Garden Options

[MattBairn]

Cheers! Are you still keeping a photo log so you can see it all spring to life? I've decided to keep one, one of my biggest regrets is that I don't have a photo from 2 years ago, when there were hardly any defined flowerbeds (and those that were there were just covered in plastic sheeting), the trees were never pruned and were out of control, and the grass just turned to weeds and then bare patches. It looks so much better now!

Im kinda doing it without being anal about it.

Ive taken some pics early on and Ill maybe take some in a fortnight too see if there has been a change since then.

Ill maybe do it once again just as Summers coming to an end too.

I tend to take pics from the same angles in my garden as theyre the best to get a feel for the place in pic form, so they should be easy to compare once the years out.

[MattBairn]

If you do put things like that in the garage you should still spray them with water every now and again and they really stilll need a bit light.

Yeah, I think that might have been the problem. The lack of light I mean.

I did try to give it a bit of light every so often when it wasnt too cold, but maybe not enough.

Some updated pics

The conifers I put in last year. Taken just after they were put in.

My herbs and some still to be planted

My new Bamboo is the one on the very left. The other 2 were taken from my garden.

I still have one left to fill that died off but Im getting Black Bamboo from my parents garden for that one.

Veg patch with lettuce, rocket etc. Still waiting on other stuff sprouting from seeds.

This is where the bamboo used to be. Ive put in Raspberry, Gooseberry, Blackberry and red currant bushes.

The small peach tree that I planted a few days ago.

Looking passed a small black bamboo up to the house.

Edited April 13, 2010 by MattBairn

[savagecabbage]

Yeah, I think that might have been the problem. The lack of light I mean.

I did try to give it a bit of light every so often when it wasnt too cold, but maybe not enough.

Some updated pics

The conifers I put in last year. Taken just after they were put in.

The small peach tree that I planted a few days ago.

Whats with the herras fencing in pic 1?

You should stake the peach tree either side to stop it moving about too much and help it keep straight.

[MattBairn]

Whats with the herras fencing in pic 1?

You should stake the peach tree either side to stop it moving about too much and help it keep straight.

Plot next door hasnt been built on yet. Im expecting that soon right enough. The fencing was put up by the owner of that plot.

I will put stakes in for the peach tree. Good point.

Edited April 13, 2010 by MattBairn

[savagecabbage]

Plot next door hasnt been built on yet. Im expecting that soon right enough. The fencing was put up by the owner of that plot.

I will put stakes in for the peach tree. Good point.

ive got a cherry tree and a pear tree round the back that i planted last year and both looking great now, dont expect fruit till maybe next year but we will see.

Sweetcorn looks like a planted it too early and it almost all looks fecked. will give it a little longer.

Thats 2 days and 2 mice caught though. They we barstewards wont get my peas this year

[MattBairn]

ive got a cherry tree and a pear tree round the back that i planted last year and both looking great now, dont expect fruit till maybe next year but we will see.

Sweetcorn looks like a planted it too early and it almost all looks fecked. will give it a little longer.

Thats 2 days and 2 mice caught though. They we barstewards wont get my peas this year

I dont want to jinx it but Ive had no problems with pest regarding my veg since I moved in.

Now that Ive said that, theyll all get wrecked this year

[xbl]

I love the effort and the variety you've got going on there Matt, I would kill adorable puppies to have a bigger garden like that!

[MattBairn]

I planted a couple of sea hollys (hollies?) last night.

Im looking forward too seeing them sprout as theyre really stunning.

[savagecabbage]

I dont want to jinx it but Ive had no problems with pest regarding my veg since I moved in.

Now that Ive said that, theyll all get wrecked this year

bollox some of my lettuce in the wee green house have shrivelled up and the sweetcorn looks past it to. I've just not had the time to ook after them enough due to work

[Ziggy]

I cut my grass for the first time this year. It's not looking that great but I'm just glad that my lawnmower started at all. I really don't know why I bought a petrol lawnmower. It's a pain in the arse, partly because my garden is so bumpy.

[footiechick]

I think the birds have savaged the seeds I put out 2 weeks ago except for some radishes that are now sprouting and summer cabbage I can see coming through. Will try again this weekend. I did have some netting somewhere in the garage, need to look that out I think.

I'm glad I had sown some in cells in the greenhouse. Sweetcorn, carrots, peas and beans thriving away in there. As well as herbs and rocket, salads etc. Think I'll need to buy plug plants tomatoes this year. The seeds are just not germinating for me

As for plants, a lot had to be put in the brown bin after no sign of life. that dreadful winter has killed of a load of stuff in pots and the clematis for covering the fence. On the positive side the alliums and lillies are pushing through and the intermittent rain here is bringing them on (as well as the weeds!!)

