Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Paddy Tobin on September 25, 2009, 11:25:17 PM
-
A set of photographs taken during the week; a simple walk around the garden snapping away with the camera as I went. Hope you enjoy this peep into my patch.
Paddy
Starting with the front garden, the part in front of the house, between the house and the road. There are two small lawns here, one square and one round. The square lawn has a falls away from the house towards the road while the round lawn is level due to a lot of spade work a few years ago. I put in a retaining wall at the same time.
To be continued tomorrow - late here and time for bed. P.
Post Scriptum: On Robin's suggestion I have posted an overview of the garden on page three of this thread to help viewers place photographs in context and get a general idea of layout. I will add it here also for anyone coming new to the thread. Paddy
Robin suggested I put up this aerial view of the garden so that people could position the views and get a better idea of the layout of the garden.
There is a line of large trees running up almost through the centre of the photographs - this is one boundary of the garden. There are cherries, pines, ash, horse chestnut, hornbeam, hawthorn, blackthorn and damson along with others which I have added over the years as underplanting. There is a border of 3 - 4 metres wide running along inside this line of trees with magnolias, azaleas and a selection of shrubs. The "lane" runs alongside this border.
If you can spot the small hut - a children's treehouse, a house on stilts, to the front near side of the house - the entrance is just beside this but obscured by trees.
The diagonal line of trees running across the lower part of the photograph mark the ditches on either side of the road which comes to a dead end about 100 metres past the house.
You can see some grass in front of the house, this is the square lawn. The round lawn is beside this but obscured from view here.
At the back of the house, the veg patch is easy to pick out with its regular raised beds and gravel pathways. The garden shed for lawnmowers and tools is above this and the compost bins are in the far top corner beside it.
The back lawn runs between the two yew hedges, struggling to get established in our wet ground.
The near side of the photograph is still quite open - plenty of grass. At the top right is the "top border" and the new bed is in this corner also where Mary's new garden is being developed.
The side border is obviously on the side - the right hand side of the photograph, a mixture of trees, shrubs and underplanting of herbaceous material.
You might be able to pick out the three hornbeams - recently had their lower branches lifted to open up the bed a little - these are at the top of the "hornbeam bed".
The "evodia bed" is more clear to see and the yellow planting is Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum'
It is hard to see the bottom border as the trees on the roadside obscure it but the hydrangea bed is clearly seen here leading back up to the glasshouses.
The pond is directly above the house - you might pick out a variegated pittosporum beside the small glasshouse, this is at one side of the planting at the back of the house.
Now, there you are. That might help you get some idea of the general layout.
Paddy
-
Thankyou, Paddy !
I'll look forward to the rest.
-
An immense amount of planning and hard physical effort has resulted in a gem of a garden Paddy ... you should be extremely proud. I can't wait to see more!
-
Magnificent Paddy. Do I spot a Cornus alternifolia Argentea?
johnw
-
That looks great, Paddy. Thanks for showing us your garden.
-
Many thanks for all the kind comments. I hadn't been posting many photographs for the past while and thought I should make some sort of contribution.
Well spotted, John, that is a cornus alternifolia argentea indeed with an Abies koreana behind it. These were planted at either side of a flight of steps many years ago, steps about 2 metres wide and there is now about a 50cm gap between. Despite this I am very reluctant to prune either as it would ruin their shapes. A quandary! Move the steps?
I'll continue with the photographs which I have resized while having my breakfast coffee - I know it is 9.30a.m. here but I have been out already for a walk from 7 - 9.
I have moved to the back of the house where there is a small patio area, very enclosed with a retaining wall with a holly hedge and a planting of hypericum above it. A paulownia overhangs the seat at the other end of the patio. There is a small "rockery" just off the eating area of the patio and to the side of the garage. There is an exit off the eating side of the patio which lead to "the lane", formerly an entrance my neighbour had to enter the fields behind the house but which I purchased from him a few years back. At this stage it is not possible to see the gate at the end of the lane as Mary refuses to allow me to prune back the Magnolia soulangeana which is about half way down the lane and now reaches right across it. There are lots of deciduous azaleas on the far side of the lane planted under higher and larger shrubs and trees.
The lane continues in the other direction up to the compost heap, passing the veg patch while on the left is a border which has lots of spring bulbs, big drifts of snowdrops included. My favourite hydrangea is on the left here, H. villosa 'Taiwan Pink' - must look for a close-up photograph. The bare patch on the grass shows where the hen house had been positioned recently. It is moved each week but with wet weather they can tear up the ground pretty badly.
