tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59371282012-01-04T10:32:48.170ZThe transformation of 2 acres in South Wales from flooded field to garden.Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.comBlogger1051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-66881273982035127792011-05-30T10:30:00.004Z2011-05-30T11:26:07.391Z

Some of the flowers that are out in the garden at the moment.....I was going to spend the day in the garden today, but rain stopped play !!

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-173946623586038852011-05-24T19:41:00.001Z2011-05-29T19:47:33.133Z

A quick wander around the garden and I came across this, no longer having the protection of the woods this tree and a couple of others decided to come down in the strong winds. This was the only one that came into the garden, the others are precariously leaning into the trees beside the brook....I hope the wind doesn't change direction! Anyway the tree is now fire wood for next winter.....

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-76841182262787791532011-04-24T19:01:00.003Z2011-04-24T19:13:24.738Z

Ok, ok I know its a long time since I posted on this blog, but hopefully I'll be posting some pictures of the garden soon, all the Rhododendrons and azaleas are just coming into bloom and its looking pretty good....Apart from tomorrow (Mon 25th APr) we will be open every afternoon till the 2nd May, I'll then post our opening days from then.Our NGS garden openings this year are:June 19th 1-6pmJuly

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-44935654702204174022010-04-28T10:19:00.001Z2010-04-28T10:23:31.573Z

This blog is now located at http://ochranmill.blogspot.com/. You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here. For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to http://ochranmill.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-79860936375291137992008-09-26T09:11:00.010Z2008-10-29T17:21:25.729Z

Last Sunday Ochran Mill played host to the First Annual Welsh Classic Pinball Open. As anyone who has visited the garden will know we house a collection of early solid state pinbal machines from the 70s and 80s, for the competition other collectors brought along several machines of this era as the competition was specifically for older machines. The Classic was approved by the International

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-59631341565476829932008-03-14T23:06:00.002Z2008-03-14T23:16:51.129Z

Life is so busy at present I have spent very little time in the garden. I hope this weekend to make a big effort to start clearing the herbaceous borders, I have 20tons of manure dumped at the bottom of the lane to spread. We have already had people asking if we are open yet, apparently we were last Easter!!Failing starting this weekend the Easter holidays are booked for work in the garden, so I

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-65432210456227315862007-07-14T22:02:00.000Z2007-08-03T22:04:47.109Z

In the third in our series on summer gardens to visit, Elspeth Thompson basks in the shoestring splendour of Ochran Mill.With eight children between them, and up to three foster children at a time, you wouldn't have thought Elaine and David Rolfe had much opportunity for gardening. And yet, in less than five years, they have not only created a beautiful garden from a couple of rough fields, they

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-13489526967178314432007-06-09T21:46:00.001Z2011-04-07T18:55:38.234Z

Don't forget our open evening this coming thursday (14th June 2007).We've got a licenced bar so it should bequite fun! click on the poster for a large version.Dave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-61848509056761633412007-05-06T11:01:00.001Z2011-04-07T18:56:07.364Z

Today was our first NGS opening of the year and to my untrained eye the garden seemed pretty much up together. I spent the first part of this week building a new summerhouse structure next to the pond and I was quite pleased with the results. I also cleared a bit more of the woodland path and built two new seats in the woods. Elaine was pottering about doing weeding or what ever it is she does.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-5139917400348114122007-03-29T20:02:00.000Z2007-03-29T20:33:49.068Z

We've got the waterfall in the ponds working now, and moved in some of the fish from the waterwheel pond. Millions of tadpoles now inhabit the wildlife pond which give the children endless hours of interest. Further around the garden the hellebores and daffodils planted last year are in full bloom and very colourful. My bargain £5 camellias have flowered their socks off above the ponds.The new

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-14279610561982304682007-03-06T21:15:00.000Z2007-03-07T21:37:11.493Z

Yesterday after heavy rains the herbaceous garden has flooded in parts, the worst since moving here nearly 5 years ago . Our usual fast flowing brook rose by about 1m during the day. We also have rivers flowing through the woodland gardens down the slope. During the night the river has risen even further resulting with it bursting its banks into the garden, most of the debris is sand and bark

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-53885363049914894502007-02-20T21:08:00.000Z2007-03-07T21:14:35.942Z

We've had even more snow today, totally un-forcast(whats new)! We had more than yesterday, about 10" in all. Traffic has been very slow moving on the main road. It started snowing at 7.20am and continued until about 5pm. Of course the children were delighted, 2 days off to play in the snow.They've managed to make a roof for their igloo, so thats kept them busy for the best part of the day.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-5955625884162682772007-02-08T15:08:00.003Z2007-02-08T17:23:35.061Z

