New Rock Garden and Greenhouse - Ardivachar

[ChrisB]

It's clear who the supervisor is in pic no 4.....

[Maggi Young]

It's clear who the supervisor is in pic no 4.....

Or else an (almost)  classic example of British work methods - never have all the bods at work at once!  For the truly classic example, of course,  there should be more watching than are working 

[Chris Johnson]

Not posted for a while but not been idle. Several tons of soil and sand have been moved but, as with much groundwork, there if often little to show for it.

The area between the solar panels and the outbuilding has been levels to make into a herbaceous bed, both ornamental and for the kitchen. A low windbreak has been built to offer a modicum of protection (not quite finished in the image attached).

An area the length of the house was in need of excavation as it was full of builders rubble and claggy soil. Although the house has its own drainage system it was thought advisable to enhance it as the rockery slopes towards the house. The rubble was retained and put back then topped with sand and finally with gravel.

The raised bed in the greenhouse has been topped with nice clean sand from the excavations and our modest collection of plants are slowly being moved to the site.

Chris

[Chris Johnson]

Is it really 8 months since I added to this thread? There was some autumn work to bring you up-to-date on but the winter months were atrocious - more later.

We has 20 tons of 20mm granite chipping delivered to cover as much of the exposed sand as possible before the autumn and winter gales. This included quite a large area to the rear of the house (shown in the last entry). More of the outcrop has been exposed and a pleasing quartz-like (I know little about geology) stratum revealed.

In the greenhouse compound I have built 8 frames but didn't have time or materials to complete the lids. This is one of my next jobs and will show images when finished.

Whilst on a recent trip to the Edinburgh area, staying with friends, we were fortunate on our last day to attend an evening talk by George Watt on developing a new 'garden'. I emphasise garden as the scale was impressive as indeed were the 24 ton digger and 5 ton dump-truck. It looked like he and his wife (Sue?) were developing a nursery rather than a grand garden scheme. I'm sure they won't mind me saying, they are not in the first flush of youth, which makes the project all the more inspirational. Very few could, or would want to, garden on this scale but it's right in my zone and I came away full of new ideas (sorry Christine).

[David Nicholson]

Good work there Chris. I don't envy your climate but I do envy your space.

[Chris Johnson]

We came for the space, view, and peace and quiet, David; the climate is exciting but not too good for gardening at times.

[David Nicholson]

Didn't you consider Yorkshire Chris?

[Chris Johnson]

We considered many areas spending two years looking, and almost bought a place in the Pyrénées.

[Matt T]

I don't envy your climate...

It's challenging, but we have no trouble with Primula suffering from summer heat though, David. If we choose carefully there are many plants that we can grow reasonably well.

[David Nicholson]

There's always an upside Matt.

[Chris Johnson]

It's nearly all upside, David. Only the wind is challenging.

[Hoy]

I have something like your climate Chris, but not your space!

And I have a lot of slugs and snails - could make a fortune selling them if somebody wanted snacks They certainly taste good - they have to as they have good taste and choose only the best

Any gastropods (or gastronomes) at your place?

[Chris Johnson]

We have more than enough gastropods thank you, Trond.

In my experience, they are all pretty tough and tasteless. It's the herbs, garlic butter and baguette you have with them that tastes so good.

[Chris Johnson]

Not all good news this winter as the hurricane ripped three of the roof-vents off and also damaged the polytunnel.

I was instructed to slacken off the tensioners on the automatic vents and tie them down for extra security. This I did but the relentless gales fretted away until it cut through the ties (tough baler-twine) and then mangled the openers until they broke, finally ripping the lights off. One, amazingly, ended up inside where is damaged several pots; another in the gutter and the third 50 metres away in my neighbour's field.

We lost a proportion of our meagre stock, the rest we took down to the polytunnel for the winter. Hartley's were very good in accepting responsibility and agree to replace them when weather permitted. Sadly, this wasn't until April leaving us without the greenhouse all winter. With the gales now able to enter, the sand-plunge was liberally spread over the entire inside. Our experience from the previous summer suggested that the roof-vents were not necessary so we agree to have the replacements permanently fixed. We have ample ventilation through the six large side vents.

[Maggi Young]

My word,  I don't think I had fully realised the height of the structure, Chris. Seeing the shot with the ladder  brings home the scale.