A couple of shots of the veg patch, an area of the garden I enjoy very much. The hen house moves around the outside of the veg patch; four hens and two ducks.
Enough for now, more this evening, Paddy
-
Thanks very much for this tour Paddy, and I look forward to seeing more.
Your brick edgings are very attractive I think, giving just the right formality to the circular lawn for example.
And that Hydrangea villosa is such a seasonal beauty 8)
Murky here today; no good for photography :P
-
I say this with some trepidation, for I do fear the wrath of Mary..... but I would be inclined to raise the Magnolia soulangeana a fraction.... just to get a glimpse of the lane continuing beyond...... :-\
Your hen run is the swankiest I have ever seen..... it would be described by an estate agent as "executive accomodation" for sure! ;D
Hydrangea villosa 'Taiwan Pink' is lovely.... I must say that I do not see many H. villosa plants around here at all ..... perhaps they are just not widely available in these parts. :(
-
What an absolute pleasure to go round your garden with such lovely detail in your photos, Paddy, it's so beautifully landscaped with different vistas and places of interest. I, too, love your vegetable patch, complete with scarecrow I see! there is something so therapeutic and rewarding about growing ones own and to have the hens clucking away close by really completes the atmosphere.
Looking forward to seeing more of yours and Mary's endeavours and thinking of all that green which will soon be turning to autumn colours - a real tonic from the rocky mountain :)
-
So much lovely green lawn. 8) The lawns in my small plot have all gone to make room for plants and bulbs. :(
-
Lovely garden Paddy, and so well kept with some super plants as well as the productive garden and birds.
Nice to see some green as our greens are gradually all going brown :-\
Thanks for letting us all in for a quick stroll.
-
Lovely garden Paddy I can see why it's called the Emerald Isle ;D
-
Paddy,
very nice pictures of a beautiful garden. Your lawn looks as if it got rain during the summer... here it looks yellow with some patches of green :-\.
That Hydrangea villosa 'Taiwan Pink' is very nice indeed.
Keep the pictures coming.
Wim
-
Wonderful pics and wonderful gardens, Paddy.
I could very happily live there.
I agree with Maggi re the chook pen, it is fantastic, did you build it yourself ?
-
It is a miserable day here today, no inclination to do anything in the garden though the grass could do with a run, but all your very nice comments have brightened it up.
Maggi, I value my life more than to lay a secateurs on that magnolia. It needs the attention of a chainsaw but that is how Mary likes it so it will remain so for the time being at any rate. The hen house was imported from a company in England, Eglu, and is very convenient as it can be cleaned very easily and is on wheels so can be moved around easily.
Wim, Rainfall in July was the heaviest on record, no shortage.
Continuing in the back garden:
First three: The back lawn, an open space directly in view from from the living room window. The yew hedges have struggled in our wet soil but we are persisting.
Next two: The top border, along the boundary at the top of the garden.
Image 6: a bed put in last spring, so trees and shrubs still very young and small
Image 7: the bed above was placed to enclose a piece of grass which Mary wants to develop as a small garden. We want to put in something to mark the entrance and exit but haven't settled on an idea which really appeals to us as yet. An arch at each gap is one thought being toyed with. The grass is a bit on the pale side here as I scarified it a few days ago, beginning the process of changing it from grass to lawn - I have a very loving but demanding head gardener here. Her will is my command.
Paddy
-
Oh to have a garden like that. Mine looks more like a warehouse.
johnw
-
Where's the messy corner Paddy ::) I hate when people want to see my tiny back yard because it's such a mess
-
More lovely areas, what a lot of work, but not a weed in sight - are you responsible for all the weeding Paddy? :o The new bed is a great shape and I really like the way it is built up with rocks at the back to create a slope, a perfect way to see all the plants.
-
Not much wonder Sid barks so well at strangers... he wants to keep paradise to himself!
-
Mark,
The trick is to keep all the mess in one corner. I have a good corner for compost bins and for holding the odds and ends etc.
Robin, On an occasion when a group was visiting the garden a lady in the group asked me how we kept the garden free of weeds (she just hadn't looked very carefully, to be honest). The answer I gave her, which left her lower jaw hanging, was that I put my wife out early each morning to do an hour of weeding before calling her to get my breakfast! The look of shock on her face was priceless.
Here are another few photographs, continuing from the top border, down the far side of the back garden to the lower end of the garden where there are two beds, somewhat kidney-shaped, with a grass patch between where I planted crocus last autumn and hope to continue with more this autumn, an idea inspired by gardeners on this forum. One bed is called "The Hornbeam Bed" and the other "The Evodia Bed" referring to trees planted at the top of each bed.