The snow fell as predicted overnight and by the morning was about 6" deep, the most we've seen in our 5 years here. The children have the day off school so are busy building an igloo in the field. The pond that has been frozen for the past 5 days is the only clear area.The view from the field across the river. The chinchilla's seem to be absolutely fine in their avairy. We put some clear plastic

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-47076815508701926772007-02-02T19:19:00.000Z2007-02-03T19:59:17.526Z

I didn't think I had done much out on the raised circle, but judging by the photo I reckon I've worked quite hard..good job the weather is so nice at the momment, I've been working in a t-shirt for a couple of days. I've filled in too much of the circle with poor soil from other parts of the garden, so the back area that I'm still digging out will be going down to raise some of the beds back up

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1170102864223689802007-01-27T20:13:00.000Z2007-01-29T20:40:25.160Z

This stunning sunset really was this colour, we woke up one morning with the bedroom clouded in pink, it was quite spectacular, it went within 10 minutes to be replaced by a much paler version.The temperature today reached 13degrees, rather warm for this time of year. I noticed 2 butterflies on the Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill', it smelt wonderful too, luckily I was working in the bed just

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1168114757313514322006-11-29T20:07:00.000Z2007-01-06T20:19:17.326Z

This is the view from our bedroom window, towards the woodlands. We get a good view of the pond, and the dining area, and usually see what the children are up to.I quite often spend time looking out over the garden, making plans of what I'd like to do next. Its a good exercise in disipline, as I always make far too many plans, and have to reduce all the ideas in line with the space I have

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1164317893121602082006-11-23T21:18:00.000Z2006-11-23T21:47:52.820Z

I managed to line the ponds with extensive carpet donations, this hopefully protects the liner and stops the moles digging through and ruining the pond, perhaps the weight of the water will stop too much damage...they just seem to dig under the swimming pool. With the help of one of the children I managed to get the liner laid out in an afternoon, it looks easy, but I assure you its not..I waited

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1162245982013610062006-10-07T14:32:00.000Z2006-10-31T16:29:11.436Z

The roses on the arbour have been flowering for weeks now, even some of the clematis have recovered from being stuck in pots at the garden centres and put on an impresive display, next year should be stunning. The wildlife pond at last has been dug out and I've managed to get some old carpet to line the bottom, m'spouse is getting a bit fed up of me stopping at every skip to see if they've got

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1162401861833080212006-09-09T17:13:00.000Z2006-11-01T17:30:50.483Z

Back Garden of the YearStephen Anderton begins his countdown of the winning plots: Week one, the runners up"Some journalists are sent to war zones; I get to look round gardens, which is fine by me. My idea of heaven, in fact. And in June I was looking round your gardens, judging the shortlisted entries in this year’s best back garden competition; what wonderful places there were to see –

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1162243806684265662006-09-09T15:17:00.000Z2006-10-31T16:48:44.950Z

I don't think I've posted any pictures of the dining area now its sort of finished. I've built a retaining wall about 1' high out of left over stone to hold back the soil and also to define the area. We serve cream tea's at weekends if the weather is nice, and it has proved very popular. The steps are still not finished as the stump at the top has proved very difficult to remove, we're going to

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1162242871196985142006-08-01T16:57:00.000Z2006-10-31T16:32:03.693Z

I've made a start on digging out the ponds, the lower edge I'm building up slightly to reduce the digging, I've also laid a waterproof membrane punctured in places under this area to create a bog garden. Run off from the pond will probably help keep this area wet too. I've moved some of the top soil to the area behind the shed as this needed building up, some of the turf has been relaid there in

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1162241161241619972006-07-17T20:22:00.000Z2006-10-31T16:34:09.080Z

As usual I decided on a new project. We had a couple of cool days so I decided to hire the turf cutter again (the hire shop did say they were going to visit as they didn't believe we could possibly have any grass left in the garden!) The lower area was crying out for development, and whilst I had promised the children I would leave them some grass to play on, I decided that I'd like a pond. Then

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1150923949078295962006-06-15T20:57:00.000Z2006-10-31T16:44:41.590Z

The bog garden as usual is very green and lush, occasionally we get a chance to sit down in this area, not very often I'd admit. From down in the forgotten bottom corner you can still just see the house, its a quiet corner without many colours apart from green of course.The steps are maturing nicely now, I seem to have lost quite a number of plants over the winter, one of my callistemons has died

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1147896713033725442006-05-11T19:47:00.000Z2006-05-17T20:11:53.050Z

Peace at last...The garden was very glad of all the rain we've had recently, in its effort to recover from the trampling of over 300 people. The Urn is the one I got myself for my Birthday, I had to move the previous statue by Henry Moore to the new area in the front garden, this urn seems in keeping size wise. The cherry trees have flowered their socks off this year, the best yet. This Ceanothus

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1147557877562271712006-05-07T21:46:00.000Z2006-05-17T20:13:56.486Z

