Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Blogs and Diaries => Topic started by: Susan Band on February 01, 2013, 03:17:01 PM
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This winter I was a bit over zealous in ordering my American seed and now they are germinating with no where to put them.
I have decided to renovate the long defunct Rockery and thought if I wrote a blog it might make me finish the task!
It started with a little bit of prunning and removal of a few dwarf conifers.
All that will be left before reconstruction is the Blue Cedar, the Sorbus vilmorinii and a large fern.
Here's the result of the first 2 days work. Hopefully the blog will continue ;)
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Looking forward to it Susan, I suffer from the same problem!
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I need to update my garden also. The peat bed needs all plants to be removed and replaced with the smallest Rhododendrons I can find. Maybe Maggi will help? Two other beds have never been good and although bulbs grow well mosses grow too well
I'm watching what you do Susan!
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Luckily Mark there wasn't anything worth saving in the rockery. Peat blocks do need replacing often and some plants do too well in them!
Just in from clearing of the grass and moss, too dark now to take pictures.
I am wondering how to rebuild. The bulk was made well with round boulders in the 1950's and although I prefer more terraced look I think I will have to keep it all in the same style. I have plenty of flat stones for a crevice garden but I think it will look out of place.
Susan
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Susan - having just ordered a whole lot of seed (a bit late) from Alplains, and got a nice lot from Euroseeds I would be really interested in your plants from seed, especially in a really different environment. I am keen to try a lot more legumes on sand beds, and possibly also male an all year round covered bed for real drylanders (so far I have't been able to source any tufa but will keep looking). Best wishes - I don't think there is ever much chance of finishing but a lot of fun trying!
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Good luck in the renovation. I am trying to execute a similar recovery here ..... of the whole garden! Two years into the blog and still a long way from finishing the first clearance. A bit like painting the Forth Bridge (or at least how it used to be) in that as soon as you turn your back on a cleared bit the weeds creep back in :'( ;D
Seeing this reminds me that I should update my blog!
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Tim, Most of the seed has either come from Alplains or czech seed. They are sown in fine perlite and looking good at he moment.I am planning to make up my own perlite plugs to see if that gets them passed the first stage. I have grown with various success, plants from alplains seed . The problem tends to be the atmospheric moisture more than any thing up here and of course my own neglect.
Here are a few pictures from this weekends work. The rockery was made from the subsoil from building the house in 1952. It is very sandy with a lot of stones in it. There are gravel quaries nearby. The large stones are also from the subsoil, Try putting in a fence post here!
The weeds have been taken off and some of the accumulated humus mixed in along with the origional top dressing of gravel. Drainage is not a problem.
So far a small proportion has been uncovered, still loads to do. The rather naff construcion that the clippers are leaning on is a sundial stand which will be removed but it has no intention of going quietly after standing for 60years ;)
Worked was helped by one of Peter Korns shovels, unfortunatly only me at the end of it.
Susan
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Tony, I know what that feels like. I half renovated the rockery about 20 years ago but gave up. This time, now I have made it public knowledge I had better finish. The seedling Muscari and Chinodoxa will be the worst weeds but at least I can see them at this time of year.
Yes, you should update your blog if only to encourage you not to give up.
Susan
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.........The seedling Muscari and Chinodoxa will be the worst weeds but at least I can see them at this time of year.
Susan - I'd be interested to hear how you plan to get rid of these. My garden is full of them - over 20 years worth.
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Tony, I know what that feels like. I half renovated the rockery about 20 years ago but gave up. This time, now I have made it public knowledge I had better finish. The seedling Muscari and Chinodoxa will be the worst weeds but at least I can see them at this time of year.
Yes, you should update your blog if only to encourage you not to give up.
Susan
It's about twenty years since we visited Pitcairngreen and took tea with your Mother. Now I know what was keeping you busy when we were there! ;D
Gerry is right, the bulbs will be the worst. Good Luck!
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Hi Susan!
Beautiful!
Best Regards! zvone
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I'm a newbie alpine enthusiast and am anxiously waiting for seeds to germinate that were sown in January. I haven't thought about where the seedlings will go just want to see some sign of life. ::)
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Thought I had better update the progress of the rock garden.
Adrian is doing most of it, I just have to bring the selected stones over :)
The seed is all germinating and is getting pricked out to wait for completion (well part completion) The top 4 inches of soil with the bulbs in it have been removed and dumped on the road verge to provide colour next year. No doubt after a couple of years some will appear from under the rocks.
