The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

Making An Entrance..Flori Style..

43 comments


Hi Folks, here I am again, busy as ever in the garden, when I can dodge the continuous raindrops that is!
Have been rushing around these last few weeks on a new project in the garden and as it has just about reached completion, I thought that you might like to see just what Flori has been up to..

A smidgeon of background history first..
Our house is a stone built Victorian Cottage circa 1850, and we are the end terrace on a set of three, and though we have a fairly large private garden, we do have to share a communal courtyard.
Shared areas are always difficult to maintain, as so few want to take responsibility for their upkeep, so as our private garden leads from it, we tend to look after it for all of us.
One of my bugbears has been the old boundary line back gate and wire fence, which helped keep my rescue dog Raff secure, but was a bit of an eyesore at best.
It was used by all of us and in desperate need of replacing and updating.
Having recently renovated and transformed an indoor passageway by turning it into a Garden Room effect, I was still feeling somewhat arty and inspired, so threw myself into this project with gusto..whoever he is!

In this time of recession, when money is still so tight and we are all trying to watch the pennies, this was yet to be another project done on a budget, and this was our biggest challenge but it can be achieved..

Store bought trellis can be expensive..It seems to have shot up in price recently as have all gardening goods, including plants which seem to be at least 50% more expensive than they used to be a couple of years ago..
The OH, bless him, decided to make his own trellis work which was not only sturdier, but bespoke too!
It was also less than half the price normal Garden Centre trellis which can only be a good thing when you are watching the pennies.
The tall replacement metal gate was a bargain at £25, and the Gardman Westminster Arch became an on-line steal at only £49.99p.
A helpful neighbour, a little bit of shed guttering used in a most unconventional way, and some paint completed the new look..

We now have a really nice entrance into the courtyard which is a pleasure to walk through, and when the climbing plants have done their job and scrambled over the trellis and archway, it will be a fragrant and pleasant place to pass the time of day…The neighbours are more than happy with the end result and me? Well Flori so loves making an entrance with style..

The Communal shared Courtyard and at the back the old small metal gate and wire fence that was crying out to be replaced.

OH down on his knees removing the last of the old wire boundary..First section of home-made replacement trellis and gate in position.

Bespoke trellis and gate now in place. All done over a very wet Jubilee weekend..

Adding a bit of colour to blend in the new trellis..and giving new life to an old bench seat..If it stands still long enough..I will paint it..No wonder the husband keeps on the move! lol.

Fitting the new metal arch and trying it for size..

Intricate paintwork and picking out detail by yours truly..

Adding shed guttering by placing and securing it upside down on top of the trellis, makes a neat framework, plus prevents water seeping into the exposed wood and causing it to rot..Such a great tip.

Planting climbers such as semi-evergreen Honeysuckle Halliana, Clematis, and Winter and Summer Jasmine in pots by the entrance will provide seasonal colour and scent. I have also added a potted Rhododendron and a Lilac for structure and extra colour and fragrance too..

And there you have it..Making an entrance on a budget in true Flori style..Looking both good from inside and out..Can’t wait till the plants fill out and soften the hard landscaping. It will make a world of difference..Thanks for looking in on me my friends \0/x

More blog posts by floribunda

Previous post: Flori's Return...An Update..

Next post: Thank You Crocus..Peony Leaf Blotch.



Comments

 

Wow,Flori,that looks brilliant...what a great job you have both done between you..love the colour ,and the ingenious use of guttering..well done ! :o))

28 Jun, 2012

 

lovely, thanks for guttering idea :-)

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hello Flori!! That looks lovely, it will be wonderful when the climbers all grow up :o))))))xx

28 Jun, 2012

 

That's brilliant! You really have a great vision to see how those things could come together and make a lovely feature....well done Flori...don't be painting the OH now, he deserves to sit still for a while and remain unpainted! ;)

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hi Bloomer, my dear friend..and Helen..Great to see you both and am so pleased that you liked my new blog. Am quite chuffed the way it all turned out in the end.. Loved the fact that we saved money even more! lol Those Gardman Westminster arches are usually between £80 to £100 plus, so to get one at £50 was a real bargain, and it is pretty solid too. We were very impressed with it when we put it together. The guttering idea was inspired, and having so much trellis in my garden, I will be using this more often...Thanks for looking in on me..\0/x

28 Jun, 2012

 

Ooooh just seen these extra comments just after I posted.. Thank you Annelle and Karen.. We are wondering if we can eventually get away with digging through the concrete and actually creating a couple of small beds for the plants rather than keep them in pots, but that is an idea for another day! lol.. Am so looking forward to seeing the plants climb over this new area..It should look a treat for all concerned..Thanks for looking in on me..\0/x

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hi Flori. \0/. \0/. lovely to see the before and after photo,s, very clever and thrifty use of materials Brilliant!

28 Jun, 2012

 

Helloooo Flori! Great to see you again :)
I can't wait to see the metal arch filled with beautiful climbers!

