Readers’ gardens
I'm becoming far more resourceful during lockdown. With all the specialist plant fairs cancelled and several gaps in the borders, I’ve been recycling some of the plants that I’d intended to sell for charity. I’m putting a lot more planning into the combinations, which
I think will result in far more cohesive displays than my usual impulse buying achieves!
Last summer’s annual hanging basket plants have been lifted and revived and small evergreen shrubs from winter-container displays have been planted in the borders. Ornamental grasses from the living wall have been transplanted onto the roof terrace.
As well as receiving my Thompson & Morgan trial plants, I’ve switched to buying plants online, perennials from Beth Chatto, summer bedding from J
Parkers, while some of our local garden centres offer click and collect for compost and general supplies. Existing materials are being reused, recycled and remodelled; nothing is going to waste.
With such beautiful weather we’ve been spending most of our time in the garden. David has renovated all the garden ornaments, rigged up a new tomato frame in the greenhouse, repainted the roof terrace steps and varnished its mezzanine floor. He’s cleaned out the rill, carefully relocating frogs, newts and frogspawn into the ornamental pond. His new Ali Baba urn water feature is also keeping him busy!
The greenhouse has now been transformed into a nursery for plug plants (begonias, fuchsias, coleus, impatiens), seed sowing and seedlings (tomatoes, cucumbers and squash), certainly enough to share with elderly, self-isolating neighbours.
Everything's burgeoning in the garden! Lime-green foliage, dainty sky blue, pastel pink and lemon flowers. Since moving our peony into a better position it’s rewarded us with the most beautiful pink, tissue paper-like blooms. Coronilla glauca ‘Citrina’ complements erysimum ‘Bowles's Mauve’. Melianthus major and Euphorbia mellifera are a winning combination out front.
Pulmonarias and brunneras are sporting their spring flowers in the shade. Epimediums have succeeded hellebores. I’m anticipating a showstopping display of contrasting red, yellow and magenta tulips; well worth the effort of planting over 100 bulbs in the patio containers last November!
While watering an old chimney pot outside a neighbour’s front door, I nearly jumped out of my skin when a robin flew out! On closer inspection, deep within the foliage, I spied a nest containing four small blue eggs. Thankfully, the robin returned soon after my hasty retreat: I could just make out her beady eye on me from her camouflaged position. Just shows you how few people have been approaching the front door lately though, doesn’t it!