Far from the madding crowds ? Not likely, in the thick of it I'd say. Had absolutely lovely weather, despite the forcast all week suggesting heavy showers on Sunday. Auntie Sue arranged the teas, in aid of raising money for her boys to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats, in order to raise money for Ty Hafen, a Welsh Childrens Hospice. They are part of a party of 12, hers are 13, and 16. Good

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1147641549059156922006-04-25T21:08:00.000Z2006-05-14T21:19:09.073Z

The pergola is finally up and finished, just have to put some climbers in. I've got a Wisteria 'Amethyst', an Actinidia, and a Trachelospermum jasminoides, not sure what else to plant, I would prefer not to put anything in with thorns, and I'd prefer that it doesn't really need to be cut back too much, and gives a good canopy of shade during the summer months.The back circle has greened up very

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1145480156408407812006-04-19T20:39:00.000Z2006-04-19T20:55:56.483Z

Better late than never, the grass has suddenly started to green up and grow. The hyacinths are in full bloom and have grown very tall this year, and have survived outside ok for 3 years now. The two new areas have been planted, but it still looks very sparse at present, I'm sure in the course of the year I will be able to fill these beds to overflowing..Movement in the dining area too. After

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1144789829615337242006-04-08T17:54:00.000Z2006-04-11T21:10:29.706Z

We've had quite a few reasonable days over the last week, so we've managed to get on a bit more. I've started laying the turf cut by the turf-cutter, but as some has been rolled for quite some time now it has started to go yellow, I'm sure with a week or so of light it will recover in time for summer! With the chainsaw down we have got a bit behind and with it being the school holidays, have not

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1144788663005668252006-04-01T20:39:00.000Z2006-04-11T20:51:03.066Z

At last it has stopped raining for a few hours, enabling us to actually get in the back garden and try and reinstate some order and correct the damage we have done! M'spouse has been busy building a retaining wall around the new round grass area, this has envolved moving soil from some of the newly un-turfed areas.I seem to have been moving barrowloads of turf and soil to this area. We have put

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1143230213978472242006-03-24T19:30:00.000Z2006-03-24T19:56:54.040Z

Just as I was getting the garden sorted, I had a brainwave (luckily I don't have them very often), I sat and drew a new plan for the back garden. Originally I just stuck beds in where there was a space, as long as they had a path between them (as the children requested) it didn't matter. But looking out of our bedroom window I knew something wasn't quite right with the whole area. So I started

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1142169391549128542006-03-12T13:12:00.000Z2006-03-12T13:16:32.003Z

Even more snow!!! I know it was forcast, but that could mean anything these days. Its quite a lot deeper this time, and more is due tomorrow I've been told. The bamboo has been reduced to 3' by the weight of the snow, and I know I should be out shaking the snow off the branches, but it looks so nice as it is, i'll wait (and regret it later).The children are having a fun time making giant

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1141768734036773512006-03-07T21:27:00.000Z2006-03-07T22:21:54.210Z

Right, here are the 2 stumps that I have got to remove before I can continue the steps. I had hoped they would be rotten like a lot of the others I have taken out, but I don't think they are, and of course the chainsaw has gone to be mended, because it has a hole in the piston apparently.Hope you can make out the steps, they go a long way up, hopefully I will be able to grow a lovely white rose

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1141244552628953442006-03-01T20:17:00.000Z2006-03-04T16:40:22.070Z

It has been saying for days on the news & weather that we would be having snow. We woke this morning to a blanket of snow, school was cancelled and the children were out at 7.30am playing, why can't they manage this on a normal day???By teatime half of it was gone, but severe snow storms are forcast for tomorrow so we'll have to wait and see. The garden has far more in than 2 years ago, I took

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140821089946532912006-02-24T22:39:00.000Z2006-02-24T22:44:49.946Z

Follow the link to this years entry with our NGS opening days NGS Website.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1139912104773175942006-02-14T10:07:00.000Z2006-02-22T22:58:20.883Z

When we moved in, the area at the side of the house was the only bit that actually HAD been used as a garden within the last thirty years. Unfortunately it had deteriorated to the point where it was nothing more than the ruins of some sort of outbuilding(s) various breeze block beds and a very sorry looking pond, and millions of brambles. Add to this the fact that it had been used as a dumping

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1137360323585783002006-01-15T20:41:00.000Z2006-01-17T09:47:15.233Z

The lawn was really difficult to get right, I tried an oval then 2 circles joined together, but it still didn't look right. I took the hosepipe to it, and tried different designs, in the end the fish type shape came together, well I think it did as it was nearly dark by then.I then got the children to try out the proportions of the garden to see how they worked. I laid out the stepping-stones to

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1136492848891206942006-01-05T20:18:00.000Z2006-02-25T22:00:19.843Z

