Cheap n cheerful
By jan65
17 comments
Took this photo just this afternoon as I’m so pleased with my cheap n cheerful border filled with French marigolds.
I’ve lost a lot of shrubs over the past few years from this narrow border, running along side our driveway, and which floods easily (despite us improving the drainage when we first converted it from a gravelled border some years ago), but which gets very hot in the sun. And a few weeks ago I eventually decided to remove two escallonias which I’d planted at each extreme end, because they’d grown enormous and were giving us parking and access difficulties.
So, having been left with just the three euonymuses (eunonymii?!) and some very long gaps in between, but with very little cash to spare, I bought several trays of French marigolds for a tenner from my local farm shop. As you can see they’re filling out nicely and I’m really quite chuffed with how lovely and bright it looks – especially as yellow, red and orange are my favourite colour combination.
Took another shot:
I keep deadheading to encourage more flowers, this strategy seems to be working so far.
16 Jul, 2009
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Comments
They provide a brilliant splash of colour don't they ?
16 Jul, 2009
Thank you Mookins and Louise, glad you like them!
16 Jul, 2009
This looks very pretty... a good idea :o)
16 Jul, 2009
I love marigolds, especially the yellow ones, so cheerful. It's a shame the slugs and blackfly are partial too! Border looks great already and will be really eye catching when it gets going.
16 Jul, 2009
The border looks great Jan....very neat and tidy. I have a similar narrow border down the side of my drive, and everytime I get out of the car, I either get soaking wet from the plants, or snag my clothes on an overgrown rose bush! I think I'll rip everything out and follow your example....thanks for the inspiration :)
16 Jul, 2009
chuffed...like that word. You don't have to spend a lot to be rewarded. Nice job!
16 Jul, 2009
It Looks Great Jan, I love French Marigolds..
16 Jul, 2009
bright and cheerful. keep dead heading. :o)
16 Jul, 2009
They look great J. How do you keep the slugs at bay? I only planted them once and the next day they were gone - someones breakfast.
16 Jul, 2009
lovely colour
16 Jul, 2009
It looks terrific - bight and cheery.
16 Jul, 2009
Looks lovely and cheery. Well done.
17 Jul, 2009
Thank you for all your lovely comments everyone! Wow, I've been an inspiration to someone, what a compliment, I'm so chuffed again! With slugs, I don't know, but we don't seem to be too troubled by them in our garden. I do put slug pellets down just in case, and the only things that seem to have suffered are one of my hostas, and a lupin which got completely eaten and I had to chop it down a week or so ago. However, I've often planted new things and forgotten to put slug pellets down for a few days, and the plants seem okay, so I think we're just lucky. I've no idea why!
17 Jul, 2009
All neat & tidy.
17 Jul, 2009
Not so neat and tidy now I'm afriad Clarice - after 24 hours of heavy rain, the poor things are looking a bit battered and worse for wear. It's enough to break your heart.
17 Jul, 2009
It does look neat and tidy and very cheerful,just keep up with the deadheading Jan and hope the sun comes out again soon............
17 Jul, 2009
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nice, neat and tidy
looks perfect and the colours are so warming like little balls of sunny faces beaming up at you
x x x
what a bargain
x x x
16 Jul, 2009