Cat television. The brothers seeing what's going on outside!
Sheep across the lane from us.
The end of the "wildlife" paddock!
Sun on the beech tree at the end of the wildlife paddock. I had hoped it was a copper beech, but now it's starting to turn green.
One of the more colourful plantings here - Euphorbia griffithii "Fireglow".
Across the lane - hundreds of beautiful trees in the valley beyond.
View from Tam's bedroom window.
Little Whale being handsome!
Brother Alfie by the bird feeder. The jury is out on the (I think) rather elderly lavenders. Some have been hoiked out already, but I may give these one last summer before replacing them with younger plants and some different plantings. I've already put some Gladiolis in, a rose, several Delphiniums and a perennial Wallflower.
One of the Clematis (grandiflora I think) and the support which was part of a birthday present from my son.The sun setting on the valley trees.
This week I started on one of the jobs which really needed doing - clearing the ivy from this wall. That said, with the ivy off it still isn't very pretty - shades of 60s Flintstones! - but I am going to grow a Clematis montana rubens along it. That's surely an improvement on ivy! I need to get some quick drying cement to reset loose and fallen stones which the ivy had grown behind.
Ivy - nightmare - had to remove a HUGE mass of it my last house - like 30 metres times 2 metres high! Ugh - it never quite went. So good luck with that... oh and just buy normal mortar mix from somewhere like Travis Perkins (or use a sand and cement and mix at about 4 to 1) - mix it in a wheel barrow if you like - you can pretty much just plodge it on and then brush the joints when it sets and it will look great!
ReplyDeleteIvy is never good for anywhere, trees, walls, houses. Will go for the normal mortar mix, though finding where to get stuff locally is still a learning curve! Nearest B&Q is 35 miles away, though we do have a Jewson's in town, and a very good ironmongers (Niblets).
DeleteI will put up a photo of the "after" but rain is stopping play at the moment.
The ivy that you can put up with (somewhere well away from important walls and fences) is a very valuable late autumn food source for bees, so don't discount it entirely.
DeleteTigger - see that hedge behind it? One end (probably out of sight) is holly, and this end for about 10 yards is totally ivy! Plenty up surrounding trees too, so I think the bees will still do well. Mrs Blackbird, who nests inside the holly/ivy hedge, regularly pops out quickly to eat a few ivy berries for a snack! Lots of other birds nesting along there too.
DeleteThis first springtime in your new home has to be one of exciting discoveries as the garden comes to life. Much to be done of course as you make both house and garden your own, but in terms of size and upkeep not as daunting as Ynyswen.
ReplyDeleteThe exciting discovery I DON'T want to make is to find that the many large clumps of green strap-like leaves are Day Lilies. I like them, but bad news for cats. There could be a few holes (and 4 big empty containers) in the near future.
DeleteGarden isn't as daunting as Ynyswen, BUT it has been let to go feral for quite a while. I am hoiking up weed-clad ancient membrane on the banks which has been put on over big sheets of plastic. No wonder nothing was thriving up there - the rain couldn't reach it! I will use layers of mulching instead. Still a work in progress up there. All the lawn needs edging, which is a slow and steady gets there job and as she had put down the pernicious membrane and then nice rounded stones on top, it seems to be crying out for Aquilegia seeds . . . of which I have MANY saved from last spring's flowers.
Whoever she got in to "tidy the garden" before we came merely chopped back the shrubs very badly - cutting all the flowering branches off the Magnolia stellata, not cutting the Buddleia back enough and leaving masses of dead wood on what I think started off life as a dainty Kilmarnock Willow but is now contorted and deformed with old growth. I shall leave that be though I have taken off what will break easily. The birds absolutely adore it and feel safe in there as it is next to the front feeders so I will leave as is. Plantings of one Tulip here and there will probably be removed - not astounding in impact!
Love that view from Tam's bedroom window! Beautiful! You seem to be settling in really well and doing a great job with the garden. It looks such a lovely area.
ReplyDeleteHer bedroom has TWO windows - one looking north and the other more n-e. Both have stunning views.
DeleteWe've settled in well, but none of the decorating/sorting out jobs in the house have started yet although the first of the wallpaper samples arrived today. We like them both, equally! Sod's Law!!
It doesn't take long for Mother Nature to take over a plot, does it? So even though your garden is smaller now, it sounds like it will take some heroic measures to get it under control and planted in a way that will be pleasing to you. Wishing you sunny, pleasant days to get the garden in order. Meanwhile, you've lovely views to take in when you need a break, especially as things are greening and blossoming.
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't think the membrane had ever been cleared off as there are MASSES of weeds, especially wild strawberries, but we have plenty of those around other parts of the garden too. Primroses also grow like weeds, so I am having to carefully transplant them.
DeleteThe heroic measures are a bit here and there at the moment - first cold weather and now wet - but I've bunged quite a few plants in this week and cleared a few more roots.
It's lovely. How funn to see the garden unfold for the first time. Then to pleasure of creating its future.
ReplyDeleteWhy are daylilies a problem for cats?
lizzy x
All the lily family are poisonous to cats - if they get lily pollen on their coats and lick it off, it is fatal.
DeleteOur Rhododendrons are just coming out and are - as I had already guessed - purple, the commonest colour.