Beginning of August came and went, thought I hadn't got through and would receive a letter in post to confirm that. Got back in one day, one of the children said some funny women had phoned and would call back later...Got them to listen to a previous message on the answerphone and sure enough it was Rosemary Edwards, so waited nervously. Of course general emergency, the children always manage

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1136323241051475512006-01-03T20:36:00.000Z2006-01-05T20:16:49.216Z

Some time in April 2005, I decided to enter BBC Gardener of the Year 2005. I'd tried the year before but didn't even receive an entry form, something to do with the huge amount of spam they get..they now have a downloadable form.Anyway duly found 6 photos of the garden, filled in the forms and sent them off. No receipt so forgot about them, didn't even know if they'd arrived, closing date 7th

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1135979815378523392005-12-30T21:55:00.000Z2006-01-01T22:55:28.200Z

As promised here are some more detailed pictures of the 'show' garden. According to my camera's highly accurate built in clock the six pictures below were all taken between 11:57 and 12:01 on the last day. So how come they showed Elaine hurriedly filling pots to the soundtrack of 'look for the hero inside' after Monty announced that everyone could have an extra hour? Well mainly because they

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1135899999110927492005-12-29T23:36:00.000Z2005-12-29T23:46:56.873Z

Well we finally got to see the show tonight (actually we watched at 2:30pm on BBC2 Northern Ireland to check just HOW embrassing it was before sitting down with all the family). The children were naturally enough very embarrassed, the second eldest had to suffer the indignity of all her freinds ringing to see if it was really her mum. She started off by trying to convince them it was her aunt

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1134940681529471282005-12-18T21:14:00.000Z2005-12-18T21:24:48.903Z

You may have noticed that we were not on the telly tonight as advertised in the January issue of Gardeners World, the show has in fact been rescheduled to appear on Thursday December the 29th at 8:00pm on BBC2 analogue (thats plain old BBC2 as far as most of you are concerned). Once we have dealt with the embarrasment of everyone watching us I will post a more detailed behind the scenes expose

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140906011910200732005-09-27T12:16:00.000Z2006-02-25T22:20:11.923Z

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1126986680445010602005-09-17T19:43:00.000Z2005-09-17T19:51:20.450Z

Since we have been back from the bbc we have both had trouble adjusting to normal life. For my part I have put many hours hard work into conditioning myself to once again accept a life consisting mostly of eating, drinking and sleeping and so far I am very pleased with what I have managed to achieve. Elaine, however, has kept herself busy by volunteering to redesign the school garden. The

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140903164394596022005-08-27T21:24:00.000Z2006-02-25T21:32:44.396Z

Growth in the garden has been exceptional this year, I think we had quite a lot of rain here compared to the last 2 years, the only really hot month was July where in previous years most of the summer has been unbearable. The first April we moved in the temp was in the 70's and we had dinner outside nearly every day. Hopefully I will be able to devote as much time as I have this year to keeping

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1127230514104485202005-07-25T15:31:00.000Z2005-09-20T15:35:32.416Z

The judges arrived today for the final judging as promised. I suspect that their decision had already been made before they arrived as they left us with a finalist (runner up) plaque although they didn't say one way or the other, most confusing. Anyway the plaque looks great in the garden and I think Elaine is hoping it will be the first of many.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1126987647945516332005-07-11T20:05:00.000Z2005-09-17T20:16:50.256Z

Elaine got a call today from the producer of Gardeners World to let her know that she is in the final twenty for Gardener of the Year!!She had to answer 20 question which I think she found a bit stressful, and two people from the BBC are coming to take some video to allow the next stage of judging to take place.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140823350568069172005-07-10T23:20:00.000Z2006-02-24T23:38:50.433Z

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1126987239685898362005-07-10T19:54:00.000Z2005-09-17T20:00:39.686Z

Today was the NGS open day and definitely the hottest day so far this year. We had almost 100 people pay to get in the garden, and as we were open in conjunction with another garden the total number of visitors was around 300. People seemed to stay a long time and we were surprised by the number of places they found to sit. It was very strange to look across the gravel area and see so many

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1141770456380876362005-06-27T22:23:00.000Z2006-03-07T22:27:36.380Z

I'm not sure who took these photo's but as they were nice ones I've decided to include them. Its nice seeing pictures that somebody else takes, I seem to take mine from the same places, so its like seeing the garden through somebody elses eyes.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140560581779026502005-06-06T22:09:00.000Z2006-02-22T21:46:25.373Z

The Alliums have been growning really well, the hosta's don't seem to have had too much damage from slugs, although I must admit to putting a small amount of slug pellets down when they were just starting to come up (I do try and hide them from the birds etc).The sunken bed gets rather overwhelmed at this time of year, the growth is so lush. The orange rose is recommended "Warm Welcome", it seems

