How does my garden grow? With great difficulty.

7 comments

Because I live and work on the river Avon in Worcestershire gardening can be a great problem, and sometimes upsetting.
First I spend a lot of time testing plants ability to withstand strong winds and of course flooding, sadley most do not like flooding.
I can spend weeks getting the garden looking pretty and then it floods and looks awful again. I have started to condense my garden down now and find that shrubs and climbers work well.
Last year I planted a passion flower and 2 types of clematis along with hunnysuckle and these do seem to tolerate the floods. My all time faverite is the fushia and believe it or not they too are not bothered with floods. All I need to do is go around them and take all the debris away, give them a gentle hose down and they look as good as new.
I do have a very good show of pampass grass each year as grasses do seem to enjoy being on the banks with the bluebells, primroses,snowdrops and daffs.
Mind you floods are not my only problem with being on the river, my feathered friends also enjoy my plants. Quite oftern I can look out and see a pair of swans tucking into my daffs, as for the geese they will turn a beak to most things.
Saying all this I would not change it for the world as every day brings somthing new and the bird give us such a lot of enjoyment.
Springs on its way and so it will wake my garden and produce all the wonderful spring flowers, as for the birds well spring will fetch many more little feet to waddle around my garden. Can’t wait!!
Nothing is more funny than watching our boarder terrier Butty being chased by a goose.

8 Feb, 2009
8 likes

Comments

Spritzhenry

Have you tried bog-plants, sophiejo? They should be fine in flood conditions as long as they've been able to get their roots well in.

How long will it be before you get your new house built?

Your world is so different, with your job and surroundings! I can't blame you for loving it!

8 Feb, 2009

Joeanne

Sounds wonderful, Sophiejo. I agree with Spritzhenry, bog plants would thrive. Iris, and Arum Lilies thrived in my last bog garden and I had a Gunnera, they make a spectacular architectural plant but can grow enormous. By the sounds of it your garden is full of life in every way - great.

8 Feb, 2009

Wagger

Welcome to GOY, Sophijo.
Your situation sounds like the perfect work/life balance to me. The benefits sure seem to outweigh the disadvantages - if I only had one choice I think I would pick wildlife over flowers. The thought of going out into the garden and not hearing birds would make it seem a bit meaningless.
I agree with Spritz about bog plants - I love moisture loving primulas, ligularias are really striking, I don't think even geese eat Gunneras.

Do you have any say in the design of the new house?

8 Feb, 2009

Treesandthi..

My parents sold there pet shop and house several years ago, and had a canal boat built to live on. T?hey absoloutley love it and wouldnt have it any other way. Mind you I couldnt do it but I could live in a lock keepers cottage. I have seen plenty and they all look fantastic.
I hope you enjoy this site and post plenty more pics on here.

8 Feb, 2009