Progress has stopped due to the frozen ground but we hope to start again next week. We can only do an hour at a time as nursery duties are beginning to build up.
Patient gardener, I would suggest a trough for your new plants ;D
Susan
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Hi Susan
Yes I am thinking of getting some troughs but struggling to work out where from. I have an old Belfast Sink but they are so heavy. Any ideas?
Helen
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Hi Helen,
If you can get hold of some polystyrene boxes you can make 4 or 5 troughs in a day which you can aim at different types of plants and place them in different positions. I would place them where you want before filling with compost because they are heavy when filled.
Look at Ian's bulb log to find out how to make them. There was also talk here recently.
I can never find links but our talented maggie will no doubt let you know.
Good luck
Susan
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Susan
The two new constructions look great. Wish I could summon up the energy - mind it helps if there are two of you :)
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Some links to trough making-
http://www.srgc.org.uk/feature/fishbox/troughs.html (http://www.srgc.org.uk/feature/fishbox/troughs.html)
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jun061338982706BULB_LOG_2312.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jun061338982706BULB_LOG_2312.pdf) The joy of troughs!!
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2008/020108/log.html (http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2008/020108/log.html) all cement
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2008/170908/log.html (http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2008/170908/log.html) making type II - with "filling"
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2008/081008/log.html (http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2008/081008/log.html) landscaping
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011May251306326741BULB_LOG__2111.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011May251306326741BULB_LOG__2111.pdf) demo/display at show
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Jan051294236202BULB_LOG__0111.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Jan051294236202BULB_LOG__0111.pdf) showing hypertufa trough split apart
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Thanks Susan
I had seen polystrene boxes mentioned - is that the sort of thing I might get from a fishmonger?
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Great to follow your prowesses, Susan !
Things are starting to look very good indeed !
I'll be keeping a close look on this thread ! Have fun !
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I had seen polystrene boxes mentioned - is that the sort of thing I might get from a fishmonger?
Yes, it is boxes of food grade or higher that will be useful. Ones for flowers are not really strong enough. You'll get tips from the links posted above.
I think it's been mentioned that in the USA they've found the kind of boxes used for medical applications are handy too. Fish boxes are by far the easiest to source. If you can find a source that brings in salmon then those are good large sizes.
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If you can't find a used source and are wanting to buy search 25kg polystyrene boxes. There are some available on ebay or http://www.jbpackaging.co.uk/polystyrene-boxes.html (http://www.jbpackaging.co.uk/polystyrene-boxes.html) who don't have a minimum order.
Susan
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As I suppose new boxes wouldnt smell of fish!
Thank you for the information, lots of things to think about but at least I can stop wondering where people get them from now.
Do people avoid using belfast sinks due to the weight or poor drainage or just availability?
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Do people avoid using belfast sinks due to the weight or poor drainage or just availability?
Probably just availability and when you can find one you need to pay silly money. They are beginning to be trendy in kitchens again (I understand!) so likely to be expensive to buy for proper use....... But much cheaper for folks like us.
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What's the difference between a butler and a belfast sink - is it just they don't have Butler's in Belfast?
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Not sure you really want to know Tim but...................................
http://www.periodhomeandgarden.co.uk/furniture/sinks/id/23/know-your-butler-from-your-belfast.aspx (http://www.periodhomeandgarden.co.uk/furniture/sinks/id/23/know-your-butler-from-your-belfast.aspx)
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think mine is a Butler sink then whatever it is it weighs a tonne
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Another (free) option for smaller polystyrene boxes is to ask a greengrocer for the boxes that broccoli is supplied in. They are about 50cms x25cms and quite deep. I cut them down to reduce the height and then treat them as Ian's articles suggest. Even full of compost they are not too heavy to move around; full sized fish boxes can be heavy when full of compost if it is loam based.
They don't smell of fish either. ;)
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I remember visiting someone a few years back who had chipped all the glaze off the outside of a Belfast sink. It looked just like stone. Don't know how long it took him by hand. You need something midway between the vibrotools used to etch glass and a Pneumatic drill.
I have several 3-4' long industrial sinks I have never used, stored away. The only trouble is lifting them. I wonder how long it would take to chip the glaze off? :( I may resort to painting them with masonary paint or resin of some kind and throwing sand and grit onto the wet surface.
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The butlers sink I have has been covered with some sort of sandy cement well back in the past, I think my Dad had a go. Some of it has fallen off now and I am wondering if I can patch it.