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1126819164956838982005-06-06T21:14:00.000Z2005-09-17T20:02:12.130Z

Charles Hawes a nationally known photographer who happens to live relatively near arrived today and took this flattering picture of herself, along with several others to appear in the Saturday Magazine. Suffice to say that her normal garden attire was not nearly smart enough for the occasion. Charles has an excellent garden of his own that is well worth a visit.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1126818701862417812005-06-04T21:00:00.000Z2005-09-15T21:24:24.243Z

We received a letter from the Daily Mail today confirming that we are through to the final six and promising tickets for Hampton Court. Also a photographer will be contacting us to arrange a visit - all very exciting

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140644583110007392005-06-03T16:28:00.000Z2006-02-22T21:43:03.156Z

The primulas are getting more spectacular each year, the judges for the Daily Mail were amazed by them, these were the ones I grew from seed, some are from RHS Harlow Carr which is quite famous for theirs.The bogpond area is very lush already this year, the blue siberican irises are stunning against the greens. The whole area here seems very calming and relaxing. I have placed some chairs on the

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1126727955821987152005-06-01T19:56:00.000Z2006-02-25T21:50:52.973Z

The Daily Mail judges, David Stevens and Hamish Webb, arrived today at 8:30 to decide whether or not we should progress to the next level. we had been too busy getting things ready to take any photos in the last few days, so here are some we took after they left.The summerhouse finally has a roof, complete with a cast iron nipple that was originally the lid of an urn, sold at our local salvage

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140904134670454492005-05-27T21:35:00.000Z2006-02-25T21:51:40.210Z

Here we are getting the garden looking good for judging by the Daily Mail Judges. I'm just recovering from a major abcess in my tooth, had finally got to sleep because of the pain, when I get a call from the Daily Mail can the judges come and see my garden next week....panic, if you'd seen the garden a week ago you'd have been shocked, in parts it was full of 3' high stinging nettles and other

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1117011810637056742005-05-25T09:02:00.000Z2005-05-25T09:07:08.106Z

The good news in that Elaine has been chosen as one of the final eleven in the Daily Mail Gardener of the Year competition and the judges are visiting next week.The bad news is the judges are visiting next week so all our friends and relatives and even people we have met on the street are going to be helping out with the weeding.Plus I have moved the site to another server so some pictures may be

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140641990449964532005-05-17T20:36:00.000Z2006-02-22T21:10:57.940Z

This was the first time I came across a Scillia 'Peruviana' it is absolutely stunning. There are many of them dotted around the gravel area's of Abbey Dore, and its on my 'must have plants' list, unfortunately there were none available here.I love Abbey Dore gardens and have been several times this year all ready. Its one of those gardens you can keep going back to, there is so much interest here

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140639888485146762005-04-25T19:50:00.001Z2006-02-22T21:26:23.926Z

The long border is already looking full of colour, the tulips are mainly from last years bargins, I'm really pleased that they have survived and even flowered again. I have lost some down in the bottom border by the wall, but it gets quite damp in places down there so perhaps this is why. I planted them at least a spades depth to stop them producing babies, so I think this has worked well. This

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140993111289673912005-04-25T17:18:00.000Z2006-02-26T22:31:51.310Z

The main graden is full of colour with the tulips and camassia. The flowering cherries seem to get heavier with blossom each year. I was looking at a picture of them when I first planting them and they have grown considerably in the 3 years.The azalea's are vibrant colours, I'm not sure what a lot of them are as I just dotted them in, many of them are unlabled so I wasn't sure, I suppose if

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140561998903394262005-03-23T19:33:00.000Z2006-02-21T22:50:18.070Z

At last the daffodils are all out in glorious bloom, all that hard work months ago in the cold pays off a million times (well perhaps not a million). But hopefully these will be enjoyed for many many years in the future.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140561518204463912005-03-06T18:29:00.001Z2006-02-21T22:45:01.986Z

Here are the hundreds of hellebore seedlings that I have managed to transplant from the garden. I have some more saved for NGS days. It takes 3 years from seed to flowering at least so I have no idea what the flowers will look like. Hopefully some of the will be really nice.This is the new area I have just dug over in the back garden. The children are not happy as they play football near this

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140819514301693142005-02-27T22:13:00.000Z2006-02-24T22:37:26.310Z

I have at last had 5 minutes to start thinking about some more beds in the back garden. I have very many (as have so many) plants waiting for homes, because I tend to pick up all the reduced plants at the end of the seasons I have a large pile of plants ready to go in, which whilst I'm waiting is annoying but when I have made a bed its brilliant because I can usually fill it with what I have

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1108040039301565192005-02-10T13:47:00.000Z2005-02-10T12:53:59.300Z

