Some pics of my before and after garden - Page 3

@figrat.. i am in process of getting rid of lawn on woodland garden side as it is mostly moss through the winter and bear in summer.. i want to cover it in bark so the hard grass roots that are left form a hard compacted base for the bark.. is that ok do ya think.

the other lawn will be replaced with gravel paths on teh sunny side of garden.. so will end with only 2 circles of lawn at the end of it all

Oh Wow! what a wonderful garden Lavender Lady, such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your pics. 

You've done a really good job Lavender Lady, well done.

Hi Lavender Lady

Inspiring garden, do you happen to live in Hampshire?

Thank you for all your kind comments

Christine, I live in Suffolk. 

Wow what a beautiful garden!!  We built our house 9 years ago so I have had the pleasure of starting a new garden from scratch.  It has been lovely seeing it grow.  I have a lawn at the moment but was interested to see that you havnt.  Thanks for giving me some more ideas!! 

I can't believe it's not a cottage garden that's taken 50 years to establish!  It's really inspired me and I will be rethinking my garden this weekend.  I hope you make time to enjoy it, although I'm sure you do! 

I LOVE looking at pictures of other people's gardens. I moved to mine 2 years ago and although it is large in comparison to most others in Torquay I have 3 large sycamores which have to stay - just too big to remove - and the side is shaded by evergreen oaks and it was full of evergreen shrubs. I have got flowers this year and more backbreaking work planned so I can have even more next year. A clear site would have been preferable but heigh ho. Your garden is beautiful and I am very envious.

Wow Lavender Lady, what an AMAZING garden! An absolute dream! I have many questions but will limit it to one: How does the water feature work? Did you just put water and a plant in a pot or is there more to it? I would love to have one like this too but am looking for something without a pump!

Hi MF  thank  you for your kind comments.  The water feature does have a pump.  It is on the side of the garage wall so hubby drilled a hole through the wall and fed the lead through for the pump and then he drilled a hole into the pot for the water pipe and obviously filled the holes in the bottom of the pot.  It does have large pebbles in it to cover the pump and it has a few plants growing in it.  It is the sound of running water that I like.  You can easily do the same without a pump - a half barrel or a pot would be fine and just fill with plants.  I have been thinking about doing that so I could grow water lilys. 

We do drain the pot in the winter and take the pump out and clean it and put it away for the winter.  I am not sure how a terracotta pot would be over the winter full of water so not wanted to chance it.   You could spend the winter months looking at a few ideas and make it your spring project MF.  Good luck.

Thank you Christy Rose, Muvs Dashwood and Curlybonce for your comments.

Thank you Lavendar Lady for helping to inspire me.  I moved into my home in Ross on Wye at the end of January this year.  All the back garden was covered in weed suppressant and then covered in bark.  As you can imagine taking off this and lifting the suppressant was a big job.  All the soil was compacted, very claggy and full of bind weed roots.  I have done about half and planted up two borders, made a small wild life pond, put in a greenhouse and managed to grow some veg!!  We are now waiting for an extension and when that is done will concentrate and designing the rest.  I will post some before and after pictures at a later date.  My type of gardening is mainly cottage style.  We have lovely views but the garden is lower than the house and mainly south east facing, so although I want trees I do not want to spoil the view or take too much shade from the garden.  I have been seriously considering a pergola, and seeing yours had made my decision to go ahead and do it. 

Once again it is a pleasure to see what you have achieved.  Just wish you lived closer as I do not know any keen gardeners in this area.

Lavendar Lady - forgot to ask, where did you order your pergola from?

Hi Melspade thank you for your kind comments.  I do think a pergola does make a big difference to the garden and gives you that good excuse to grow more climbers.  I cannot remember the company I bought the pergola from, we bought it via the internet and it was about 4 years ago.

Melspade - hubby has remembered where we got the pergola from.  It was from a website called buyfencingdirect.co.uk  

Thank you, always useful to have recommendations.  Yes I agree, I love climbers, in my last garden I had over 40 clematis - just adore them, and, of course, good old fashioned honeysuckly - MUST have lots of scents in the garden I think, especially a small garden  which mine, sadly is.

Hi LL, What is the name of the plant growing in the terracotta pot on the small wooden table? Looks like agapanthus leaves but flowers more elongated. Very interesting!

Hi eralc1968  the plant you are asking about is a Primula vialii  - It flowered from about May til August.  They then die right back so you think they have died and then begin to grow again in the spring.  It is hard for you to see it in the picture but the leaves are typical primula leaves and not like agapanthus close up.  It is worth buying, I think but then again I do love primulas.

Thanks LL.  I do have a few Primula denticulata in my garden but the flowers are more spherical in shape.  They are very pretty and I love them, infact anything with a "blob" on the top of a all long stem, like alliums, agapanthus etc. so I will add Primula vialii to be wish list. Thanks for bringing it to my attention - it looks particularly good in a pot!

very nice garden amazing photos.  love seing everyones gardens,thanks for shareing.i try and change mine a bit each year think am getting better.must be a pleasure to go into every day.well done.