May Tour of Gardens
And why I'm calling it.
Welcome to May! Writing this well past half way through the month is an indicator of how much I have been doing in and out of the gardens! Looking back on March’s tour, plants have come on a huge amount. And so have the beds and borders.
This is what I said about the beds then - “Dried grasses and foliage dropped like dresses dropped by divas at the end of their performance. Flopped all over the soils. There is little left now to discern the profiles of the border last summer at their highest heights.” (And footnoted why it is important to take pictures throughout the year. Because we forget.)
Look at the border now!
I am astounded how much growth there is; especially considering such little rain, and the amount of planting that I took out, dividing and thinning plants out.
The clear up of this bed was only in late April. April 25th to be precise. I left last year’s growth on to protect plants from frosts and to allow insects to stay snuggly. There is plenty of cover again now.
The tunnel is fizzing with plants and insects. Everything is doing really well, which is a lot better than the rancunculus did after Master Muntjac got in and ate them all. When the planted orlaya and larkspur are done, I will follow on with tomatoes, waiting patiently on the (turned off) heat bench.
There are also lots of poppies in the tunnel. Usually I grow gorgeous grey, pinks and this year, I hoped, colibri poppies. Which so far, look like I have failed to germinate any. Ah well.
In what was called the ‘hazel border’ on account of all the hazel poles installed as a fence, we replaced with cheap fence panels (yuck) and painted black as a back drop for the different climbers all planted at it’s base. This should keep the muntjac out now!
These parts of the garden are so dull to me. However, they were big jobs that I’d been waiting all winter to do. The door doesn’t look like will fall off any more! I am hoping the fence will look great behind the dahlias as they flower too.
I have a huge new planting area too, that I keep mentioning but it took me a long time to get the shape and preparation done.
I have been hardening off plants especially for these newly developed beds.
That’s right. I called it!
Plants have definitely been caught by the frost, but look more closely at these plants -
Emerging growth has been blackened by the frosts, but the leaves below are strong and healthy.
Plants are so developed in the tunnel, I’ve been hardening off plants. Especially in the heat a few weeks ago. The tunnel was so hot, everything had to come out anyway.
In the walled garden, I have just about finished the winter spring project and created the two large beds, both to experiment with combinations and create different views and vistas. I love the shape and depth. There are hundreds of plants. Some I’ve ordered from my different trade specialist nurseries (that I use for planting design ) and lots divided from planting already here or sown from seed.
I wanted this bed to do a lot of things. First, read as a deep border. Blocking out the rest of the garden views. So visitors see plants grown in the same way theirs do at home, recognise them and consider cutting stems for arranging from their own plants. See how I do it, without affecting the look of a scheme or plant.
Further, grow plants I have only just come across. I’ve seen at shows or at the above nurseries, but have no experience of growing. I want to trial them in this as a nursery bed. Observe their habit, hardiness and whether they can cope with the way I grow. With few inputs . I want to develop and expand my knowledge but I will only recommend it if it thrives here in this way.
The bed also allows for a really good sized lawn space for groups to stand together now that I have almost weekly group visits (before, there were few spaces that more than a few can congregate amongst the plants. Around the outside, but not within) and I reckon meditation and yoga1 will be magical!
These beds are going to take time to mature. I reckon it will take another good year after this. So maybe summer 2027. If I had bought 3 litre plants, watered hard and fed loads, I am sure it would be lush far quicker. But I want to grow without those inputs instead naturally. Currently, there are what I call pioneer weeds all over the place which is so frustrating. But. As we all know why now, it is better that something is growing in these beds, rather than open soil and a goodness being swept away in a breeze. I will of course throw some green manures and meadow seeds about in a few weeks time, hopefully fill the gaps up. We’ll see how this bed does over the next few months.
Looking at my photos, there is so much more to share for this month; dahlia planting, annuals, perennials and biennials making up the crops for cut flowers but I will make this 1 of 2 and be back with you in a few days. I am off to mow nettles and set up a new fence in the field plot. I’ll take the camera!
Please ❤️ this post if you’ve enjoyed it and tell me, how is your garden looking this month in the comments.
Yes my dahlias all planted in Cheshire and even my pelargoniums are out out. Actually everything is almost in the ground. The heat has made it impossible to keep small pots and cells from drying out - so far looks worth the risk. Never had so many roses so early - they always feel like a June flower to me. Lots to cut from and a few sweet peas so mustn’t complain. And how lovely to have a tea outside first thing in my nightie - the moments I live for! 🤍💚🤍💚
Joyful as ever, Anna and makes me realise I haven’t been on the plots in far too long a while. I might bring a tent and a toothbrush…you don’t mind,do you? X