I was very pleased to see that we will be listed in the ngs yellow book this year, and are now featured on their website. Unfortunately as they have a link to this site it's about time we pulled our collective fingers out and did a few updates. As Elaine will have her hands full getting the garden ready I will most probably get the job of doing the updates, so don't be surprised if a few of the

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140647072036936382004-10-18T22:20:00.000Z2006-02-24T22:08:15.440Z

I have at last made a start on the back garden. These are all my bargain shrubs underplanted with daffodils. I will probably plant some geraniums for ground cover over the summer, and hopefully some asters for the autumn. There is little point having too much of the herbaceous stuff as the children will just kick their footballs into the beds. This will be a spring and autumn garden.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140818774810533182004-10-18T17:52:00.000Z2006-02-24T22:06:14.823Z

One day I hope to make this into the next part of the woodland bed. Its covered with nettles, although a load of foxgloves did self seed here earlier in the spring. I've been cutting the grass in the shape of the border, hopefully I might get some time in the winter to dig it out.These beds are still going strong, I wish in a way we could have a hard frost and I could have a good clear out. This

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140646008442644432004-09-05T21:55:00.000Z2006-02-22T22:06:48.453Z

The growth in the garden has been astronomical this year, I can't believe we've only been here just over 2 1/2 years. I have manured the ground quite well in the spring but there seems to be some other force at hand.Again the bamboo by the bog pond has grown from a couple of canes to a huge clump, its also doubled in height.The growth is amazing, this garden looks like its been here for

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1089375486415913832004-07-09T12:17:00.000Z2004-07-09T12:47:03.726Z

One day to go and this is how the garden is looking. We seemed to have a peak about 2 weeks ago and since then a few plants seem to have gone over and got a bit straggly (excuse me if this is not the correct hortcultural term but this is Dave posting and I'm definitely NOT a gardener). But now after a lot of deadheading and even more weeding the garden is looking it's best again. Having said

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1089369508899823942004-07-09T10:37:00.000Z2004-07-09T10:38:28.900Z

I have now added the facility to leave comments on each idividual post, so if you have any questions or opinions on a particular post please feel free to leave your two penneth worth.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1089368729304797082004-07-09T10:20:00.000Z2004-07-09T12:03:45.850Z

Next week we are opening the garden for the first time, to a local gardening club as well as the public, so I thought it was about time I did some work rather than leaving it all up to Elaine. As the millwheel hasn't been cleared out since just after we got here the weeds, elder in particular, were starting to obscure the wheel. I had to climb right down in to the millrace to clear it out and

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140645253241474792004-05-03T16:47:00.000Z2006-02-22T21:54:13.243Z

The bottom borders tulips are in flower, mostly pinks of various colours of course. The growth generally in the garden is good, won't be long and we won't be able to see any soil .The colours in the tulips really brighten up the garden at this time of year, and remind me what colours the borders will progress too. These really dark tulips are 'Queen of night', and 'Hero' a lovely peony type. I'm

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1082060652983795802004-04-09T00:26:00.000Z2006-02-19T20:26:01.730Z

Lilies are starting to erupt everywhere now, they looked stunning last year when they were put in late, so hopefully being in a year they have multiplyed amazingly, hemerocallis are appearing everywhere, and the lupins and delphiniums are putting on masses of greenery.Some colour in the main borders other than green! Hyacinths, I think, blue sky jacket, the smell is lovely.The euphorbias in the

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1082060375991147872004-04-04T09:21:00.000Z2004-04-15T20:50:51.140Z

Things are definately starting to happen in the garden, its getting greener, the borders have considerable new growth in them and I am mowing the lawn once a week already. Quite a lot of new growth down this end of the garden too. I've planted a lot of new roses and clematis down by the bottom wall to get growing up the fence work. It might take a year or two to get established but hopefully it

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1082060124954665902004-03-19T20:12:00.000Z2004-04-15T20:37:51.810Z

A sunny, wet day produces yet another rainbow, since moving to Wales we see so many rainbows now, especially in this valley. The garden still seems to be in dormant state. Still not much happening in the garden, the euphorbias are starting to open their buds, but thats about all. This is Euphorbia wulfenii a lovely bright acid yellow/green, it really brightens the garden up, I must try and cut

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1078866063384161312004-03-09T20:52:00.000Z2004-03-09T21:28:36.123Z

The new orang Utan enclosure! Well I don't think we will be escaping for a while, from the road side the fence only looks about 6' high, but from the garden its probably 10' high by the river. We ended up altering it after the snow as it looked all askew, mainly because there are so many horizons available, with the wall, both roads, pavement, and soil levels. I've planted a few more climbing/

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1077828464180267712004-02-26T20:45:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:24:35.233Z