Below these two beds there is a border running across the bottom of the garden with a footpath running behind it.
Paddy
-
Continuing with the walkabout.
On one side of the back garden we planted a border of hydrangeas; might sound somewhat monotonous but it has become, in our opinion, one of the successes of the garden, great display of colour and very, very little work. The glasshouses are at the top of this border. The large glasshouse is used mainly for tomatoes, peppers, aubergines etc during the summer, veg seed propagation in spring and for an early crop of strawberries in early summer. The smaller one has some potted bulbs, succulents etc but bulbs in pots are doomed to death at my hands - I overwater despite my best intentions.
Paddy
-
And, to finish up what is in danger of becoming a marathon rather than a stroll about: the back of the house. The garden level is above that of the house and there is a retaining wall leaving a 3-4m space between the wall and house. I put steps for access to the raised area, a pond at the top of the steps and two raised beds, one at either side of the steps. Against the wall of the house there is a line of old Belfast sinks in which I grow some easy alpine plants.
Paddy
-
Oh Paddy, when I see the area of your garden, I can`t believe, that you will have the essential time for the galanthus next season ;). Fantastic livingground!!! Congratulation
-
Many thanks, Hagen. We would say here in Ireland, "it keeps me out of harm's way" - keeps me busy when I might be doing other things which might not be so good.
You comment on the space but I always wonder where I will find space for another galanthus!
Paddy
-
What a wonderful tour around your garden Paddy. Yes, everything neat and tidy but what I especially admire are the subtle colours of many areas and plants and the way they blend so harmoniously. You have created a real jewel of a garden and I'm so happy to have seen it. Thank you with all my heart.
-
Lesley,
It would be a real pleasure if you could ever come to visit. There are few things more enjoyable than good company and a chat about a commonly held interest. It's a great pastime, always something to be done, it's never work and it's never finished. I do enjoy it!
-
Are you at home tomorrow? ;D
-
Morning only.
-
It is a miserable day here today, no inclination to do anything in the garden though the grass could do with a run, but all your very nice comments have brightened it up.
Paddy
very nice garden--and very organised and well tended!
i'm interested in the distinction between grass and lawn, that goes over my head ...?
-
Paddy, what a real haven you and Mary have created, every corner you turn there are such varied plantings - the hydrangea bed is terrific and I wonder if you grow two of my favourites, Annabelle and the oak leaf one that gives such fantastic Autumn colour? Your 'choice' trees give your garden real structure and it will be fun to see it all mature throughout the seasons. The whole tour has been wonderful and I for one look forward to more photos of different aspects to admire.
-
Cohan,
Grass or lawn? It's all in the mind, I suppose. Those areas of grass which are central to an area of garden, i.e. that the grass is a main feature of that area, are called lawns while grassy areas which simply serve as the routes around beds and borders, I simply refer to as "grass". Lawns are also better treated, fertililser and weedkiller are applied regularly; they are scarified twice a year, aerated in autumn and cut with a cylinder mower which gives a closer and better cut. On the other hand, the grass has fertiliser perhaps only once of twice a year, weedkiller perhaps once a year and is cut with a ride-on or push rotary mower - less attention. It's all in the mind of the gardener!
Robin,
How could one be without 'Annebelle' despite its blousy and floppy habit it still makes a great display in the garden. Hyd. quercifolia is in a hidden corner, somewhat stuck in under a magnolia but it nonetheless gives a good display. It is one I must propagate and plant elsewhere in the garden as it has better foliage than many other hydrangeas.
Some of the earlier planted trees are making a reasonable size but we will have to wait another few years to see the later ones take shape. Some of the earliest planted trees are up to 15 metres and have a great presence in the garden. Mary is always wary of my tree-planting activities as she fears I will close in the garden too much. She prefers light and openess while I like enclosure. We try to balance our plantings - this means that I do what she says!
Glad you enjoyed the garden walk. Paddy
-
I was late discovering this thread.... :-[ ...
Now that I've seen it I'm flabbergasted ! :o :o
Paddy, this is one wonderful garden !!
I think I could spend hours looking around enjoying this work of art.
It's clear to me, only a true plantsman (and -woman !!! ) can achieve such a marvelous result !
