Beginning of the year review

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Dear Monty,

More floods, the road almost washed away, the garden boggy underfoot. (I suspect that Longmeadow has been under water too.) But instead of feeling depressed by it, I know that it will come back to life.

Inspired by www.blackberrygarden.co.uk and patientgardener.wordpress.com I have decided to show you what the garden looks like from different points at this time of the year. I offer it up in all its messiness.

Apologies for the quality of the photographs, they were taken in the gloom on my phone.

The box in pots have got a form of blight, but I like the colour.
The terraced area has old concrete paving the joints between which have self sown with daisies - erigeron karvinskianus (with thanks to Anne Wareham) and violets
The pieris full of red tinged flower buds
Most of my terracotta pots do not survive but again I don't mind the flaking, it takes several seasons before they are replaced
Tatty fence
This was where the pine was, and has exposed a tatty white fence, which I want to paint black to make it disappear. 
The border down the left side of the garden as viewed from the house, has undulations where the borders have been extended over the last 13 years to accommodate more plants.
Further along the same border, this is the original width, and the edge is marked by old sandstone blocks from the house. Behind the fence to the left behind the trunk of the buddleia is a steep drop down to a brook.
Again the same border as seen from the apple tree
The bog garden now even boggier, there is a small pond there for the birds and the wildlife, it is not ornamental, except when the Japanese maple is in leaf in that pot.
With a nod to Alison Levey, this is the washing line border ! 
Looking from the washing line border (which is hidden from the view down the garden from the house by the beech hedge ) back towards the house
The washing line border bench (the line is a retractable one which means you don't have to stare at the washing)
The pine end of the 'greenhouse'
The greenhouse border 
Back to the terrace with lumps of coal on the wall
There, I haven't shown the whole garden, but these are areas which are going to be fiddled with before Spring truly springs.


Paul.

Comments

  1. Jacqui5 January 2014 at 08:24

    Happy New Year, Paul. It will be good to see your garden throughout the year. Lots of interest there x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paul Steer5 January 2014 at 16:10

      Thank you ! It is a small enclosed space, but it is a sanctuary. Happy New Year to you. I enjoy your blog very much.

      Delete
  2. Gardener in the Distance9 January 2014 at 03:18

    If this is messiness, Paul, bring it on!
    Your garden had identity, curiosity, beauty, space, texture. I would prefer to visit it than something grand. Not that I'll be flying over to Wales any minute, but you get my drift?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paul Steer9 January 2014 at 13:00

      Hi, I get your drift and thank you. If you do ever fly you'd be more than welcome .

      Delete

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