Edited April 30, 2010 by footiechick

[MattBairn]

My basil has died off but the rest of the herbs seem to be doing well though.

Also I can really see a difference in the garden in the 2 weeks I was away.

Leaves have started bursting through and there is mucn more colour to the garden.

On the negative side Ive got LOADS of weeds coming through (especially in the front garden) so it looks like Ill be busy on Monday tidying that up.

[Reynard]

I planted melon seeds a while ago and they have come up. I have absolutely no idea how this wil go but I hope we get some melons in the summer. The habaneros are through now as well so I'll have about twenty plants growing and hopefully a decent crop to make some sauces.

I weeded the garden last week so its fine. The grass is a disgrace though and I cant be arsed cutting it. I think I'll just call it a meadow and forget about it.

[flyingscot]

I planted melon seeds a while ago and they have come up. I have absolutely no idea how this wil go but I hope we get some melons in the summer. The habaneros are through now as well so I'll have about twenty plants growing and hopefully a decent crop to make some sauces.

I weeded the garden last week so its fine. The grass is a disgrace though and I cant be arsed cutting it. I think I'll just call it a meadow and forget about it.

Aye- bet you do...

Cut the grass today- bit of a farce too and it badly needed done. Only problem was whilst it was sunny I got 3 stripes done before it started to pour down, I'd stop the electric mower and wait 5 mins only for it to be sunny again. Repeat about 5 times till I had the whole place done. Pain in the arse, but glad it was done- some of the grass was a bit yellow underneath and I only got about 4 stripes to a bucket full on clippings!

Still Strawberries are coming on...

[MattBairn]

Did a bit of weeding earlier in the week and cut the grass so the garden is looking ok.

I was along at my parents earlier to show my dad my new camera (turns out he bought an even better one ) and I decided to take some pics of their garden to test out my camera and it was looking absolutely stunning.

Ill post them on here once theve uploaded to photobucket as Im sure theyll be appreciated in this thread.

I also got some more Sea Hollies and a few other plants from my parents which I've just planted.

I'm just waiting for the sun to disappear so I can give them a good soaking.

My Californian Lilac had to be thrown out as it was dead, cant get any in garden centres anywhere as it seems our harsh winter has killed most of them off.

Might have to go to a franchise garden cent as theyll ship them in from further afield.

Edit- Ive also ordered some Blue and Red Bamboo of t'internet which I'll pot up once they arrive.

They should be a nice addition to the bamboos I already have.

Edited May 12, 2010 by MattBairn

[MattBairn]

Parents garden

Hope you enjoy them

[Ebanda's Handyman Services]

This is my proposals to the wife for the garden this summer. She isn't keen on the concrete steps leading down the side though.....

[xbl]

This is my proposals to the wife for the garden this summer. She isn't keen on the concrete steps leading down the side though.....

If you've got decking proposed, why not put wooden steps in? They look and feel much nicer and more natural!

I built myself a bird table at the weekend, just with rough sawn timber, but I angle ground it to give it a more rounded, aged and natural look. Shame I hammered it in squint, but never mind!

That, allied with the bird feeders I've put in means that there are lots more birds hanging around in my wee garden than before (I quite enjoy watching them), so I'm hoping that they have an effect on the slugs. The flowers seem to be doing a lot better than last year, despite much less slug control from me. Also, when I was leaving the house today, some old girl complimented me on it, said it looked nicer than she ever remembered it being, and that I am an artist...and even at night, when the lights are on (27 solar lights of different kinds, including colour changing and bubble effect), it looks graceful. It made my day so it did.

[Ebanda's Handyman Services]

If you've got decking proposed, why not put wooden steps in? They look and feel much nicer and more natural!

That's what the wife reckons too. I'd have been confident of doing the concrete steps myself but I'm not so sure about doing the wood. As daft as that seems.

[xbl]

That's what the wife reckons too. I'd have been confident of doing the concrete steps myself but I'm not so sure about doing the wood. As daft as that seems.

The woods manageable though. Even if it isn't quite spot on, it simply looks more natural! Is the decking already there? If you are doing decking, surely you can add steps? Concrete is a bit more set in stone (so to speak). If its not done right, it looks squint and wrong. Are you planning it from scratch, or getting some sort of kit? A lot of decking kit includes steps with it does it not? I'm no expert in this though, I'm just a man with an angle grinder.