Thanks for the walk !! ;)
-
Cohan,
Grass or lawn? It's all in the mind, I suppose. Those areas of grass which are central to an area of garden, i.e. that the grass is a main feature of that area, are called lawns while grassy areas which simply serve as the routes around beds and borders, I simply refer to as "grass". Lawns are also better treated, fertililser and weedkiller are applied regularly; they are scarified twice a year, aerated in autumn and cut with a cylinder mower which gives a closer and better cut. On the other hand, the grass has fertiliser perhaps only once of twice a year, weedkiller perhaps once a year and is cut with a ride-on or push rotary mower - less attention. It's all in the mind of the gardener!
Glad you enjoyed the garden walk. Paddy
ah, ok, i get it, just a shift in emphasis :) by those definitions, we dont have any lawn here at all, and barely have grass ;)
how long have you lived on this property/been working on this garden?
i certainly wouldnt want to be without trees, and like that we are surrounded with varying forest on all sides, which reduces wind a lot; however, i really dont like the shade that goes with them--and hope to lower the line along the south side, over time..has to be done carefully as if you remove too many, you will lose many others from wind, and not where you choose! also like to keep the view of the neighbours blocked(only on that one side, prob something like 100m away)..would love to replace that line of spruce and poplar with shorter trees so the sun can reach the house in winter..
i'd also feel much more comfortable with big trees and all spruce farther away from the houses--risk of falling and fire, respectively...
-
Luc,
You flatter wonderfully! You see I look at the wonderful plants so many people on the forum grow and know I would not manage to grow them myself. I have come to an age when I know what I can do and choose my plants accordingly - good tough things that will do well in my conditions and I leave those very demanding alpines and pot-grown bulbs to the dedicated enthusiasts. Of course, I love and adore them and really enjoy seeing all the photographs of them here but realise I will not grow them here. So, we all do what we can do best and make the most of that and enjoy it as best we can. It's good fun doing the garden and we enjoy it very much.
Cohan, you have it now. Mary added her definition of lawn and grass - a lawn is grass close to the house and kept to a good standard. Grass grows away from the house. The front garden is twenty two years old while the back garden, vegetable patch, lane etc is 7 - 8 years old. We bought the house and moved here twenty two years ago and bought the back garden etc over seven years ago to extend the garden, give us a bit more room etc.
Paddy
-
Beautiful garden Paddy but I would be inclined to call it a park!!!!
-
Cohan, you have it now. Mary added her definition of lawn and grass - a lawn is grass close to the house and kept to a good standard. Grass grows away from the house. The front garden is twenty two years old while the back garden, vegetable patch, lane etc is 7 - 8 years old. We bought the house and moved here twenty two years ago and bought the back garden etc over seven years ago to extend the garden, give us a bit more room etc.
Paddy
that's really great that you were able to expand your space!
i agree with growing what works well for you--and that includes not only your environment, but how much time you have to fuss! i have lots of exotic tender stuff in the house, but its easy there! outside i'm willing to put lots of time into building beds and sowing seeds, and have little choice about weeding! but apart from that, i expect established plants to mainly look after themselves :)
-
Oh Paddy. How gorgeous your garden is!!!!! :o And all that space!! I think most of my garden would fit into that area of square lawn you showed us in the back yard (with your delightful variegated wedding cake dogwood next to the fence). Oh what I could do with all that space. There wouldn't be any lawn (we aren't allowed to water lawns here any more due to water restrictions) and I'd have winding paths etc thoughout. BUT, if I had that sort of space, in your climate, I'd have the lawn too. It sets gardens off so beautifully. One thing I really miss here is the opportunity to mass plant things for a big display..... if I wanted to do that I'd have to get rid of 90% of the things I grow to make space for them. ;D
Thanks so much for the tour. Just beautiful!
-
Robin suggested I put up this aerial view of the garden so that people could position the views and get a better idea of the layout of the garden.
There is a line of large trees running up almost through the centre of the photographs - this is one boundary of the garden. There are cherries, pines, ash, horse chestnut, hornbeam, hawthorn, blackthorn and damson along with others which I have added over the years as underplanting. There is a border of 3 - 4 metres wide running along inside this line of trees with magnolias, azaleas and a selection of shrubs. The "lane" runs alongside this border.
If you can spot the small hut - a children's treehouse, a house on stilts, to the front near side of the house - the entrance is just beside this but obscured by trees.
The diagonal line of trees running across the lower part of the photograph mark the ditches on either side of the road which comes to a dead end about 100 metres past the house.
You can see some grass in front of the house, this is the square lawn. The round lawn is beside this but obscured from view here.
At the back of the house, the veg patch is easy to pick out with its regular raised beds and gravel pathways. The garden shed for lawnmowers and tools is above this and the compost bins are in the far top corner beside it.
