Blank Canvass Garden - Design Inspiration Needed

Working_Mum

Well I haven't made any progress digging my new border. Not really sure why to be honest  although I've been swamped at work and the rainy weather we had meant I didn't really feel like going into my garden.

I thought I'd share a few pics to document my garden in (almost) mid summer. A couple of little plants I put in a couple of years ago are thriving in my shady border - a climbing hydrangea has actually flowered! Its white flowers really stood out in the darkness of the shade! The twigs laid down in front are cherry saplings which have grown up from the roots of the tree which is next door. I have lopped them back now.



Here is my forgotten Astibles Pastpur - I was thrilled to see it had some little tufts! I love the colour and shape of the leaves.



My cut flower border is thriving and I am cutting flowers and have them dotted around my house almost daily. Exactly what I hoped for.



I've got ONE cherry on my new baby tree - isn't it a gorgeous colour. Photographed from the best side and it's been nibbled by birds on the other!



My razzers are ripe and I reckon I'll have about half a cupful to pop on my breakfast tomorrow! My carrots and beets are growing. The garlic looks like it is about ready to harvest (if g00gle is to be believed) and my onions look like they're growing. Oh and I have 3 goosegogs on a plant a friend bought for me (mine failed to thrive!).

I have these geraniums (??) in my garden and they've fallen over - should I cut them back - will they grow again or shall I just leave them? They were left to their own devices last year.



I am hoping I'll have my gardening mojo back this weekend - my lawn needs cutting and so does the privet hedge and I need to crack on with my new border.

Wishing everyone a productive Thursday!

((WM))

YoungBlueEyes

Looking good   I'm no expert but I wouldn't cut your blue geraniums 'til they've finished flowering. Could you sort lift+support them for a wee while and then cut them back later..? 

-taff

I thought i said something, obviously I didn't..

Looks gorgeous, love the wild abandon look! The geraniums can be cut back, they're quite tough but if you leave them, they'll just keep flowering in waves. You could do as ybe suggested and then cut them back at the end of summer. 

wort

I cut geraniums back when needed, they are tough, flower all summer, can Chelsea chop them and they reflower.

Humboldt

Hi @Working_Mum thanks for sharing your pics and updating us on your beautiful garden. I love the pic of what looks like a perfect ripe, glossy cherry.  Nice that the birds got to enjoy it too!

I also have geraniums, but the leaves on mine are slightly different to yours. I have to support mine, especially when in flower.  I also do the Chelsea chop, as recommended by @wort, and this lengthens their flowering season.  I bought the original geranium several years ago for a £1 at a car boot sale, and it came with a free aquilegia.  I now have 4 nice clumps of the geranium and about 5 large aquilegia's that are a gorgeous raspberry colour. 

In terms of easy to grow, value for money plants, I would recommend erigeron (Mexican fleabane). It is a low growing, ground cover plant, that has small daisy type flowers.  It has a long flowering season and pollinator's love it.  I grow it along the edge of my boarders. It spreads freely, a little too freely for some, but I just pull out what I don't need and cut it back at the end of autumn.  

Farway

Humboldt said:

In terms of easy to grow, value for money plants, I would recommend erigeron (Mexican fleabane). It is a low growing, ground cover plant, that has small daisy type flowers.  It has a long flowering season and pollinator's love it.  I grow it along the edge of my boarders. It spreads freely, a little too freely for some, but I just pull out what I don't need and cut it back at the end of autumn.  

Farway retires to sob in a corner, comforted by YBE 

YoungBlueEyes

There there Farway... soothing mutterings.... smoothing of hair.... 

You beat me to it, I'd have put something similar meself

 

twopenny

A long handled pick sounds serious 🫤 

I've been accumulating short dumpy hammers and screwdrivers which work just as well as the big ones and are more controllable for general work, better in small spaces too. The big stuff is mainly useful if you're making something big.

I bought a crowbar to deal with rocks, stubborn plants and lumps of metal I had in my garden.
Easier to store too.
Something to think about 🤔

Got to go and cut back the Erigeron. It's beginning to take over 😈

-taff

twopenny said:

Got to go and cut back the Erigeron. It's beginning to take over 😈

Not you too....

YoungBlueEyes

Isn't it a bit of a wonder that this is 10 pages in before we started with the nonsense  

Do we need a bigger corner for the support group then? Eriginon-anon meets here every 2nd Wednesday and the last Sunday of the month. A cuppa tea and a wee bun £1. 'All' welcome.