1pm Snow has been falling for about 10 minutes, real proper snow, the sort on Christmas cards, I don't suppose it will come to much. 3pm 4" deep snow now, all the kids sent home from school for massive snowmen building in the back garden. The structures are now well defined. 3pm Looks really bitter and cold, but the kids managed about an hour outside without the usual crying of freezing hands.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1077374908503117792004-02-18T14:47:00.000Z2004-02-28T09:13:24.280Z

The long awaited polytunnel..We managed to get second hand hoops and bought the new cover. It only took myself and th'spouse 2 days to put up, including all the usual interruptions, I was well impressed. Even sadder - a view of the inside - the staging is yet to be built, but I'm afraid th'spouse had been volunteered to put a computer suite in at the school during half term. He's requested that I

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1076702099471832902004-02-11T07:54:00.000Z2004-03-02T20:17:03.403Z

Ok the long awaited trip to Painswick, after finding our way through Gloucester eventually, taking the very scenic route around and about we got there. The gardens were nice, we expected it to be a little bigger, apart from the snowdrops there didn't seem to be many other spring flowering plants about. M'spouse who I'd managed to persuade to drive for us (with the promise of food) was not happy

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1077659545340231772004-02-06T09:52:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:37:28.343Z

The snowdrops are in full bloom now, with last years hellebores just starting to open their flowers. The new thingy joining the two beds, the beds are still well defined, although the stream bed is looking a tad untidy. The base of the summerhouse still here waiting, the bulbs in the surrounding bed are starting to emerge, I've planted nearly 3,000 bulbs this spring (some of them were tiny)(Oh

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1076017785561888142004-02-05T21:49:00.000Z2004-02-05T21:57:11.043Z

As the road into Abergavenny was closed due to flooding and I couldn't nip into town for a cooked breakfast, th'spouse very kindly found something for me to do lest I should suffer unduly from boredom. With her help I put up the new wooden structure you can see on the right, despite what seemed like endless interruptions including the man from customs and excise turning up. She tells me the

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075750934318837252004-02-02T19:42:00.000Z2004-02-20T21:58:46.250Z

If th'spouse doesn't post for a few days then the likelihood is that she is too depressed after her entry to The RHS/Anthony Nolan Trust Garden competition didn't win. The rejection letter arrived Saturday morning but we are all trying not to mention it as we tiptoe around the house.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1076172419040403112004-01-31T16:42:00.000Z2004-02-12T18:43:14.140Z

What a great day out, I went with Nanny up to Ashwood Nurseries and met Grannie & Grandad up there for the open day. We had a tour of the nursery, we tried unsuccsesfully to smuggle one of their breeding plants out - they were huge - and then had a look in the polytunnels with all their for sale hellebores. Grannie spent over £400 but she got some amazing plants a load of doubles which she

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075465120495228802004-01-30T12:18:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:40:16.123Z

Wet and cold today, I love going out into the garden to see what is new, the snowdrops don't seem to have been affected by the cold and the piddly bit of snowy stuff we had here. My poor hellebores still seem droopy, they may pick up if the temp rises. Last year at this time the garden looked very bare, but there are a few more evergreens this year, I decided to increase the winter garden with my

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075292298918449132004-01-28T12:18:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:40:48.936Z

I've been waiting to take some photos of the garden covered in the 5 inches of snow we have been promised all week, but the nearest we got was this slight covering in the distance on the slopes of the Sugar Loaf. As you can see the garden is quite bare at the moment but I daren't take any close-up pictures in case I inadvertantly show you any weeds Elaine is trying to hide, so you will have to

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1074934628305102892004-01-12T08:57:00.000Z2004-01-24T12:23:27.123Z

This is part of my recent entry for the Anthony Nolan Trust Garden at this years RHS Show at Hampton Court. Hopefully I will at least win a Blue Peter Badge.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075295579616629832003-11-05T13:22:00.000Z2004-02-04T11:30:57.420Z

Our RHS course college group had a school outing to Westonbirt, the colours were really outstanding this year because of the long hot summer, there is a technical reason for the various colours to do with sugars but I probably wasn't paying as much attention as I should (as usual) and can't remember all the details. I'm quite impressed with my photos - perhaps I should give up the gardening and

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960303531909014089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1074890500471820642003-09-12T00:41:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:49:33.936Z

After this years amazing temperatures and sunny weather and no rain, I'm amazed the garden has done so well. I have watered once or twice (the local council watered their hanging baskets around the town), I did concentrate on the newly planted areas. What an improvement these beds have filled out nicely, with the phlox still flowering well. The tree is a Paulownia tomentosa - The foxglove tree. A

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075849872944517402003-08-01T11:09:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:42:30.856Z

Taken up a ladder leaning on the garage roof, the beds are getting established now. You can see the river on the right hand side of this picture, and you can nearly not see the road, I'd like to try and screen the road more perhaps with some kind of fencing on the wall at the bottom of the garden.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075847698774592282003-07-27T10:34:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:43:07.590Z

