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Post by sweetleaf on Mar 30, 2007 12:31:01 GMT 1
A have a tiny back garden, on two levels with a very peculiar off kilter bottle shape, it slopes alarmingly in places and has an old lilac tree at the very bottom, the only thing that survives of the garden from when I moved in, almost 18 years ago. The garden still isnt perfect, but every year it get closer to what I want.  Because of it strange shape and the fact that the house is on a plot dug out of the side of a hill it is a suntrap in places and has many different microclimates, a fact I have become very aware of over the years, and have taken advantage at every opportunity. I put a greenhouse on the patio for instance, to take advantage of the summer heat. The soil is acid with pockets of clay that you could make dishes out of in places, sandy in others....... and some parts dry out like a desert in the height of summer, I have built a wildlife pond on the most arid part and this has helped a lot. ;D I have one very good gardener to the left of me and a nightmare plot on the right, which I struggle to blank out, as I cant put up a huge fence (apparently) and hedges grow so slowly  |
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Post by debbiem on Mar 30, 2007 14:46:51 GMT 1
Our house is part of an old farmhouse, made of stone with high stone walls all around the garden. The back is divided into two sections - coming out of the back door there is a courtyard with three old outbuildings and this leads into the garden. Hubby has big plans for the courtyard and is slowly converting it Mediterranean style, creating flower beds with his 'road drill' and it's all beginning to take shape. We have a few palms in pots out there as well and hubby is just about to erect some overhead poles for a vine, Actinia, climbing rose and a few other climbers. There's still a chicken house there from the previous owners which is just begging for some chooks. Not sure how the new flower beds will cope though! Leading from the courtyard is the garden which is MY domain! There is a small wildlife pond in the corner which heaves with frogs and newts and a few recently planted plants. The pond's part of the patio, which has an apple tree next to it and several pots of either hospitalized plants or ones that are just going to stay in the pots for their own safety, slugs and snails live in every nook and cranny! And two huge pots of bamboo. Just off the patio we have created a bog garden in the part of the lawn shaded by the apple tree, as grass didn't grow there, and it's thriving. We also had a blank canvas when we moved here as far as the planting's concerned, there was one long flower bed which we found had really crappy soil and was full of building rubble. There were a few plants there which didn't mind poor soil but the rest was up to us. ;D Several million plants later and it's looking good. We've planted shrubs all around the walls after digging out some humungous boulders and an airraid shelter and it's all coming together. Hubby, who's a chippie by trade, built a gazebo out of timber which we've grown some climbers up and is hung with lanterns and coloured light bulbs, it's magic. There are also all sorts of candle holders, going green at the moment full of rainwater, rocks, ornaments and we love it. We've improved the really dreadful soil with our own compost and things are GROWING. It's a wildlife haven, which is what we intended. All the stones and boulders have been put to good use by hubby with his projects or me building stone and wood piles for wildlife. During one particular heavy stone unearthing session while trying to plant something I collected the stone and earth that had been dug out and there it was, the ingredients for a rockery, which I planted around the bog garden and is mossing/greening up already. Not bad for only having been here for 15 months. Sorry for going on a bit!!!!!! |
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Post by debbiem on Mar 30, 2007 16:03:02 GMT 1
The down side of our garden is that is completely surrounded by other people's.  |
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Post by maggyd on Mar 30, 2007 19:38:13 GMT 1