The back lawn runs between the two yew hedges, struggling to get established in our wet ground.
The near side of the photograph is still quite open - plenty of grass. At the top right is the "top border" and the new bed is in this corner also where Mary's new garden is being developed.
The side border is obviously on the side - the right hand side of the photograph, a mixture of trees, shrubs and underplanting of herbaceous material.
You might be able to pick out the three hornbeams - recently had their lower branches lifted to open up the bed a little - these are at the top of the "hornbeam bed".
The "evodia bed" is more clear to see and the yellow planting is Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum'
It is hard to see the bottom border as the trees on the roadside obscure it but the hydrangea bed is clearly seen here leading back up to the glasshouses.
The pond is directly above the house - you might pick out a variegated pittosporum beside the small glasshouse, this is at one side of the planting at the back of the house.
Now, there you are. That might help you get some idea of the general layout.
Paddy
-
I can't quite make out the 'National Park' signs at the entrance, Paddy ... they should be there! :D
-
;D ;D ;D Would that make Paddy the Park ranger Cliff ?? ??? ::)
-
This entire thread has been reviewed by the Head Gardener/Chief Park Ranger and I have been criticised for some of the photographs chosen - not showing that area at its best etc.
Now you all know why the garden is as it is - there is a very good boss who keeps me at it, tells me what to do, plans what is going to happen etc etc.
Well, I suppose there has to be someone in charge! I'm just the dogsbody who does the donkey work - but I do enjoy it.
Paddy
-
Paddy, your garden is simple perfect, I can see several fairy dance in it ;)
-
Simply fascinating, Paddy!
-
A super walk around the garden Paddy... and one that you might care to elaborate on next year at different seasons, perhaps?
The aerial shot is extra special because it helps us to get a good idea of where everything is and is most helpful, I think, to allow anyone looking for inspiration for their own garden to get a literal overview to assist them in their planning by showing how the different areas flow and connect.
Many thanks for this thread! 8)
-
A super walk around the garden Paddy... and one that you might care to elaborate on next year at diiferent seasons, perhaps?
Now there's a great idea ! 8)
-
Maggi,
I started the thread for the sake of something to do - hadn't been posting so many photographs for a while and thought I ought to make a contribution and, you know, I really enjoyed it. The many nice (oftentimes very flattering) comments were lovely to receive and greatly appreciated, so many thanks to all forumists who posted such kind comments. It is a great pleasure to share with such kind and enthusiastic gardeners. I am not a great grower of the finer alpines - I don't think they really like our very damp climate, riverside fogs and night time dew - but I do enjoy seeing all these treasures from everybody else and this is my way of sharing the gardening pleasure with you. Also, I don't have the dedicated mentality to give such detailed attention to a plant. I like those which grow with ease and perform year after year.
As an aside: Mary and I judged a garden competition for a gardening club in our neighbouring county during the summer. We both are inclined to call a spade a spade and awarded our marks as fairly as possible but perfectly honestly at the same time so that some people of reputation were disappointed and by chance we met some of them at a garden visit yesterday. The atmosphere was a little tense, to say the least. Such fun!
Many thanks to all for the kind comments.
Paddy
-
A super walk around the garden Paddy... and one that you might care to elaborate on next year at diiferent seasons, perhaps?
Now there's a great idea ! 8)
That could be arranged. Now, let me consider my fee!!!
P.S. This puts in mind one of the bees in my bonnet: A number of years ago Mary and I were convinced to allow our garden to be included in a "Garden Trail", a set of gardens which would open to the public and charge people for admission. It was something we most certainly didn't enjoy and dropped out quickly. Charging people to share and enjoy a commonly-held interest seems not correct to us and runs, in our minds, against the ethos of gardening and gardeners which traditionally has been one of sharing freely. Money somehow sullies it for us. Sharing is so much more pleasant and more enjoyable.
Paddy
-
Lovely garden and love the patio 1 pic, can imagine sitting there enjoying the surrounding area.
Aerial view great, thanks for sharing your garden.
Angie
PS wish my grass was as good as yours. :)
-
Robin suggested I put up this aerial view of the garden so that people could position the views and get a better idea of the layout of the garden.
Paddy
this was fun to see! and really shows your rural setting, which you couldnt tell from the closer shots..
-
The aerial photo is a great help in orientating oneself within the garden and shows it as a diamond within the larger emerald.