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Thanks Peter - I will have a word with the local greengrocer and see what they have to offer
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The butlers sink I have has been covered with some sort of sandy cement well back in the past, I think my Dad had a go. Some of it has fallen off now and I am wondering if I can patch it.
I think you will be able to patch it - you must break up the surface a little and then you need to coat the surface with a glue first, I think, but I cannot for the life of me remember at the minute what kind- someone with a brain that's working will be able to tell you!
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PVA
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PVA
PVA glue, yes, that's the very stuff- Thanks David!
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PVA glue, yes, that's the very stuff- Thanks David!
Please, what is PVA glue ???? I got the translation 'Weißleim' = white glue and for pva there is
polyvinyl alcohol?
Gerd
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PVA glue is Polyvinyl Acetate adhesive, Gerd. Useful for sticking lots of things but in this case a coating agent before treatment of surface.
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Thanks for the advice - its does make me smile to see where this conversation has gone. I am glad I discovered this Forum, wish I had discovered it ages ago
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David thanks! That's almost like an item you might have at the end of 'Not the Nine O'clock News' - 'Trough's Anonymous', or 'The In's and Out's of Your New Trough'. Could be a good selling point for a booklet put out by the AGS!
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PVA glue is Polyvinyl Acetate adhesive, Gerd. Useful for sticking lots of things but in this case a coating agent before treatment of surface.
Thank you Maggi! Sorry for being so slow for the uptake - found your reply only now.
Gerd
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Susan - how are things progressing?
I'm about to start a new project and thought a blog might remind me to take lots of photographs, something I fail to do when absorbed in the work.
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Vau Susan!
Beautiful Projekt! Much success still forward.
Best Regards! zvone
http://zvonem.blogspot.si/ (http://zvonem.blogspot.si/)
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Hi Chris
Sorry only just saw your comment. Not much has progressed since then apart from the plants that were put in last year growing really well. This year my assistant has been building a motorbike so rock garden now taking second place. The part that has been done still looks good and I hope it might get going again. Believe me there has been much discussion on what the final result will be like. Adrian has taken over the designing and I have been relegated to the stone moving. I thought it was meant to be the other way round. Must dig out any of the chinodoxa left now they are flowering and before they seeds.
I don't know what type of stones you have got Chris, but to my surprise you can make a decent rock garden with round boulders if you place them close enough.
Good luck on your project at least the stones won't blow away.
Susan
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Thanks for your compliments zvonne.
The large blue cyprus that was at the top of the rockery area blew down over winter. We miss the tree but it does mean that the area underneath will now get watered. I think the roots and the cover would have left it too dry. So probably is good in the long term.
Susan
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Looking good Susan, can't wait to see more.
I have two of those white sink in the pony paddock, tried to move them to get them to the skip but they weigh as much as the granite ones.
I took down two large beach trees it took me years to decide to do this but the garden has gained so much more light and like you say the ground was so dry underneath them.
Angie :)
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Hi Chris
Sorry only just saw your comment.
Not a problem Susan, it was my fault for resurrecting an old thread.
When we left Malvern, we were not disappointed in leaving behind the heavy and unworkable Precambrian granite, only to replace it with Lewisian Gneiss. ??? We have a couple of accessible bays on the headland where we intend collecting some wave-worn rocks. This is where the ladies come in, they have stronger backs than the blokes. I insist on pushing the wheelbarrow though. 8)
Look forward to any up-dates in due course.
Chris
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I have two of those white sink in the pony paddock, tried to move them to get them to the skip but they weigh as much as the granite ones.
Skip!! They cost a fortune t o buy from reclamation places.
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They make excellent sinks Angie, you mustn't throw them out! There are two ways to proceed:
If hubby wants a nice quiet garden shed job, he could chip off the white ceramic for you, it leaves a wonderful sink. Nice winter job really.... (just trying to help ;D ;D ;D)
Course, you could just cover them in hypertufa but this must be done where they are to stay as it chips off moving it and of course the weight with the tufa added is formidable....
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Hi Susan!
Something wonderful is being built!
Still forward successfully!
Best Regards! zvone
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funnily enough I ask myself that every day - this was one of the smaller building projects
http://s343.photobucket.com/user/RowanCottage/slideshow/Retaining%20Wall (http://s343.photobucket.com/user/RowanCottage/slideshow/Retaining%20Wall)
I am still on this and need a good week to get the other side up into the field
http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/RowanCottage2/slideshow/Building%20things (http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/RowanCottage2/slideshow/Building%20things)
and not lets forget there is another tunnel to go up and 5 more greenhouses that are sat in crates......