Our garden

[AlanG]

I'd love to have a fire pit. Instead i'm going to be making a fire bin out of an old washing machine drum. Might even be able to put a small BBQ griddle on top

[flyjoe180]

Very nice work Ian, the garden is looking great. You should change your name to Mr Green Fingers

[Ian M]

I'd love to have a fire pit. Instead i'm going to be making a fire bin out of an old washing machine drum. Might even be able to put a small BBQ griddle on top

The plan is to have a large seating area with the pit built up in the center. All cleverly sized so that a standard 60cm BBQ griddle can be put over the top...
We are still working up the gumption to go collect the ballast for the base....

[Ian M]

Been a while as there have been other things in the way so gardening has mostly been up-keep; cutting the grass and weeding. A task made much worse this last year as it was a really good spring. Wet and warm. Weeds EVERYWHERE!
The Fire pit! Well the other day Carina saw someone selling a thousand used block paver for £20. so we used a day filling our trailer, coming home and emptying. Four Times! Needless to say I'm done for the next few days. If the winter weather allows, they will be down by spring. (famous last words).
Another winter project is to design a new front garden. As it is its just (terrible) grass. So lots to play with there.

[Lee Drennen]

Ian. I don’t know how I missed this thread what a beautiful garden and Flower Garden you have there.Sorry for all the weeds. If you don’t know this already don’t put Cow or Horse Manure on your garden next year. Use Chicken or Rabbit manure you will see a big difference. If you can put the Chicken manure on now so it won’t be too hot by early spring and it will help your weed control

[Mini Me]

Quite an effort there Ian........looks very peaceful. :thumb2: Rick H.

[JR]

Looks fantastic Ian , well worth all the effort you put in .
In fact I think a Dog's is due .

Congratulations from the gardening team at Race Towers .

[Isitme]

Did you have to show us your garden :disappointed: Now she wants me to get out with the fork and shovel and dig up half the road - no idea where the busses are going to go....
Being serious, the garden is a credit to you, just wish I had the enthusiasm to do the same, but with my gardening skills there would not be a living thing left growing....

[Ian M]

Ian. I don’t know how I missed this thread what a beautiful garden and Flower Garden you have there. Sorry for all the weeds. If you don’t know this already don’t put Cow or Horse Manure on your garden next year. Use Chicken or Rabbit manure you will see a big difference. If you can put the Chicken manure on now so it won’t be too hot by early spring and it will help your weed control

Thanks, I dont use either. I know Horse manure can contain a lot of weed seeds so avoid that. Cow is not to bad due to their digestive system. Still Dont use it. Dont fancy having it stock-piled in the garden. Within a 1/2 mile we have pigs, horses and cows so very easy to get but generally to much hassle!
Next door has chickens so get some of that once in a while.
The weed situation was not to bad befor, however a warm wet spring saw all the dormant seed wake and go nuts. I'll get there in the end. Just need to be able to keep the compost holders hot! Mine get cold and stop!

[adt70hk]

Ian

Missed this first time around. Have to say I'm very jealous! You have a very lovely looking home.

ATB.

Andrew

[AlanG]

Just need to be able to keep the compost holders hot! Mine get cold and stop!

If you want to get a hot composter back up to temp quickly then throw in some grass. It get it hot but only for a short time.

[Ian M]

If you want to get a hot composter back up to temp quickly then throw in some grass. It get it hot but only for a short time.

Do that already. Most of the grass gets mulched but have a few places where I collect the grass for the compost... I suppose I will just have to turn the heap more often!

[AlanG]

Buy (or make) a hot composter. I'll be making one at some point as they are so much faster and efficient at making compost.

[Ian M]

As a change from fighting the weeds in the back garden: The weather has yet again been perfect for weeds this year, add to that a few health issues, covid round two locking down every thing again. OH we had the B&B again last summer so that bit into my time as well. Short version the weeds got away from me and I am paying the price :disappointed: One years seed is seven years weed as the saying goes!
I digress. As a diversion from the back garden we started on the front garden....
For the last year it has been grass. Long grass. up to 4foot high some places. This was divide into islands with a cut grass path making 7 or 8 beds around the meandering pathway.
Had some plants in our own nursery bed and a visit to the garden some saw the rest of the plants home.
We now have ONE bed done.

A total mish mash. There is a Budliga, peony, lavender, chocolate flower, fairy bells, Garden lady's mantel, echinacea p. a couple of Salvia. harvest anemone and a few other I cant remember. (yes already)!
Oh a couple of winter hardy grass.
The only idea was a mix of hard and soft leaf forms, dark and light, low and high. Just two things I need now.
A beer and some lambs ears...As in Rose Campion. Not actual lambs ears!

One of the Wisteria. There was a good flowering this summer. this was the start. We added the screens at the back due to the thin hedge. So we can enjoy a cup of coffee with out passers by stopping for a chat!

The rhodos, put on a fantastic show, but due to the sudden heat and dry, short lived

The show was good though.

Even in the bed that I made a bit bigger.... cant see so much but this edge is a good four foot further out than it used to be...

[Jim R]

Just beautiful Ian. It must be good for the soul to sit out there on a nice day with your thoughts and a cold beer. That wisteria has grown well.