I agree Paddy, about the charging to let people share the garden. The concept of charging almost scuttled an open gardens scheme here a few years back for Rhodo week when many fine local gardens are open to view. A new organization took over the running of the scheme and suddenly if you didn't charge, you weren't acceptable. Many dropped out of the scheme as a consequence and Rhodo week is the poorer for it.
-
Paddy,
thanks for the tour of your garden. It looks like a real "labour of love" - wonderful to see.
Seeing as you're in "God's own country" it reminds me of the story of the priest who walks up to a farmer (read "gardener") and says "That's a fine field (garden) that you and the Lord have there!"
And he replies, "Yes, but you should have seen it when He had it on his own!"
Keep up the good work,
cheers
fermi
-
Just caught up with this Paddy. You have a lovely garden, made me feel quite envious.
-
Fermi and David,
Many thanks for your kind comments. The garden is a great pastime which I enjoy very much.
Paddy
-
Paddy,
I have been enjoying your postings of your garden. As owner of a larger garden I can appreciate how much work goes into keeping things under control (mine requires a chainsaw and 13hp garden shredder) - I would be reluctant to post pictures of mine on this forum. I noticed you had a couple of Astelia chathamica in one shot, flourishing. I surmise you have a mild wettish climate possibly not too dissimilar to ours. Perhaps not as much wind. Paradoxically not very good for growing alpines especially our own New Zealand ones which grow much better in parts of the UK.
Thanks for the tour, it was very much appreciated.
David
-
David,
You describe my weather conditions perfectly - "soft and damp" might sum it up and it is not really suitable for many of the alpine plants but excellent to grow a wide range of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennial material.
Astelias do particularly well here, bulk up very quickly and so are a great plant to have for gifts for other gardening friends.
By coincidence, I was viewing a good shredder in a local garden equipment shop only last week.
Glad you enjoyed the tour of the garden. Paddy
-
Three months later: a January stroll around the garden. Snow is very uncommon here and is appreciated for the different view of the garden is gives. However, we are far more comfortable with our drizzle and rain, much softer and, though we complain about it all the time, it suits us far better than this currently extremely cold spell.
No particular order to the photographs, simply in alphabetic order as named.
Paddy
Abies koreana 20100110.jpg
Arch 20100110.jpg
Astelias at steps 20100110.jpg
Back of house 20100110.jpg
Bay trees in pots 20100110.jpg
-
Continuing:
Betula utilis and phormium 20100110 (2).jpg
Betula utilis and phormium 20100110.jpg
Blackbird 20100110 (2).jpg
Blackbird 20100110.jpg
-
Onward:
Dierama 20100110.jpg
Euphorbia melifera 20100110 (2).jpg
Euphorbia melifera 20100110.jpg
Front lawn 20100110.jpg
Head the ball 20100110.jpg
-
More:
Hydrangea aspera20100110 (2).jpg
Hydrangea aspera 20100110 (3).jpg
Hydrangea aspera 20100110.jpg
John's snowman 20100110.jpg
Mahonia meadia 'Charity' 20100110.jpg
-
Paddy, enjoyed my stroll in your garden and didn't even get cold. I wonder if the blackbird knows how famous he has become.
Paddy do you cut back your dierama mine always has a lot of brown leaves in it and I wondered about cutting it back.
Angie :)
-
Ah, Angie, the removal of brown leaves in the dieramas is a job Mary believes suits me better and so always leaves it to me. I settle down beside each clump and pull the brown leaves out one by one - simple, effective, relaxing if done in the right frame of mind but it is a slow job. One year, when not in the right frame of mind, I took a hedge clippers and cut all dieramas completely to the ground. They recovered and grew away the following year.
A few more photographs. (Maggi, I didn't put a list of names with the post as they are only view of the garden. The plants shown are not the best for viewing. )
Paddy
Edit by maggi: Paddy, I stillthink it might be useful for folks to be able to find the pix if they are searching for how hardy a plant may be etc......
Malus floribunda 20100110.jpg
Mary's snowdrop bed 20100110.jpg
Melianthus major 20100110.jpg
Middle arch 20100110.jpg
Papyrus in pond 20100110 (3).jpg
-
Moving along.
Papyrus in pond 20100110.jpg
Patio 20100110.jpg
Pot 20100110.jpg
Red Cabbage 20100110 (2).jpg
Red Cabbage 20100110 (3).jpg
-
Some more cabbages and ... sorry, no kings - well, the king of this garden, our dog, Sid.