Just thought the colours came together really well in this bed, hard to believe this is only 4 months old this planting, next year it will be overflowing, we probably won't be able to see the birds in there, just need to finish it off. No 7's bed by the house is starting to grow, he enjoys going to the market in the summer holidays and buying plants for it.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075845163908966042003-07-11T09:52:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:44:23.390Z

Taken from the bathroom window this gives an overall impression of the size and layout of the garden, it's about 1/2 acre. At last the steps have a covering. We decided not to use gravel (there are plans to quarry the gravel and sand from the River Usk, 1 mile from us and cause huge problems)so we are using our shredder that doesn't shred it chips instead. The wood is all the small dead branches

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1078861349226917612003-06-27T19:27:00.000Z2004-03-09T21:26:52.450Z

The long border is looking full now and I was worried that they would look empty this year. The steps are still no further along it seems, will have to do them myself I reckon. Have got temporary posts in round the sunken bed, hopefully th'spouse will think they look so naff he will replace them. I love the colours in this border, even the lupin does appear to be blue. A lilac colour pansy has

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075820784651422022003-06-16T15:04:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:44:54.436Z

The primulas are stunning now, I've just sown 2 pots of Harlow Carr hybrids from the RHS Seed list, so if they germinate I'll have to extend the stream bed

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1140817881670880892003-05-28T21:44:00.000Z2006-02-24T21:51:21.683Z

This is one of the NGS Gardens we visited for inspiration, I'd love a pond like this one, its fed by natural springs running through the property. The children loved exploring this bit, we hope to go back again in the next couple of years. The owners are getting on now and have just started employing a gardener.The view from the garden is stunning, we could make out the mountain behind our house

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075819223910784222003-05-11T14:29:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:45:51.950Z

This area by the front door was sort of here when we moved in. The painted white wall surrounding it was awful and the area much larger ( I wish I had kept it big now). We replaced the wall with some sleepers, child No 7 has taken it on with the colour theme orange (because of his hair) and blue (because of Thomas the tank engine). The steps have been dug out at long last ready to be filled with

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075817957118169062003-04-23T14:17:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:46:28.483Z

The borders are already starting to look full, I've started digging the bed for the sunken area, impatient as always there are plants in already. The avairy bed is growing too, I hope by the summer it will look overgrown. We've been sunbathing in the polytunnel a few times, and with the wood burning stove in the pool, we've actually been swimming....roll on summer. More spring growth here all

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075470775317860622003-03-27T13:49:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:48:48.483Z

Just another view of the toilet bed with some planting. I have ferns by the mushrooms as the majority of the day it is shaded, the overflow from the gutters pores down by here too and seems to made it quite damp. Just starting to show signs of life after the winter months, we get a lot of trouble from hairy bitter cress and creeping buttercups in this area, I tried spraying with roundup which

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075467686293756792003-03-17T00:59:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:58:47.936Z

Whilst I realize this just looks like markings on the grass, this will be the basis for the new beds in the garden. This area will be the sunken area to hide and relax in the sun, with the dominant colouring of orange and yellow. We call this the grave bed, because of the pile of soil at the end - I think one of the children was buried there - that's the rumor going around. This bed will

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075849638234248962003-01-05T11:08:00.000Z2004-03-02T19:59:39.610Z

Garden frosty, wall looks stunning, so glad we've got one although could do with it a lot higher at the bottom of the garden to hide the awful road and traffic. The stream doesn't seem to freeze up in the frosts, probably as it does still trickle constantly, don't know if the newts have survived I suppose we'll see in the spring.

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075467301016068412002-10-02T00:53:00.000Z2004-03-02T20:04:17.186Z

Just before the big autumn tidy up. A few things get left to spring to cut back but I prefer to tidy the borders and apply the manure before the spring, once the bulbs and flowers start getting going its very difficult to get the stuff in the right place and not bury everything. The view down the garden again, the annual bedding I put in this year is so full of colour, until the borders get

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075414934469149272002-09-12T22:09:00.000Z2004-03-02T20:05:55.996Z

I can't believe how well everything has grown here, the soil is light and sandy with a ph 6-7 and a high potash level, I will be putting well rotted manure on in the autumn so that should get some more nutrients into the soil. This is one of my favorite views back to the house, the bog garden has done extremely well for 6 months old. We decided to make it larger than originally intended as I kept

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937128.post-1075330488132648072002-07-15T10:51:00.000Z2004-03-02T20:07:12.373Z

The bog garden has grown so much in the few months we have been here, obviously the wet ground has made it ideal for the plants that have been growing in pots for far too long This rose I believe is Rosa Pauls Scarlet Clg. one of about 5 roses growing along the wall when we arrived, these were the only plants we found here, which was disappointing given the age of the mill I had hoped to find

Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587143084110425888noreply@blogger.com0