This little area was a 'scrubby area' just underneath a conifer hedge at the foot of the front garden. Last year we added quite a few new plants to add ground cover and spruce it up, most have taken well and it should burst into colour soon. Well I hope!
This area is the biggest part of the front garden. We removed a lot of unruly shrubs last year and started planting a variety of flowering perennials and new shrubs that will give some all year round colour. This spring we had a huge conifer taken down. It had grown far too large for the house and was taking a lot of light and so we have planted even more specimen shrubs and plants. One day they should give a super show of colour to what was an area with an overgrown tree casting lots of shade!
This is a little bluebell area underneath a lovely climbing rose, which is yet to burst into bloom. The first bluebell flowered in March this year, the earliest I've seen in our garden!
We have a retaining wall at the foot of the front garden, this was dominated by another huge conifer, which was taking up light and had outgrown the space it was planted in. We had this one removed too and have planted a new rockery of spring bulbs, brooms and alpines. There are also mahonias and blackberry bushes in there too.
Going round the back garden now, there is a little area planted with climbers, raspberry shrubs, rhubarb and bulbs. The raspberries are well on their way growing up the canes now and usually fill out the whole area. Last August we had a bumper raspberry crop and there is still lots in the freezer. I think I need to get on making those raspberry crumbles quick before the next crop arrive!
This is a patio sitting and dining area, covered by a pergola and surrounded by patio pots. We usually have candles, flower baskets and bunting hanging on the pergola in summer and there are climbing roses and clematis plants growing up it. I've been eyeing up a wisteria today for the pergola too - I'm thinking about it!
To the edges of the patio there are a mix of ground spreading, flowering perennials and herbs that we use in the kitchen. I'm looking to plant a few more annual herbs as soon as we are clear of the frosts.
This is an empty little corner and a work in progress. I'm preparing to make a little display on the table with alpine plants in the terracotta pots. Watch this space!
This is a shady, tranquil area near the pond, you can have a sneaky rest with a drink and watch the frogs, fish, dragonflies and anything else that happens to be going on - something usually is! Today it was a bullfinch taking a bath in the waterfall - first time I've ever seen one, but you have to look carefully at first glance I thought it was a chaffinch!
Here's the pond, we keep it, well 'unkeep' it in an ordered way should I say, so that it attracts as much wildlife as possible.
The pond has a colourful border with alpines, poppies, lilies and you will see the lovely display of forget me nots. There is a feature palm tree, bamboo and flowering shrubs and a bird table.
This is the view at the back of the pond. We removed a jungle of uninteresting shrubs and replanted it with plants that give plenty of colour to attract bees and butterflies. There is now a gorgeous copper acer in there to give some bright foliage too.
This is the garden tool shed with a little lean to green hose and used to be the vegetable area. There are a couple of raised beds where I used to plant green beans, salad, radishes, spring onions and beetroots and I'd have potatoes in their grow bags too. They all used to grow well, but the mice used to enjoy a feast every time before we could harvest them. In the end I got fed up and you might see they have been full of daffodils that have just finished - there was a fantastic display. I've just planted some wildflower seeds to come up once the daffodils have finished and died back, it should work well, it did last year!
This is a border that is further along than the shed and just in front of the summerhouse. It is a little shady and looking very quiet for now as it takes a little while for the plants to grow to their best, but it will burst into a riot of colour soon, with poppies, daisies, michaelmas daisies, hostas and a whole lot of flowering perennials.
And then there is the summerhouse - we will stop by for a cuppa or a glass of wine in there another time!
This is what we call 'the stage'! It was christened that by the previous owners of our house, who built it. It is a lovely patio cum barbeque area that is raised up higher than the rest of the very flat garden and is at the end of the garden, which catches the best of the sunlight at the end of the day.
A variety of low growing conifers make some interesting foliage display, a lovely back drop for the summerhouse!
Across from the summerhouse is an apple tree, now in full bloom. In fact it's got a a lot of flowers on it this year, so I am expecting plenty of apples in autumn.
This is a small untidy area. It's also between two large conifers. We often put grass cuttings and garden cuttings at the back, but you would be surprised at what will keep on growing there. There are aquilegas about to flower there and some old wallflowers, as well as some wildflower seeds now sprouting in the pots.
This is the main part of the left side border, it has already been in bloom with daffodils and tulips. There are forget me nots, wallflowers, aubretias and saxifrages out at the moment, but much more to come as soon as they fade. We can take a look at what is going on in there properly later!
This is still on the left side border and is at it's best at the moment. There are two Californian lilacs out, plus a carpet of bluebells edged by orange wallflowers.
A little drinking area for the birds!
That's about it, the rest of the garden is laid to lawn and there isn't too much fence. There is a mixture of laurel, hawthorn and leylandi hedging. On the one hand it is good, because there isn't too much fence to paint or blow down in the gales, but on the other hand there are an awful lot of hedges to trim. We usually have to cheat and get a gardener to come in and do it there is so much of it!
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