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hope the neighbours appreciate your efforts - sterling job!!!! love the tip with the guttering on top of the trelliswork. Well done!

28 Jun, 2012

 

Inspirational stuff! It's great to see the before and after photos - how many times have we done a job and thought 'why didn't I take a photo before starting this?'.
Now you've made me feel tired I'm gonna go put the kettle on and have a sit down ;-))

28 Jun, 2012

 

Think it looks terrific Flori, and makes such a pretty entrance and it keeps it private too. It will look lovely when things have grown over the arch too.

28 Jun, 2012

 

Well done Flori and Andy, it looks really good. Love the trellis and archway. I recently bought a Gardman arch as well, so when you next come this way be pleased to see you.

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hi Flori ...
Good blog .. now on GoYpedia Flower Pot People ..
the wooden versions. Lol. :o)

28 Jun, 2012

 

What a difference you've both made Flori! Love it...have the neighbours chipped in? They ought to if not. Do you have communal garden parties there? I know...you could do a book signing, I'm sure your poetry books would sell like hot cakes. Get in touch with B.A.Publishing when you are ready:-)

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hi Flori, I'm new to the site but just wanted to say your entrance looks fab. So fresh and inviting, when everything has grown it will look enchanting. :o))

28 Jun, 2012

 

Thank you one and all for posting a comment..
Pam..Great to hear from you, and see I did get my blog done after all! lol
Hi Tommy..long time no hear, but so good to see you again..As soon as I get some decent growth on there, I will be adding photos to update you. New arches and trellis always look so bare with no climbers on.
Hello Magna..yes thought this tip would come in handy, and as it is the narrow guttering used on sheds, it is a little cheaper too!
Muddy...ah my friend how good it is to see you here again.. As to the before and after photos..isn't that the truth? I spent ages looking for a decent photo of 'Before', and that was the best I could do, lol..I usually forget as well my friend, take my word for it..lol
Grandmage, lovely to see you on my page, thank you for posting. It certainly makes it more attractive and secure now. Looking forward to nature taking a hand now as well..
Cinders..Would love to catch up with you again..Your garden is such a sight for poor eyes..We will arrange a date..
Terra.. If I had thought about it, I would have put a photo on of Bill and Ben just for you..lol. We ended up being gifted these from previous neighbours, and hope to give them a new lease of life before too long, as they are just so cute!
Ba...I should have guessed that B.A.P would be another arm to your Global Business Enterprise! LOL! Got four more books to sell and that is it..Do you do short run orders?hahaha..The two neighbours that share the courtyard with us are only renting their homes so couldn't really ask them to pitch in, but as we managed to do it all at a reasonable price, and our private garden leads off of it, we didn't mind doing it ourselves...No parties planned as yet! lol..\0/xxx

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hi Jane..A warm welcome to GOY, and thank you so much for looking in on me and posting such a lovely comment. This is such a great site to share your latest garden improvements on..The feedback and enthusiasm on here from like-minded gardeners cannot be beaten..Great to meet you Jane..\0/x

28 Jun, 2012

 

Well here I am back on GOY again after been away for a while Flori, You and your OH have made a great job of the gate, arch and fence at the courtyard, and the paintwork really finishes it off nicely...it looks great Flori.
I agree with BA that you should have a poetry book signing event there - I loved reading your poems...and will bring your book along to get it signed :-)...

28 Jun, 2012

 

Looks fab Flori, lots of great tips & ideas :-)

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hello Richard, thanks for looking in and posting my friend.. Hope your garden is doing well. I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who has been away from GOY recently. Am pleased that this all turned out so well, though detest Hammerite paint with an absolute passion, but it certainly works well, even if it is like painting with thick treacle! lol Will have to go on tour to get all these Poetry books signed by the sound of it..hahahahahaha..I wonder if Ba's travelling Home/End Internet is still in business?LOL!\0/x

Thank you Willinilli, so good of you to post and I hope the ideas we have used here help inspire..\0/x

28 Jun, 2012

 

Lovely blog Florie, good to see you back after so long, you've given us all lots of tips and idears ....

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hi Flori and great to see you, nice to see you have both been busy lol, gate and arch looks fab, weatehr awfull isnt it and i am thankfull compared to some around the country with floods etc, take care :o)) x

28 Jun, 2012

 

Thats a lot of hard work but it looks so smart now! i bet everyone is admiring it. looks perfect for a party ~ celebrating the new fence and gate!!

28 Jun, 2012

 

Hi hun ... Lovely .. love the colour ..great idea for guttering .. we love recycling ideas ....very pretty ... Ur cottage is 2years older than ours LOL .... Xx

28 Jun, 2012

 

What a great job you have done! Love that you were able to recycle so much of it, some wonderful ideas here!

