the pup, I was less able to do molehill regeneration as I normally do…


I guess this angle used to show the lovely cherry tree. Now you can see the neighbours oak tree, that is flourishing since I recommended removing all the ivy that was smothering it. The vibrant green is the wisteria along the woodstore. Not many flowers, but l love the green. In front of the fleeces on the washing line, left to right, is the redcurrant, the Lord Lambourne apple, Dad’s blackcurrant, a young president plum, then two young greengage trees. To the right of the chair is the August apple, which is so much bigger now!


looking down to the woodstore, the tall Gloster 69 apple tree, looking good since I took a metre off its height in the winter, with the Lord in the foreground. A tiny Comice pear tree with Lychnis coronaria at its feet, and then a happy Braeburn behind the washing line pole.


the only apple surviving on the steep bank is the schone de Boskoop, which is having a rest year - not a single flower!


another shot of the Gloster 69, surrounded by long flowing grasses. We’ve really enjoyed letting the grass grow these past few years!


the angle bed keeps evolving. I’ve left the frame of the “cherry” tree, with a view of running a clematis up it. The pale pink patio roses, deep pink lychnis, and soft froth of a gypsophila. (Conducta plum tree in the background on the left)

 

Oh wow, I really enjoyed viewing your pond thread but had no idea you had one dedicated to the entire garden, @Sian in Belgium! Really looking forward to reading it all later when I have the time to!

Nick

 

...and finally!

the island bed looks so lush. I’m so pleased I found out that Veronica is able to grow in our conditions



These two photos show the sweep up the drive, with the drive bed providing interest all the way


the herb bed looks very productive, which it is. I am able to give away bundles of marjoram, tarragon and rosemary to the local food bank every week, which is much appreciated


The path along the side of the house, after the geranium haircut!

 

I am, @JWK. I look around, at just about any time of the year, and feel that the garden gives me a hug back. Neighbours comment on how much colour and variety there is, and the place is positively buzzing with wildlife.

 

Considering the disappointment of plant failures you've had Sian you've obviously found many that work. Your garden is maturing really well and is a credit to your hard work and patience.

 

It's looking fabulous Sian I flicked back to the very start of your thread...Wow truly an amazing transformation. Well done

 

Loved seeing the changes Sian.

Curious to know if you eat your choke berries and how you find them? I've bought one on a whim and no idea how it tastes.

 

I didn’t plant the chokeberry trees - I didn’t even know what they are until @Silver surfer identified them for me. They seem to pop up in the neighbourhood. So someone, a while ago, in a garden not too far away, must have planted one….! The birds love the berries, and so they get distributed. Most of the neighbours hate them, because of the abundant black berries on the grass, bottom of your shoes (almost as bad as elderberries for staining) and technicolour bird-poo on the cars! I love the flowers, and the happy birds, although pulling out hundreds of seedlings each year can be a little annoying…

I’ve not tried eating them. A quick google says they have to be cooked. The suggestions imply that they might be similar to elderberries in flavour?