Well I take my hat off to all of you, I have had it comparatively easy peasy!! we moved into this little detached bungalow 6 years ago. The garden faces south, north at the back on the side of a hill looking out a couple of miles away across the river Tees to Hartlepool. The garden runs down from front to back , and at one side it steps down on four patios through a wrought iron fence and arch.The biggest is blocked paved as is the drive and paths that run around the bungalow, The other 3 are small stone slabs but the bottom one is jut plain concrete which I would like to do something with but not sure what , it also had a hazel tree growing through an 18 inch hole in the middle which we removed before it got too big. The garden has a six foot high plank and stone pillar fence on three sides and on the left fence it drops down to a walkway that leads to a small park/Arboretum which is thankfully quiet children over 10 are not allowed to play ball games.The fence is covered in clematis, Boston ivy ,Ivie. Colchica which is a variegated leaf, and something that I haven't identified that has a small serrated shinny leaf and has clusters of small deep pink flowers. The back fence has honey suckle that is very sickly looking and a climbing hydrangea a couple of viburnums. The previous owner was a retired Head gardener from a stately home down south, which was great for me ! but we have had to open it up in the middle as they was nowhere shady to sit, so we put in a stone circle and path so we can sit under the shade of a winter flowering cherry which is wonderful at the moment and has been in flower since Christmas. We also have in this 30' by about 20' space no less than 3 ace rs 2 Rhoda's another cherry tree, forest flame, Magnolia Stelata AND a greenhouse, a raised bed which houses one of the ace rs and various other plants. And outside our back door which is on the side if you know what I mean is an 15'x8' shed. My front garden which has a low stone wall and had two sets of double wrought iron gates (0ne set we removed so we could get our motorhome in slopes up to the front, has a small circular lawn the center is set with various conifers and small pebbles. In front of the window is a crab apple that is (stopped) I can,t remember what you call this now which we pull off all new growth so it wont get any bigger than the 5 ' it is now. All we have to do really is keep pruning back and planting back what we fancy and keep the weeds at bay. VERY BORING REALLY  |
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Post by maggyd on Mar 30, 2007 19:59:32 GMT 1
Crab apple Coppised?  |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Apr 4, 2007 0:41:49 GMT 1
Hmmmm. Describe my garden? Right now it is absolute rubbish! So many leaves and twigs scattered over the yard and things still need to be trimmed back for the spring but the weather has been so tricky. For the last 2 days we have been in the mid 70s° F and tomorrow we are going to get ~Thunder Snow~ and be in the lower 20s ° F! Any way... We live in the home my parents purchased newly built in 1958. I know all the trees and bushes. We live on the shores of Lake Erie, not far from Cleveland, Ohio. The back yard is 150 ft. x 75 ft and the front yard is a little shorter. 140 ft. I think x 75 ft. There is a house stuck in there too. ;D The soil is heavy clay and almost 50 years of adding compost and manure to the veggie garden soil has made it less horrid to work with. We have gooseberries, strawberries, currents, blueberries, pear, rhubarb, chives, garlic, dill, bay laurel, parsley and onions all the time. We plant tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, potatoes and watermelon each spring. There are two huge weeping willow trees in the back and the Common Flicker Woodpeckers nest in one every year. There's a little wildlife pond that we dug about 8(?) years ago. I saw a huge salamander a few days ago in there. Many toads throughout the property too. We have several Blue Atlas Cedar trees (Cedrus atlanticus). They are not supposed to be hardy for here but we have a micro-climate thanks to the lake. It keeps us ~just~ a little bit warmer than only a mile in land. There's a pair of Cardinals building a nest in the oldest of the cedars. Our quince is more than 75 years old and is one of the four plants that were on the property when my parents bought the place. The others are ancient crabapple trees. The rest was nothing. Not even grass. LOL! Guess we came a long way. I guess that's about it. There's some pics in the Gallery. C with 3Ds |
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Post by Sleepy on Apr 14, 2007 22:14:27 GMT 1
Wow! What a challenge Daisygirl. When you get a chance you must post some pics |
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Post by seanmckinney on May 3, 2007 15:09:33 GMT 1
jungle and hard work
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Post by sweetleaf on May 8, 2007 16:45:58 GMT 1
Sean, thats hardly what I saw on the pics, you underrate yourself  |
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Post by blacky on Oct 11, 2007 10:01:22 GMT 1
my garden is small but long has lots of old shrubs in it. i'm trying to make it a bit better with some pots for now. Have been looking for ideas on here.
