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Project Circle

nickya

By nickya

13 comments


My garden’s long and thin – 150 ft by 25ft wide, and it’s split into 7 different areas. In September 2011 I began to change the area I call the ‘Circle’. Here’s what I’ve done so far.

In the beginning: the borders were too thin and some of the plants couldn’t cope with the light soil, so powdery mildew was rife. I’d also added plants as I’d ‘gone along’ so it was patchy. And I went a bit bonkers on the Verbena.

Here’s the same patch looking up towards the house.

Below, the new border is drawn. I tried to draw the shape with sand, but in the end resorted to an old can of spray paint. The protected plant is a Melianthus Major. It’s October time.

Ta daaa! A new border is cut. At this point I added loads of manure – about one big bag per square metre. With such sandy soil it’s the only way to hold on to moisture. It just drains away otherwise and the plants suffer.

And here it is the other way round.

Below: June 2012, 9 months later. I’m just about to fill a few gaps with grasses and some Achillea. Give it another year and it should fill out.

Same thing. Different angle. I mulched the soil with a 6 cm deep layer of large bark chippings to retain moisture and reduce evaporation. So far, so good.

And I planted a Beech hedge to hide the play equipment. Eventually, you’ll see a 6ft high wall of Beech with an arch leading through to the kids’ area. Hopefully the Beech will provide an ideal backdrop to the plants.

Below: I included a mini bog area which has enabled me to grow Rodgersia and other moisture loving plants, such as Astilbe and Astrantia.

As you can see I had two helpers who prepared the hole for the bog.

The circle is almost finished now. I’ve just a few more plants to include, many of which are late Summer flowering, such as the Persicaria amplexicaulis Taurus. I’ll be sure to stick some more pics up soon – and this time I’ll wait for the sun to come out before I take them!
Hope you like it :).

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Comments

 

What a great job you have done, looks fantastic! X

3 Jul, 2012

 

My lot dimensions are similar to you, 40x147 but WOW, what a difference. Your layout and plantings are amazing!

4 Jul, 2012

 

What a difference! You can see the plants enjoying the new space! A job well done. :o)

4 Jul, 2012

 

This is beautiful in the space and shape you had and now transformed a stunning showpiece.

4 Jul, 2012

 

Great job....love it! :)))

4 Jul, 2012

 

Totally lovely already, it will look stunning once the plants have settled in!

4 Jul, 2012

 

Yes it looks much better like that :o)
Nice to know you've got two strong helpers ...

4 Jul, 2012

 

it looks really good. Bet your pleased with the results of all your hard work!

4 Jul, 2012

 

Thank you all SO much for your lovely comments. I have to occasionally spare my friends of my gardening obsession. Thank goodness I have a like-minded audience to share it with. Nicky.

4 Jul, 2012

 

I would love a long garden Nicky, yours is very beautiful. I also love circles and curves. Notice how much bigger your garden looks after reducing the lawn and increasing the borders :o)

6 Jul, 2012

 

Well done Nicky - your garden is looking brilliant - and you're already a talented garden designer!

6 Jul, 2012

 

Thank you Annella - my confidence is growing by the minute :) And Sheilabub, big thanks to you too. I like the way you describe your style of gardening. I'd apply 'haphazard' to mine too. The garden's one big experiment as far as I'm concerned. Don't think I could design a garden with a plant I haven't personally grown.

6 Jul, 2012

 

Your last comment is so true, Nicky . . . until we're familiar with how a plant behaves, we'd be on dodgy ground recommending it to someone else.

6 Jul, 2012

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