Help needed please

Discussion in 'NEW Gardeners !' started by Kelc, Feb 7, 2022.

  1. Kelc

    Kelc Gardener

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    If it makes you happy that is all that matters right, I like it
     
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    • JimmyB

      JimmyB Gardener

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      Yes indeed. And in these mad times, that seems more and more important. I am daily grateful to live where I do and to have a garden. And that little feeling of 'spring is coming' is right there!
       
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      • Kelc

        Kelc Gardener

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        Oh yes, that's all I think about 'spring' I love it. Makes me smile
         
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          Some of those look as though they may be viable. :blue thumb:

          She must be very small otherwise it's a bit cramped! :roflol:
           
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          • JimmyB

            JimmyB Gardener

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            She's been on a diet @shiney so she's tiny! :biggrin:
             
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            • Luseth

              Luseth Apprentice Gardener

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              Ah yeah, a pond may not be the best idea then!

              If you don't mind me suggesting some plants maybe -
              Hibiscus (grows well in pots and varieties can be quite hardy, also easy to look after)
              Bird of paradise (I don't know if that's the actual name) but I think these are brilliant and will also be entertaining for the little one looking out for birds in the plants
              Hosta's are great and easy to grow, you get some really good looking one's and they can vary in terms of leaf type so they don't all look the same (though do be mindful that slugs seem to love them)

              Or maybe look at putting some trellises up against the fencing and grow some passionflowers up it or something like that?

              Just some ideas for you to help get you going or give you a place to start looking ^_^

              I've always thought the best gardens focus around a theme i.e. the jungle theme suggested above as an example but I will also be honest and say I don't follow one personally, if I like the looks of something I buy it or grow it :D
               
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              • Kelc

                Kelc Gardener

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                Awe thanks for the suggestions , I will certainly look them up. Not heard of passionflower before but it sounds nice as do they all.
                 
              • JimmyB

                JimmyB Gardener

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                Ah - the passionflower suggestion is a cracker. That’s the passion fruit - there are lots of different kinds. I’ve got one that produces non-edible fruit - fantastic flowers though - but the passiflora edulis is the one you can buy in the supermarket. And also fantastic exotic flowers. Needs very little looking after and climbs up anything. Wonderful!
                 
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                • Kelc

                  Kelc Gardener

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                  Oh I need those on my life then :)
                   
                • JimmyB

                  JimmyB Gardener

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                  I grew a few from seed taken from passion fruit I’d bought last year. Sadly it transpires the snails love the little ones so I think I’ve only got 1 left. But I have great hopes
                  For it this year. My non edible one has been great over a couple of years. The flowers are just magnificent! Climbed into an old cherry tree and along a wall, doesn’t lose its leaves in winter (at least where I am), gets not a lot of attention, has grown in a dodgy spot with not great soil - it’s just terrific
                   
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                  • Kelc

                    Kelc Gardener

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                    Have you got any pics of it
                     
                  • JWK

                    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                    Good idea to live with the grass, whatever you do will struggle to grow given the shade and dogs. I like the jungle look too and have some of the easier hardier ones in my garden. I have been selective and avoid any with nasty sharp points or hooks because of my grandchildren. You would probably have to buy plants at a garden centre in containers so it's easy to check. I have some softer feeling architectural plants like Mahonia 'soft caress' and Nandina domestica. Both these are evergreen and suitable for pots.

                    Hosta are another good pot plant, the big leaves varieties like 'Sum and Substance' and 'Big daddy' look tropical but die down each winter. They are susceptible to slugs but these are easy to keep off in a pot using a sticky copper tape around the rim.

                    Ferns can be both evergreen and perennial (die down each winter then return in the spring) . Some look very tropical, best to go and look at them.

                    One simple easy plant that all our children and now our grandchildren love is Stachys byzantina (lamb's-ears) they make a spreading ground cover. The leaves are furry/woolly.

                    Then a few summer flowering bedding perhaps like you had last year.

                    The Cup and Saucer plant doesn't do very well in my garden/soil. I keep trying as other members on here get great results. Just thought I would mention that as we all have different weather, sun/shade, soil. Put them in a pot and with good compost they might be ok. Trouble with pots is the amount of watering needed in the hotter drier months. Even when it rains a plant's leaves can act like an umbrella, consider an automatic watering system.
                     
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                    • Kelc

                      Kelc Gardener

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                      Thankyou for your reply, I like the sound of the Stachys byzantina. One for my list, did you grow that in a pot or ground? From seed?

                       
                    • JimmyB

                      JimmyB Gardener

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                      sure - first one is the remains of the snail/slug fest. Hoping it might come back - I’m an optimist, I realise

                      Then - rubbish picture but that’s it in the cherry behind the canes, then the one that survived and then the outside one again where I’ve trained it along the wall.

                      If you want the flowers - wrong time of year - so here’s Wikipedia: Passiflora - Wikipedia C7BC1CAF-46EB-4B98-B863-E3E27BB23FF6.jpeg A2AFC04F-2C5A-497A-9B15-67DEE04598AE.jpeg 0AE48D48-B531-4794-819A-BF378840C9A4.jpeg 8410ED69-4F47-4371-85E9-9ACF2FF18364.jpeg
                       
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                      • Kelc

                        Kelc Gardener

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                        Its fascinating to see plants grow along walls etc. I'm always amazed by things like that. Here's one for you If you could only have one plant this year what would it be?
                         
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