Red Cabbage 20100110.jpg
Seat 20100110.jpg
Sid 20100110 (2).jpg
Sid 20100110 (6).jpg
Sid 20100110.jpg
-
Mary was worried that our dog would be very cold with all the frost, ice and snow. Imagine her surprise when his favourite place during the cold weather was to lie on the frozen pond.
-
And the last few. Paddy
Veg patch 20100110.jpg
Yucca 20100110 (2).jpg
Yucca 20100110.jpg
-
Paddy, your garden is still amazingly beautiful.
Can't believe the mahonia is about to flower.
Everything looks so interesting, I would love to spend an afternoon just wandering around your garden.
-
Very nice indeed Paddy. I like your arches, did you concrete them in? I ask because I have to replace one of ours this year, so I'm told!!
-
Paddy, your garden beautifull at winter time too! I just loved your photos
-
Many thanks for the kind comments.
Helen, the mahonia will flower as soon as the weather warms up and has a lovely scent.
David, No, I didn't set these arches into concrete. Four sections of metal piping are driven into the ground after pilot holes have been made and the bases of the arch simply slide down into these. There are roses and clematis growing on them and I make sure to cut the clematis down down in autumn so as not to have something to be caught by the wind left there for the winter. They are very light but have lasted a good number of years without any difficulty. They are developing a bit of a list which is more obvious in the winter when they are bare but not noticeable in summer when the clematis cover them.
These arches come in kit form and were display models in a local garden centre until I advised the proprietor that they were beginning to look a little shabby and he parted with them at a very good price.
Paddy
-
Thank you so much for posting such wonderful photos of your garden in the snow Paddy - I hope you didn't get frost bite on your fingers taking so many shots in the cold, it's quite a problem when you want to use a camera in this weather! The first shot of snow dog Sid is just fabulous I found myself staring at it for ages into those lovely eyes and snow decked furry head - a real winner of a portrait of a man's/woman's best friend (corrected myself for Mary) lying like a seal on the ice :)
For me the Betula bark is an all time favourite and all the spiky leaves - was amazed to see the Yucca still fine in such cold weather :o All the sculptural shapes are so satisfying to look at and the landscaping is shown off to perfection.
The red cabbage look incredibly tempting - wonderful for winter meals...do you have any special recipes for cooks corner as I cook them frequently in different ways?
-
.............These arches come in kit form and were display models in a local garden centre until I advised the proprietor that they were beginning to look a little shabby and he parted with them at a very good price.
Paddy
Ah! a man after my own heart ;D
-
Robin,
Sid is most certainly an outdoors dog and never wishes to come into the house. He sleeps in the garage but, even there , prefers to sleep on the floor rather than on the nice bed we bought for him.
I have another birch in the garden which has very nice bark also. It is B. 'White Light' and is a cross between B. utilis jacquemontii and B. costata and so has a tawny shade to the bark.
Never any bother with the yucca here, manages our weather without bother but is the most nasty plant to work near as the tips of the leaves are lethally sharp.
Red cabbage - I have just one tried, tested and liked recipe which is a mixture of cabbage, onion and apple braised in the oven and is beautiful served with pork.
David, I am of the "make-do" school of gardening. A bargain is never to be passed up. I must take a photograph of my compost bins - completely free!
Paddy
-
Hi Paddy I to carefully picked the brown leaves of my dieramas but like you said its a bit time consuming so I was looking for the easy option, but wasn't sure if I would kill them. I looked back to see your Hydrangea plants in bloom as I remembered from your earlier posts how beautiful they were. Love the Yucca, has it ever flowered.
-
Angie,
The yucca flowers most years though not this year, too wet maybe.
Paddy
-
A wonderful walk around Paddy and I'm pleased to hear Sid is an outside dog or I'd be nagging you to get the poor lad into the warm of the house. I hope you, yourself haven't got too cold while taking the pictures. Red cabbage and pickled pork hock soup would be the answer. ;D
-
Glad you liked the stroll, Lesley.
Today, all is changed. The frost, ice and snow is gone and has been replaced by gale-force winds and torrential rain so that the garden is awash and our road is flooded. This means being confined to the house, extra cooking and baking and increasing waist measurements.
Paddy
A photograph from my son's garden.
-
Is one not you?
-
Love it, don't they just make you smile :)
Angie :)
-
Love it, don't they just make you smile :)
Angie :)
They sure do!!
:)
-
Is one not you?
Which one?
-
Is one not you?
Which one?
The one not you is the one without the beer ? 8)
-
Just found this thread, new glasses needed! I love the rockery behind the garage, I can imagine sitting in there in the summer with a cool drink! Great stuff Paddy, thanks for the continuing tour.
