A Bit On The Side - 6

That's a good choice of plants there Andrew.

Is there much soil preparation left to do ?

Thanks for explaining about each of your plant choices.
Do you draw out planting plans on paper,... on computer... or all in your head ? Lol.

Louise - I'm about half way so far but this week and next I'm not likely to get much done due to other commitments

TT - first I go through my books and draw up list of suitable plants. Next it has to be whittled down to what will fit in the available space and what I can source. Then comes the bit of working out the planting plan - what plants will look good together - and buying them when I can. Some of the rarer ones are ordered for delivery next month to get it planted up this autumn as the garden is open in spring next year

lots of great plants there andrew, love the new rhododendron, lovely dark leaves, hope that soil doesnt take to long andrew, cant wait to see planted up :o))

love the rhodo...and the sambucus..i bought one on saturday i couldnt resist.....

That's going to be a very special open garden next spring ! :o)

Lovely plants Andrew. I bought the Sambucus recently too and I really like the dark lead Rhododendron.. Is that one you had to order specially?

Lily - yes, it came from Glendoick in Scotland who bred it

Is that where they bred the bird series - Curlew etc? I seem to remember a garden programme from there many years ago.

Brill plants for your new garden.

Wagger - yes, they bred a lot of small rhodos with bird names. It was owned by Peter Cox who also did some plant exploring, mainly for rhodos, in China. He and Peter Hutchinson have written a book about their experiences - "Seeds of Adventure". The nursery is now run by his son Kenneth who has produced a very comprehensive book on rhodo varieties - "Rhododendrons and Azaleas, A Colour Guide."

some super plant choices there andrew.

what do you put in the soil before planting and what do you do to control weeds while they grow Andrew? I hope you label in a good size I am so dissappointed when I cannot see what it is.

For feeding, I use a product called 6X. It's concentrated chicken fertiliser, a little goes a long way, and the plants love it. You can buy it mail order (see www.6-x.co.uk); my local Notcutts Garden Centre also stock it.
According to my neighbour, weeds don't dare grow in my garden! Seriously though, I just keep on top of them and don't let them self sow.
I don't have labels in the garden, you have to ask the gardener if you see something you don't know.

I saw concentrated chicken fertilisel last week and nearly got some for my new beds I will now, thanks Andrew. I have to label mine till I have really learnt them. Its just in some gardens there is not always some one to ask!

It's VERY strong stuff and a little goes a long way. If you use too much, you scorch the roots. During the spring tidy, I only use three sacks of the stuff and my garden is 1/3 acre.
As for labelling plants, I keep a database on my PC - plant name, where in the garden it is, date it was planted and where I obtained it. Useful for questions like "how old is your wisteria?" or "where did you get your melianthus?"

Oh to be so organised. LOL

Wagger - once you get into the routine of doing it, it's quite easy.
Bring the plants home from the buying session, write them down and add to the database
Add size and requirements (sun/shade/moisture) against each plant on the slip of paper
Use the slip of paper when planting them, bring it back indoors and update database
BACK UP DATABASE
The only difficult bit is remembering where I put the piece of paper!

Am interested in the Schizophragma - think that's how you spelt it - would like to see later pics of that as it grows. Is it fully hardy?
query Artemisia too - I planted a yellow and green one in a garden last year, supposed to get a foot high, actually got 3 feet till I cut it down - looks like the one you've got will get bigger than it should too. Nice selection, looking forward to pics when its planted up.

I have a place I would like to grow Schizophragma hydrangeoides Andrew. Is it at all schizo in its habits - do the leaves stay that lovely colour or do they go brown ? Also what to feed it?

Bamboo - schizophragma is hardy in milder areas so London should be fine for it. Size of plants - although we can only go by what the books or labels tell us, plants will do their own thing. Heavy feeding, good 'growing weather' (mild and damp) or fighting to reach the light will all draw plants up higher than we would expect.

Drc - it is deciduous so will lose its leaves for winter. They are woodland plants so I will give it a general feed in spring and some garden compost

Thanks

Thanks Andrew - just looked up Schizophragma - certainly gets big eventually. I like the look of integrifolium too, but that seems to get 40 feet! Where do you source your plants - never get anything particularly unusual or exciting here, though I'm not that far from Wisley, so sometimes find stuff there. I've been looking for Helichrysum frigidum for 4 years...

I love that Fuschia Andrew, lovely red stems and pale green leaves, have made a note of that one!

I love the red rumptytumtum (as I called rhodos as a kid!0 & I'm even more pleased that I can get it on my way home from uni! I pass Glendoik every day! They have some amazing azaleas there too!

Here in Medford, OR I am growing Valerie Finnis artemisia, Black Lace elder, and several Phygelius (a pale yellow that blends with everything, and Funfare Wine burgundy). Have you tried Salvia clevelandii "Winifred Gilman"? Subshrub with amazingly fragrant foliage, sort of musky lemon, that lingers when brushed: blue flowers radiating in a circle from a purplish pincushion center.

Sounds heavenly!!

Andrew I catalogue all my plants, and I keep all the labels, and make a note of where they are in the garden.........then I move them, if they are not happy then I move them again!!! thats when the trouble starts...... also when I look back over the labels it is rather distressing to find half have died. especially last year.
I was pleased to see your plant collection contained many of my favourites, looking forward to seeing them in their new bed.....

Bamboo - Check for your helichrysum on Plant Finder on the RHS website. I think it's only sold by a very few specialist nurseries

Orgratis - that salvia is not not I have come across and it's very common in the UK (only three stockists in the country). I will investigate further

How come everyone has flag underlined except me? I thought flag this meant to delete as inappropriate so wouldn't dare touch it!

Andrew: I'm no good with seed myself, but I'll gather some from the Salvia clevelandii "Winifred Gilman". If you want, send me a private message of where to send seed. I got it from Siskiyourareplantnursery.com just south of here in Talent, OR: they do rock garden plants mostly.

I've just caught up with this blog, Andrew - thanks for showing us the plants for the new area. I always enjoy seeing what's in your garden!

Sandra, if the one you bought on Saturday is 'Black lace' try a Clematis Red Cardinal, they look fab together.