blacky
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Post by emseypop on Oct 11, 2007 10:17:13 GMT 1
sounds a bit like what i'm doing blacky  I have sghrubs down one side but the other side is quite bare, so i've been buying plants here and there and filling it in as a nd when I can, trying to keep to sone sort of colour scheme, but mainly just going for plants I like the look of. |
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Post by alicat on Oct 11, 2007 23:45:46 GMT 1
Hi Blacky We all have to start somewhere. My garden, up to a year ago was very bland and boring - child friendly really. But over this last year I have created a new border and raised vegateble beds. Like you what started it was looking at other peoples gardens and decideing what I liked and did not like- not perfection yet by any means, but it has given me a great deal of enjoyment. - hope you have the same fun that I have had. - And looking foward to seeing some Pic's. Just one thing, If you do rip out the old shrubs and change your garden make sure you take before and after Pic's. - It's amazing how quickly you forget how your garden used to look. Hope you I'm sure you will have lots of fun. - Please Keep us updated. |
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Post by alicat on Oct 11, 2007 23:47:57 GMT 1
I've got a blank canvas yet again!! : Yes, but you love it really. |
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Post by bogmyrtle on Nov 1, 2007 14:10:37 GMT 1
Can I add a little about our garden please?
It was a new house in 1989 when I moved in, and initially had borders, rockery, pergola, etc but over the years it has changed and become a square lawn with borders around the edge. Since then hubby has come along with ideas as well and it has become more of a cottage type garden. I think really the garden has become jaded - a bit like me!
We dug out the front garden this year and revamped it and it is looking a lot better, again borders and lawn but with shape and interest. Next year the area down the side is going to be planted more naturally giving the appearance of a woodland/meadow area (hubby's idea and baby) - there is only one tree there, a weeping birch and a baby oak (think twelve inches!).
For the rear garden, the lawn is being reshaped probably into circles somehow, and also I've earmarked an area to have a small wildlife pond. We have plenty of birds in the garden and also at least one hedgehog (he has his own house under one of the shrubs). We have had some trees self set in the garden, but of course not in the right places! We have removed some but are letting others grow - we can still see the neighbours whose house backs on to the one side and this is also the border that struggles the most - not helped by a constant stream of footballs coming over! In the middle of the lawn we do have a Magnolia Stellata (hides the view of the small shed from the kitchen window) and a sun dial and we intend to make a feature around the sun dial as it is nice (well we like it!) but can look as though we have just plonked it there!
The garden is at its best in Spring/early summer and we need to achieve more all year round interest. There are lots of shades of green throughout the year.
The soil is clay but as we go along we are digging more and more compost into it and the areas we have already done are benefitting.
The good thing is hubby is happy to go the garden centre, go off with a trolley and fill it with plants he likes - the only thing is not all of them are suitable for our garden but we manage to find room for them!
Sorry to have whittered on for so long but hoping to get lots of ideas as I read about other gardens.
Thanks
Myrtle
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Post by bogmyrtle on Nov 2, 2007 10:46:42 GMT 1
Thank you The witch, room for improvement trust me!
I will take some this weekend as we intend to do some work out there and perhaps make it before and after and then sort out a photo account. Mind you you haven't seen the photographs I take!
