April Garden Update

104/365: mid way through sorting the centre bed 

 

M rescheduled so was here to work in the garden yesterday morning. This won't be my normal day (because it will clash with my piano lesson) but it worked out well for this week.

We had a long chat about what I've been planning, the fencing with trellis and the cleaned patio were duly admired, and then most of her time was spent weeding and general tidying up. She also tied in the established roses and clematis and planted the two roses that had been overwintered in pots. There are two more climbers on order, clematis piilu and lofos 'mixed', and then it is a case of being patient and waiting for all of the climbers to grow and cover the trellis! There's also been a little bit of the gardening version of musical chairs and some plants have been moved around to new homes. Also on order are the plants for four hanging baskets - Fuchsia 'Trailing Mix', Sherbet Lemon, Eton Mess, and Tutti Frutti.

We didn't discuss the annuals but I did say that I don't want to have as many pots out this year ... of course, that's what I'm saying now but I may forget that when I'm tempted by all the pretty colours in the garden centres! The blue pots of spring bulbs will be moved behind the garage when it's time to put out the pots for the annuals and once the bulbs have died back the pots will be moved into the garage until the autumn. All I'm really sure of is that I'm going for the taller cosmos this year but still have to make a decision on what else I want ... I have a very long list of possibilities but there really won't be space for too much this year. Longer term, I'm hoping to get a small container grown acer, or maybe two, to go against the back wall of the house in the space between the two sets of patio doors. 

We also discussed my alternative to the arches. I'm sold on the idea of small trellis planters like this one as I think they are more in keeping with the new fencing. It's definitely a much cheaper option - I still have to measure properly but think there is room for three of them - and they will still add some height to that side of the patio without dominating the space. More importantly, I think they will do a better job of blocking the drop down to the path but won't block as much of the morning light as the arches would have done. I haven't given too much thought to what they will be planted with and it may be that they won't have anything planted in them this year but I would like to get them by next month, assuming that R, the landscaper, will collect and deliver them for me!