Saturday, April 14

Country Garden


When I left my garden in 2010 to go to NY, It was looking like this 

When I returned in 2011, It looked like this


Clearly things were in need of attention!
I thought a lot about what to do,
start again?..... but there were so many plants in there
dig everything out ?.... where would I put them , would they survive?
In the end I decided
to divide the bed into sections and tackle a patch at a time

So I have been using the beautiful weather we have been having in Ireland 
as the perfect opportunity to get stuck in 

Digging out the path
-above I have laid the first lot of sand over the soil 

laying the path


and more path
The paving slabs are recycled from my Mum

I also moved a lot of plants 
splitting them in half or transplanting

I acquired some new ones too

nasturtiums, Lobelia, sweet pea
waiting to be planted 


Delphiniums, Lupins, and sage all waiting to be planted

I buy most of my plants from a local gardener
he propogates everything himself....... but never knows what colour the flowers will be
So, it is a bit of a pot luck
The delphiniums he says are white to pale blue
The Lupins you can tell by their stem if they will be pale or dark
(pale having a green stem ,dark having a reddish tinge)
so It is a bit of an experiment
but that's ok
My garden will be the kind of garden that it won't matter 
I also moved things to add a little bit of formality 
like planting Alchemilla Mollis all around the edge of the path

image via Here

I want it to billow over and soften the edges 
and repeat planting the same species 
Things look better en masse 
A garden is always a work in progress
Here is some of my inspiration


 
Image via escapade


Image via house to home

Lots of colour , and variety but a little more structure 
thats the plan

This Gentleman's garden is one of my absolute favourites a real inspiration

I will show you some updates over the season
x

8 comments:

  1. Make sure that you tamp your slabs down well by putting some wood on them and tapping it with a hammer otherwise they will work loose. Also, what about some lawn chamomile?

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  2. thanks smudge, yes i have to brush in the mortar yet, waiting until all is done

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  3. A big job; however it will be worth it!!

    The garden you have planned out will be perfectly lovely!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  4. These are my absolute favourite kinds of gardens... completely overabundant and unformal. I can't wait to see your progress!

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  5. You have your work cut out, but I love the inspiration shots. reminds me of my English granny Sally's garden with all those lovely foxgloves and a big stinky compost pile in the back

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  6. Alan I have my own stinky compost heap too !! just not in shot!

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  7. All I will say is: Can there be lilacs? Ha! My heart went out to you Helen upon seeing the 2011 shot, Gosh, I remember seeing the first photo and recall thinking how much I'd loooooove all those gorgeous, wildly growing flowers...
    I can relate as I generally leave for America each July having sowed. planted and TLC'd veg/flowers/herbs, but when I return they've been dreadfully neglected. {I think it is way for my family to tell me I shouldn't go to USA so much} This year we will be here until the end of July and when we leave, come hell or high water, I will make sure someone is realllllly looking after everything because it's awful coming back to that!
    I wish you the best of success on resurrecting your garden....you have a beautiful slate to work with and probably lots of things that have yet to show their beautiful petals. When am I coming over? xx

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  8. Imen - when are you free??
    yes i love Lilacs , haven't added any yet , although I do have a buddlehia ..... a poor man's lilac

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