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Post by bogmyrtle on Nov 13, 2007 17:21:39 GMT 1
Thank you The witch, room for improvement trust me! I will take some this weekend as we intend to do some work out there and perhaps make it before and after and then sort out a photo account. Mind you you haven't seen the photographs I take! is good for hosting photo's and video's - well I think so. I'm looking forward to seeing some photo's of your garden by the way, and I bet your photo taking skills aren't as bad as you make out - this is a gardening forum when all said and done - our skills lie in other fields - excuse the pun. ;D Thanks The witch, I blame the fact I now have variofocal glasses! I haven't worked out whether I should move the camera, my head or just my eyes! |
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Post by bogmyrtle on Nov 14, 2007 17:09:33 GMT 1
Thanks The witch, I blame the fact I now have variofocal glasses! I haven't worked out whether I should move the camera, my head or just my eyes! Did you go to Spec Savers? LOL  That's where I went wrong! The two for one offer was buy the left lens get the right free - I see now ;D |
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Post by royd63uk on Apr 14, 2008 19:37:32 GMT 1
Hi all My garden is in South Wales,which is well known to be mild but quite wet.It is only 13 metres long by 10 metres wide,at the end of the garden is the main bristol to swansea rail line.It can be somewhat noisy on busy weekends,but is balanced out by the fact that railway lines are excellent wildlife corridors. I have based it on an English country garden with the emphasis on shrubs and herbaceous plants of benefit to wildlife, I have been tending it for some 16 years now and it is fairly well established,though the lawn is due to be redone this year as it has mostly died off. You can see my garden and the wildlife it attracts here www.asmallwildlifegarden.co.uk/. Roy |
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Post by Sweetleaf on Apr 14, 2008 19:52:42 GMT 1
Thats a very nice site Royd63uk (wow thats a mouthful isnt it? ;D) Can we call you Roy for short?
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Post by Biggles on Oct 14, 2008 22:00:45 GMT 1
I have just come across this 'thread'-- It wont take very long for me to describe my garden. I moved here about a year ago-A downstairs Apartment (Posh for Flat ;D) There was no garden but a path leading to the front door with soil on either side of the path. I have made or trying to make a garden of this earth--the soil needs loads of nourishment -Hey! but Who's complaining? Then I had this bright idea to make a flower bed under the kitchen window. This area is mainly in the shade so it is a different type of gardening for me because I have always had a large garden and in a good position. Thanks to 4Ps and others I have managed to plant some shade loving plants--and received advice aswell- I have 'posted "Before and After" photographs on my Biggles garden if anyone is interested!! I do really missed my other garden but now I have come to terms with this small Postage Stamp of a garden I am quite happy and loving every minute of Planning to make the most of it for All Seasons I am also growing a few specimen Acers (which have always been my favourites) in Containers and using the vertical space to add height with Clematis-- I will have to ask Plocket's advice on them--when I buy them. I find that I can indulge with more expensive plants because I won't need so many ( Thats my excuse) |
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Post by maggyd on Oct 22, 2008 22:11:43 GMT 1
I might try raspberries I hope I have better crop than with the blueberry I planted !! I tasted just 1 berry this year the leaves are looking good though they are a lovely orangy red now , Will they drop or do they keep there leaves over winter? My Boston fern lost nearly all its lovely bright folage just the other day in the gales and the Acers will soon be bare as well I must take a picture as I intend pruning one of them that is getting too big. |
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Post by jasmine on Mar 17, 2009 21:23:34 GMT 1
Our garden is quite big but we don't have many flower beds as we have a real problem with wild rabbits - we are open to fields on 2 sides, our neighbours on one side and a road on the remaining side. I grow my veggies in raised beds near the house - the rabbits don't come that close and we have several fruit trees. We have lovely open views out the back and the garden faces east/west. The front garden is the only really flat bit of garden we have - the rest is on a slight slope. I will post some pictures as soon as I can.
Oh, I forgot - the boys and their friends use the garden as a big footie pitch and that's fine by me as they won't always want to do that!
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Post by maggyd on Mar 17, 2009 21:29:51 GMT 1
No you make te most of it jasmine they soon go and you will have the garden to yourself then! Im on a hill it has quite a slope thats why my patio,s go down in steps.
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Post by jasmine on Mar 17, 2009 21:40:43 GMT 1
If most of the garden wasn't being used as a footie pitch then it would be better terraced. But, like you say Maggy, there is plenty of time for that. At the moment I am just a bit twitchy about my daffodils being decapitated by a football.
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Post by maggyd on Mar 17, 2009 21:44:02 GMT 1
Well you cant win jasmine my liitle dog only likes to pee on pretty things.!! |
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