The vaguely green-fingered thoughts of a rambling rose.
Autumn revival
A garden is never finished, it is constantly changing, evolving and adapting. Plants outgrow their allotted space or perhaps perform poorly (or even a little too well).
As summer has definitely made way for autumn, it's time to make some changes around the garden starting with the Pink Garden which has kind of lost its direction and become a little overgrown.
I began by removing all the plants apart from the rose bushes from the terrace seat (bear with me, all will become apparent)
Whilst TMTC removed almost all the plants from the pink garden.
Yet more bricks were dug up in the process.
Plants were divided, some planted in the Long Border. The soil was improved and a manure mulch applied to the soil around the roses before repositioning the hydrangea at the back to anchor the scheme. A pathway was then created either side of the birch tree using a thick layer of bark to allow easy access to the climbers along the fence for regular tying in.
The taller plants were then placed towards the fence around the mirror. A pattern of deep pink heuchera (from the terrace seat), bergenia and pink primroses snaked along the dusky red brick edging of the bed.
The pink osteospermums also from the terrace seat join hardy geraniums, schizostylis and further berginia clumps along the edges of the bark path.
Ferns and native primroses have been replanted at the base of the tree.
More ferns with variegated hostas, lime green heucheras and clumps of hellebores are repositioned as the border becomes shadier.
The autumn division of plants will have a chance to put down new roots before winter arrives as the soil is still warm, so hopefully this bed will really get off to a flying start come spring 2018...and not a single plant was purchased.
September joy
It's the last days of the summer holidays. There is a warm glow in the garden. Already the staghorn foliage is beginning to take on its autumnal hue. The sedums are smothered in bees and the nights are drawing in.
Now all the birds have fledged, the conifer hedge has been reduced by around three feet allowing the hills to once more be viewed from within the house.
The next task will be to rearrange the Pink Garden.
But for a week or two, we will just enjoy the embers of summer before autumn is ignited.
The Big Reveal
It's been many months in creation. It began as a basic sketch from an idea rattling around in my noggin:
To a 3D model:
A computer aided design was produced thanks to Darryl who works with TMTC:
Complete with detailed measurements.
Work began with Brandon cutting and drilling the holes for each piece of steel to the specifications,
before he welded each section.
He then built the project in the workshop to ensure everything would fit together perfectly.
The Friday prior to August Bank Holiday, The Man That Can and Darryl transported it home and built it on site.
The impacted ground was dug over...
...adding the compost from the final bin to level it. The weed membrane was laid and the gravel raked back over the ground.
The steel was painted in black.
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