-
Well done Paddy !
It was nice to see your great garden in these wintery conditions ! :D
Less nice to hear that you have returned to more normal (wet) conditions now .. :(
Enjoy more red cabbage and I'd join Hristo for that cool drink anytime... ;D
-
Paddy, your garden is fantastic! My husband and I brouse true the topic. He send you his appreciative congratualtions. The best your hens and ducks :-)
-
Many thanks for your kind comments. I imagine you were looking for something to pass the time today as this is a very old thread now.
Happy Christmas. Paddy
-
Great idea to go for a walk in the garden of a friend at any time, I reckon..... nice for you to have visitors from so far away, Paddy - hope you had plenty cake?
-
Ah, Maggi, you have revived yourself with some more of your pigs in blankets. Here, two sons are asleep; Mary is watching Miss Marple and I am at the laptop.
I had forgotten all about this thread and I went back over the photographs; nice to look again and to see our dog, now dead.
Hope you had a lovely Christmas.
By the way, Christmas breakfast here - a custom running for well over twenty years - is scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, toast and buck's fizz.
Paddy
-
Paddy, I had no idea how restoring these pigs in blankets could be.... I feel much better... able soon to eat some chocolate, I think.
I was certainly well enough to enjoy my walk around your garden. 8)
-
Sorry to hear about the loss of your dog- he looked like a real character!
I'd missed the winter shots before- interesting to see-- your January garden looks more like an early snow in September here...lol..
What would buck's fizz be??
Maggi- I had a bit of Christmas (fruit etc; storebought) cake while waiting for breakfast (fried egg and french fries!! on a panini bun) followed by coffee and chocolates :))
-
Cohan, Buck's Fizz is a mixture of orange juice and champagne and is quite delicious; a great start to the day.
Yes, our snow would only be a shadow of what you experience. Here, an inch of snow would bring the country to a standstill.
Paddy
-
I had a bit of Christmas (fruit etc; storebought) cake while waiting for breakfast (fried egg and french fries!! on a panini bun) followed by coffee and chocolates
I'm so glad that you are eating well to keep your strength up for the winter, cohan. Food is fuel, y'know! ;)
-
Tks, Paddy, I'm sure people drink that here as well, under a different name-- oh yeah- Mimosa!
Somehow I never acquired a taste for alcohol, so stick to sugar and caffeine as the basis of my vices ;)
Maggi- never fear, I am abundantly fuelled for the winter ..lol
-
Lovely garden Paddy.
(I hadn't seen this thread before now.)
-
Paddy, I love your garden. The picture from above is giving a great view of your place. So much bigger then mine is. Most of all I like your Hydrangea's. They are my favorites too. And your veg garden is so nice and must give you a lot of nice vegables and fruit.
Maggie, I hope you are getting better soon and want to thank you for all your work here at the forum. I always enjoy your writing.
Lina.
-
Many thanks for the kind comments.
Lina, the bed of hydrangeas must be the easiest bed to keep in the garden. We prune the hydrangeas in spring and little else needs to be done and they give a lovely display at the end of the summer - all very easy and rewarding.
I enjoy the vegetable growing very much. There isn't a lot there at this time of year though, parsnips only. Brocolli will be good in spring and onions and garlic are growing well for next year.
Paddy
-
I have to write in the Christmas wish topic :-) I am wishing the cutting what Paddy cut down from the hydrogenous at the spring :-)
-
I hadn't seen this thread when it was here earlier, so its nice that someone happened upon it and drew it to my attention. Lovely garden, Paddy, you keep it so tidy. Mine is such a jungle in comparison. Thanks for sharing it with us! Our Christmas Day breakfast is always Canadian pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup... we don't indulge ourselves with this all the time, but on the winter feast day, we always do. Blueberries from our own bushes ;D
-
I guarantee that you've piqued the interest of all Canadians looking in on this forum, Chris! ;) What are "Canadian pancakes"?
-
I guarantee that you've piqued the interest of all Canadians looking in on this forum, Chris! ;) What are "Canadian pancakes"?
Oh, as I think about it, it must be the maple syrup and maybe the blueberries, perhaps not the pancakes themselves!
-
Hi Lori,
Yes, I said that as here in the Uk, pancakes are what Canadians call crepes. I could have said North American pancakes I suppose....
-
Paddy greeted!
Beautiful garden, that he demands much part, but I believe, you enjoy at this.
Best regards! Zvone
http://zvonem.blogspot.si/
http://zvone.blogspot.si/