29 Jun, 2012

 

Hello Stripes, it's good to be back.. Hi San, so great to see you again dear friend. Yes, we have been lucky down here in the south west to have missed the sudden storms. Hope your artwork is still going well.
Hello Sticki..yes, the neighbours were very pleased with end result..Looks so much better now..
Hi Cris, colour called Sea Mist on trellis, luckily I still had some in the shed so that saved me money too! lol Guttering idea so simple but oh so effective and gives a great finishing edge. We adore our cottage..we even have resident spooks here lol
Hello Lil, thank you so much for looking in on me and posting a comment. Even all my planting came from the garden from plants I already had. Can't wait till they have put on some growth..Will post updates as and when...\0/x

29 Jun, 2012

 

Clever girl, love it, a great transformation, my OH took to building his own trellis this year, remember the hedge at the bottom of the garden, well we took it out all 32 ft of it, and put fencing there, which looked very bare, so we put trellis panels up for clems to grow up, looks much better, you would not recognize it now......

29 Jun, 2012

 

Oh that sounds so good DD! My OH loves playing with wood, and he made such a great job on the trellis work..
I adore Clematis..I just can't get enough of them! Recently I have been buying some young Clems from a store called B&M. They are £1.99 each in there. Don't know about other Goyers, but I have been stunned by the huge price increase of Clematis in GCs..I would rather get them young and let them grow on a little, than pay through the nose for a larger version. Maybe that is me just penny-pinching, but in today's recession we are all watching our finances..\0/x

29 Jun, 2012

 

We do the same but we all get ours from Morrisons usually 1.79!! this week we bought an Alstroemeris for £6.00 GC 12- 14 £ loads of GOY ers now buy at `Morries.

29 Jun, 2012

 

You've said it all folks - what can I add? I've already shown my OH the trellis! (Hint)

29 Jun, 2012

 

I think some GC's are getting very greedy just recently Dd..No one minds paying a fair price for a nice plant, but no one likes being stung either.. As gardening is classed as a leisure activity, it seems that it is prone to exceptional price hikes in some places. They lose so much trade when Supermarkets can undercut the way they do. Oh dear, better get off my soapbox now..lol..I'm getting light-headed..hahahaha

Hi Steragram..lol..Ooh, I bet I'm popular with your OH now..not! LOL! Thank you for looking in on me...\0/x

30 Jun, 2012

 

New string to your bow Flori (Garden Design) what a huge difference its made, will be lovely to see the pics when the honeysuckle, clem and jasmine are climbing the arch. I love the way you`ve picked out the paint colour to match the bench, and the clever use of guttering to protect the new trellis.

1 Jul, 2012

 

Thank you Stroller, I must admit that I am looking forward to getting some plant growth on there too, as it all looks very stark and new at the moment. We added four solar wall lights on the trellis today. Will look good if we ever have enough sun to light them up! lol That metallic light green Hammerite paint is a real pain to use, but really looks good as a finished product.
It is great to see you on my page my friend..Thank you for looking in on me..\0/x

1 Jul, 2012

 

What a difference you've made, it all looks fantastic - no wonder the neighbours are happy with it. Great tip about the upside down guttering too. Looking at your photos I felt as if I was watching the changes happen, brilliant :)

3 Jul, 2012

 

Just taken a second look at your pics Flori, now come on own up as to who did all the work - I can see your workmen relaxing on the bench waiting for payment no doubt.lol.

3 Jul, 2012

 

Thank you Gee and Stroller..Ha! You got me Stroller, my two little Wooden tops were really the active ones behind it all..I think it is time my two little fellas had a make-over by the looks of it..lol.
I will be updating photos as the plants start to take over the arch and trellis, softening down the whole hard landscaping look, so that you can follow its progress..Lovely to see you Gee on my blog..and thank you for looking in again on me Stroller..\0/x

4 Jul, 2012

 

what a wonderful transformation! congrats to you and OH on a good job done :o)

19 Jul, 2012

 

\0/ Hello Pip:-)

19 Jul, 2012

 

And from me Pip xx

19 Jul, 2012

 

Hello Pip, thanks for looking in on me. Great to see you again. Hope all is well with you dear friend..Hi Ba and Annella too \0/x

19 Jul, 2012

 

Hi Flori x

19 Jul, 2012

 

\0/ yoo hoo Flori:-)

19 Jul, 2012

 

Hi Annella, hi Ba..good to see you both too! Hear that good weather is on its way...Can't come soon enough! I can remove my thigh-high wellies now..hahahahahaha..\0/xxx

19 Jul, 2012

Add a comment

Featured on

Recent posts by floribunda

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    31 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Oct, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    29 Mar, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    28 May, 2012

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Nov, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    8 Apr, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 Aug, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    21 Jan, 2012

  • Gardening with friends since
    25 Jun, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    6 Jun, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    1 Apr, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Sep, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    17 Apr, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    24 Mar, 2012

  • Gardening with friends since
    31 May, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    31 Mar, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Sep, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Jun, 2011