Sunil Now that the corner border has been planted and is slowly establishing, I’m taking my foot off the gas pedal and in a sense, having a brief “Summer nap” (in contrast to the “Winter hibernation”). I’m taking a break from 5:00am starts, 15 hour days and weekends spent constantly gardening. I’ve changed pace and have recently settled for pottering around, weeding, deadheading and other small jobs. I’ve nothing large planned for the immediate future, I’ll just let the garden get on with whatever it wants to do. I think it’s a good time to have a bit of a sit down.
The view from the patio fills me with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment; it’s a good place to be and for the first time in two years, walking around the garden is relaxing, therapeutic and restorative, just as it was in our previous garden, perhaps even more so now in this one. There is still a vast amount of work to be done but we’ve restored enough borders, grown enough plants and have enough flowers that there is enough to call “a garden” and I now get a sense of excitement when I think about the next part to work on.
The three large, now complete, borders complement each other very well. Each has its own conditions, characteristics, plants and season. The middle border (Magnolia Hill) is primarily Spring flowering and by now is an interesting mass of contrasting foliage of all colours, shapes, textures and sizes. The Corner border is more exotic with Ginger Lily, palms and dahlias, it will flower in late summer and early autumn. Fruit Avenue is currently of interest in the developing raspberries, flowering clematis climbing the young fruit trees, ripening gooseberries and blueberries and at the corner of it all, in a large sparkling mass are the Leucanthemum, or Shasta Daisies, raised from seed and planted temporarily to suppress weeds, they are a spectacle in their own right.
On the odd occasions when it has been dry in the evenings, I’ve sat on the bench on the patio and looked far over the borders and my eye is always drawn to this tall mass of flowers wrapped around the rose tower (currently hosting a wineberry). As I plan the next steps for the garden and ideas run through my head, the scent of Evening Primrose wafts on the breeze, the birds call in the trees and the bright white of these daisies shine out as the daylight fades, glittering like stars into the night as the rest of the garden fades into dark.
10 comments
You have worked so hard on this garden you deserve a chance to just sit back and enjoy it! It’s a beauty! It was a pleasure to visit. :o)
Hello Tammy, it was so good to see you and I’m glad you enjoyed the garden. I’ve put the “Grow” sign in the new border to help it catchup with the ones that were planted last year. I think I’ll be moving it round to new borders and beds as they are created. I’ll also be mulling on the rain garden idea as water is pooling in the garden again after a couple of torrential rain showers!
5:00am starts, 15 hour days and weekends spent constantly gardening is too much Sunil. Do take it easy. From the pictures on your blog the garden looks great. Congratulations. Have a seat and admire your work.
Hello Alain, the schedule was rather brutal, but we just about managed to get through it. There’s always a rush as the plants are crowding in pots, waiting to be planted and the longer they’re left waiting, the weaker they get and the shorter time they’ll have to establish before winter arrives. The pressure’s off now, thankfully!
Too much like hard work used to be the phrase! But now, I’m glad that you are “master of all you survey” – like Mr Mac in reverse…… I do the planning, the organising, the deadheading, etc. and he walks the estate (all 100ft x 75ft) as if he owns the lot!! But that’s OK – I enjoy doing it, and he enjoys looking and smelling. I too have shasta daisies and you’re right, what a show they give you.
Now, Sunil, is there time for just another wee G & T?
Hello Mrs Mac, I think there may be some time to sit down and have a little relax, it might have to be inside though, given the rain showers we’ve had. I’m not sure what else to do this season, I think a little helping-hand in clearing the back parts of the garden out is in order.
It’s looking beautiful! As far as I’m concerned, the point of all the hard work is to get to the point where being in the garden is “relaxing, therapeutic and restorative.” Enjoy!
Thank you, Jean. I’m following the advice of everyone on here and taking a bit of a break. There are a few more things I would like to get done this season, but they can wait until after I’ve had a bit of a sit-down.
Now is definitely the time to relax and enjoy your creation!
Hello Jason, I’m definitely having some time-out at the moment, the days are too hot and sunny to be doing heavy gardening and most of the time I’m just pottering around, watering the nomadic patio pots and hanging baskets.