PUSHING THE BORDERS

Thanks for all the words of encouragement, any work in the garden at the moment seems to revolve around either large amount of digging removing concrete or carrying large amounts of rock around. Several parties and a visit form the in-laws meant it wasn't the most productive weekend in the garden, so I have taken a few days off to get on with the main succulent rockery.



Sadly despite collecting fair amount of rubble during the build it will be no where near enough to do the complete L shape I would have liked, instead I will have to come up with plan B. The first section Is the smaller plants and they will get gradually bigger as they get to the end.





I am particularly pleased to get the largest of the agave montanas in the ground again.



There is another large yucca rostrata to go in between the a. montana and the a. filifera they did not handle the move well (they drop their roots as soon as they are disturbed). I have to get a post to hold it upright and don't want to risk it being blown over and damaging other plants.

Over-all even with only the first section up and the plants still in pots last night, it has brought the area around the patio together. (This photo has both yuccas in place while I sorted what was going to go where).



I need to get the succulent areas all sorted and planted by the end of the month. I am a firm believer that succulents in the ground need time to settle and put on a bit of growth before their first winter. So I never plant succulents in the ground after the end of July. I'm hoping not to have to break that rule this year.

Looking really good and as if the plants have been there for some time.

The last of the major building work on the main succulent bed is complete, I haven't carried it on around and down the fence as much as I was planning, but it does give me enough space for the main plants.



The main plants are all in, these should all be totally hardy for me and will stay in unprotected all year. The agaves are montana, bracteosa, nigra, parryi, filifera. A few different yuccas rostrata, banana split, bright star.

The front row has been left until the lawn is in. There are lots of gaps and crevices to fill with plants.





I am not going to rush filling the gaps, I have quite a few alpines and echeverias that can go in, but I really want to only use really select plants, ideally each one will be worth looking at.

I am enjoying looking around it, seeing where you get different views



It is lovely now sitting on the wall at the table looking down on the plants.





The area around the patio is now almost done, a lot of plants on the fence bed to be bought, but that can be done and is less time dependent.

Its all coming together,must be good I found myself think "those plants look good, where could I put them" fortunately I came to my senses before I killed any plants!

Your garden is really taking shape very nicely. I assume that the wooden posts are purely aesthetic?. If they are then they are a great addition although I can't work out why.

AndyC wrote:Your garden is really taking shape very nicely. I assume that the wooden posts are purely aesthetic?. If they are then they are a great addition although I can't work out why.

The wooden posts are purely aesthetic, the run through all the bits I've done so far. I hoped they would add structure to the beds and also give you different views as you looked through them. They worked better than I hoped, so I love them, but I know some people will look at them a bit strangely.

Charlie, succulents are not for everyone, like any gardening it is about what works for you. Always better to realise before you attempt something and waste time and money.

looking really good Chris. Are they all permanent plantings or will you be bringing anything in. ( I haven't the balls to leave my aloe polyphylla out for the winter! )

tony wrote:looking really good Chris. Are they all permanent plantings or will you be bringing anything in. ( I haven't the balls to leave my aloe polyphylla out for the winter! )

Tony they will all be staying planted. Most of the plants I was not worried about planting, but my seed grown agave parryi 1684, and the aloe polyphylla were two that I will be keeping an eye on. I have a few glass cloches I can cover them with which will probably happen for the first winter at least. I have also started looking at ways I can put a rain cover over whole bed if I wanted to in case of a very bad winter.

I know not to everyones liking, but i love lawns. So it was always planned to have a small one. All set out and ready to go



Then as if by magic



That is pretty much it for that end of the house end of the garden in terms of setting everything out. The brick edge needs to be re-done once the grass has settled and the front row of the rockery can be planted up, then it is onto the shade border I guess.



Now builders have left the green storage box can be moved and that will be a temp path to the garage until the garage gets moved at which point it will become flowerbed.

Your new lawn looks good Chris. I hope you have bought better quality turf than I did a few years ago which now looks like a patch of just moss and weeds.