Gardening Aspirations For 2018

I see that one of my local garden centres lists sun king. Its the same garden centre that lists the lammium I want. Maybe I'll check it out.



G.

 

As long as it is a small ish tree it should be fine, my rowan grows amongst the leylandii hedge here but has done since we moved in. Anything much bigger would probably compete for nutrients from the soil & it obviously means trying not to disturb the roots of the hedge when planting

 

A tree would look nice in the corner but the fence is crying out for some climbers, IMO. A yellow rose would look nice on that black fence.

 

@Jack Sparrow It's according to the tree you have and how much it grows in height and width...you need to take this in on how much of the ground it's going to need for a good sturdy growth

 

This is how my front yard actually looks. I risked life and limb to take this photo by balancing on top of a rickety ladder in high winds. I also took down the Xmas lights while I was up there. As you can see there is not as much space as there looks. We can park another car down the opposite side of the house and all 4 of these cars are able to move in and out with out disturbing the others. Its a situation that suits us nicely.

The silver car is just visiting and my car, the white one, would usually live in this spot. It is not essential for the car by the opening to be hard up against the fence or the hedge. I once kept a big container of rock salt there. More recently it was where I had my bulk bags delivered. As long as you remember they are there, you should be able to avoid hitting them. The most frequent visitor to that spot is my mum and her car is very small.

Firstly I need to know how much rubble is under the gravel. It might not be possible to plant anything there. I do still have the option of using the big pot that hasn't officially been allocated to anything yet. At least with a big pot I can move it around if I'm not happy with its position.

I wish I could stop thinking up new ideas. I haven't finished realising my old ideas yet.



G.

 

@shiney that is an option I'm looking into.

G.

 

@Jack Sparrow You've got some good room for cars there Gary and I think this would suite that area plus you can trim them back plus you have the flowers in spring, then green leafs and come autumn they change colour again to bronze

Buy a Cheals Weeping Cherry Tree

 

Once again I am kicking myself for not buying the discounted koko no mai when I had the chance. I have gone back and re read the discussion we had about specimen trees for my back garden. I see Hukuro Nishiki (Flamingo Willow) was a popular suggestion. I like the look of it now I've studied it a bit more. Dobbies list it too which is a plus.



When I remember I will measure the actual gap between the car and the fence.

I'm still waiting to hear whether I'm allowed to plant it on the other side of the hedge. I think its very unlikely.



G.

 

In the past year, I finally overcame my aversion to ordering via the internet on the proviso there is a phone number to check their legitamacy (and definite availability). In fact, I normally then place my order by phone.

I use a very small number of companies based on my previous experience with them. Hence, if helpful to others, and asked where I sourced a plant, I can pass on the information with a great deal of confidence. I'm also fanatical about keeping purchasing information (who from, when and how much it cost, etc). I've found the information where I got mine from, and you might even recognise the company - Peter Beales, better known for roses (google it). It was a 2 litre pot and cost me £10.50 which I ordered by phone.

I've just checked their website again, and see they now supply as a 3 litre at £12.50 plus £6.95 post and packaging. I am certain you could source it cheaper, but I tend to stick with who I have had previous positive dealings.

 

What is a bargain? Well, in the instance you have given above, I'd say, you got a bargain!

When I first began taking gardening just a little bit seriously (which translated into: large garden, want to do something with it, as cheaply as possible, but as a dabbler, not as a professional) each and every time I saw something/any thing on the reduced shelf ... I bought it! At that time, my main motto was: it has two choices, thrive or not! *Everything* was a bargain if it was reduced
Then, I had a rethink: is it still a "bargain" if a) I buy it reduced but b) it does not thrive? Well, clearly it isn't! But I had fun experimenting on the cheap nonetheless
Fast forward 6 years. What is a bargain? Well, yes, the reduced counter does still have its part to play *but* (and this is a big difference) it is *only* a bargain IF it is a) on my wish list and b) if I *know* what I'm going to do with it If it doesn't match both of those then it falls into "impulse buy". Not that I'm against an impulse buy - but now I have a much smaller garden and each plant has to earn its place. I'm still making schoolboy errors but I'm not afraid of changing things now either.

 

Now you are "talking my language"!! BUT my wife and I extend this to pretty much all aspects of our life - especially "groceries / household products". Yes, we will pay for quality, but have no loyalty to brands or supermarkets / stores, and rarely pay full price for anything (that includes our annual re-negotiated AA subscription!). With the benefit of a small spare bedroom, where we have our 2nd freezer (haha), it looks like a convenience store stockroom (haha). Through the summer and end of veg growing season, if it is freezable - it ends upstairs, except for our onions currently filling our garden shed in net sacks hanging from the roof.

Then for "bargain buying", if it's something we use / eat throughout the year, and is a great offer, we bulk buy - hence the "upstairs stock room". We could start an entire blog with tips and tricks on "economic buying", and put to shame that regular TV programme where supposed "experts" help families save money shopping (haha). As you rightly say, what you have defined as "impulse buying" is almost always a no-no from seeds to sausages (haha)! The added bonus is that we save a fortune in petrol and running costs of the car with far less travelling to shops regularly, plus the saved time to do more fun things - the gardening for one thing! Tips for freezing - never leave an inch of space - thus we grow far more than we will quickly use up. After that, fill space with the bargain buys (amongst a diverse range of "freezables" we proudly have 3 "Post Christmas" bought turkey crowns reduced to 1/10th of their original price...) And whenever space develops - bread, butter and milk! As soon as more bargains crop up... frozen milk, butter and bread is defrosted to create space. As for "eat by" dates, the moment frozen they no longer apply, although some say food perishes and / or loses its taste after time in the freezer, which I have found questionable from personal experience. The parsnips, carrots and brussels we had for Christmas (with... you guessed it.... turkey and beef ) actually originated from the previous year, and was complimented on by some of our highly critical and painfully honest family members! What we decide to grow at the beginning of the year is also determined by what we still have frozen (haha). Incidentally, for anyone who is unaware, cherry toms and peeled chopped toms freeze great for making chili-concarne, Spag bol, etc. Gardening has been great for experimenting with cooking and freezing!

Our son has said "come the Zombie apocalypse, I shall move in, as I know we can survive for a year without hunting for things to eat...."

What he doesn't know is that he will be press-ganged into weeding, digging veg plots, hedge-trimming...

I guess our main 2018 aspiration is to keep experimenting with also how to "make each plant earn its place", plus saving time and money