Gardening Aspirations For 2018

Brilliant thread Having spent this year finding the garden and then throwing around as many annuals as possible to get a nice show on short notice, I want to spend next year creating something more long term. Hoping to create an alpine bed in one area, and a shady bed against the side wall. First foray into veg growing was successful this year so also planning to expand on that.

And if I can make it to June without dahlias flopping all over the place then I will consider the year a success

 

In the next day or 2 I will try to take a few pictures to explain my plans for next year. I tried to take some this morning but the sun was in the wrong place. By the time the sun is in the right place it is beginning to get dark.

Some of the jobs I was hoping to be done this year but weren't for one reason or another.

G.

 

At the front of the house I want to pull the verge away from the hedge. I also want to remove the gate and replace it with an arch.



Either side of my new gate I want to plant a shrub of some kind. Preferably evergreen. The nearer space is very small so it might be difficult to find anything tall and thin enough. Until recently there was a crocosmia there.



I am thinking about using the pavers to create a raised bed here. Its not visible in this photo but the steps from the house to the patio need renewing. If i built the raised bed I could carry the design right the way through. I would also incorporate a boot cleaner somewhere in the scheme.



This is where I want my kiddie corner. The pile of soil will at some point will be sifted and put back on the garden. I want to paint the shed first. I then want to hang plant pots and a chalkboard. I don't know yet how I'm going to prepare the ground. I thought about a deck but the parts cost more than I can justify spending.

The bed along the fence is now full of rubble etc from where the old fence was removed. I will have to clear all that out before I can start planting.



I hope to start my winter interest garden by growing a climber on the end of the shed. I can then plant out my hellebores and bergenias.

On the opposite side of my new path I intend to cut a strip out of the lawn and plant this out with spring bulbs. This strip will carry on around the corner and join up with



That should keep me busy.



G.

Oh. I forgot one.



Somehow I need to clear this space.i will then use this space for storing compost bins etc.

 

I am sooo looking forward to 2018. We moved into our new house at the end of August and have been doing the inside since, so no time to do the outside.
I have managed to dig up the veg patch as it was overgrown and now I am just trying to get the growing weeds as they pop up, I may put some old carpet over it for winter.

I need to replace several greenhouse glass panels too and my driveway is being done this week.

In 2018 the fun really starts, I want to separate my veg and greenhouse area with a small white picket fence to stop the dogs running all over it, I am ripping up all the crappy plans down the other side of my garden, which all seem to be thorny, ivy or holly and will make the boarder with the grass a little nicer. I plan to get several planters to put around the garden and want to get some nice baskets for my new fence down the side of my driveway.

 

@"M" Im loving this thread.............as I'm welshing (pinching)everyone's ideas ... So please keep um coming folks

 

That is the beauty of this kind of media. Everybody has ideas.



G.

 

Great thread @"M" Some lovely thoughts here

I kind of set the bar too high for myself this year, so by the end of summer I got really fed up with the garden and give up, concentrated on the allotment instead.. so my plans for next year are;

Sort the blasted boundary wall, it's like a stumbling block that's really getting on my wick. Wooden fence panels for the rest where the chain link fence is.

Once the wall is in, other half plans to build a block shed at the back.. we'll see. (If no shed is there by summer the chooks are moving up to the back on the concrete slab that's there.)

Get rid of plants/pots that I don't like, move others. (front and back garden)

Make it more wildlife friendly, nest boxes for hedgehogs, more insect hotels etc.

And seeing as I got rid of the pool, I'm going to treat myself to a bubble tub and a chaise lounger

Edit: I want more salvias and I'll probably make a border on the left side too after the wall is in. Again, we'll see!

 

Would I be able to do something like that here:


The fence piece is 60cm wide. I could attach a corner trellis. The plant would have to be easy to control and have a long flowering period.

G.

 

When the weather improves , I want to relay my patio into a more pleasing pattern and repoint using the brush in resin stuff . The slabs are only 25mm sandstone so are not that heavy. I won't even look at a 3 foot paver these days - evil weight ! Shed needs refelting.
On the gardening side may try a couple of veg - spuds and onions . Also grow more ornamental grasses , very pleased with the ones I tried this year
My 2018 planting plan is half finished , new plants from seed are Polemonium , Inula and Helenium.

 

Forgot to stake my Dahlias this year - won't make that mistake again !

 

Glad I wasn't the only one!