Bill Mansfield

sanity in need of restoring

When we moved in

 now

sanity in need of restoring

 Front garden when we moved in

 In October when I first started to clear and change it

 how the garden looks now

sanity in need of restoring

thanks everyone. I am in good company. I have to admit the weather and my little one have been keeping me very busy. That and tinkering in the world of seeds and propagation! Of the lessons I've learnt!

Anyway have been back in the garden recently and will post some photos of before and after. I can see that mine is a minor complaint compared to some of yours.

You'll see too that I am full of questions...

Bill

roses

Dear all,

I have a garage at bottom of my garden. I'd like to have 2 roses climbing on it.

I have looked at the David Austin site and had some suggestions from them. I wanted one red and one yellow. Here are the 4 I have in mind, but I only need 2.

Rambling rosie http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=4925

or Super Elfin http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=3550

Laura for http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=3309

or Rosa arvensis http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=2826

I know the last isn't strictly yellow, but its lovely with lots of yellow in the middle.

What you you think?

Many thanks,

Bill

chilli peppers

Dear all,

anyone have an idea which plant these are?

I want to grow and pickle them. You got them with feta cheese in Germany or on flammkuchen and also with kebabs.

http://www.21food.com/products/hot-green-pepper-491909.html

thanks,

Bill

pyracantha, honeysuckle or other

Hi all,

I have a fence between my garden and the neighbour. Its just plain featherboard and looks a little dull. I am looking for something to cover it (although NOT ivy).

There is now a Sorbus chinese lace in the sunnier end, but the fence runs north to south and is shaded by the fence itself in morning and the house pretty much most of the time except about 30-60mins midday.

I would prefer evergreen with flowers. Hoepfully something the birds will enoy or even nest in.My first thought was pyrancantha, but the bed in front of it is 120cm wide and might get swallowed up...

I want to try to grow some raspberries and beans in the bed in front, if light allows.

Many thanks,

Bill

raised beds

one is 30cm deep
the other is 45cm and 30 cm
I will line them both
The soil below is quite good, if a little clay and mostly had turf over it for long time.
Thanks,
Bill

raised beds

Hi all,

I've just made 2 raised beds from larch that I got from a local saw mill. Its was treated though with dark creosote (smells like). I saw somewhere that I should line the inside of the beds before filling, with plastic bags (saved from compost). What's the general consensus?

I have 2 raised beds, one 2.5m x 1m for veg and the other 2m x 1m (split level) for herbs and maybe some strawberries.

Many thanks,

Bill

weather and plants in pots

Dear all,

I bought 2 weeks ago enough box to do about 20m of garden edge. I ran out of time before getting the last 4m in. Now the weather has turned ugly. What is the best thing to do with them?

9cm pots with about 20cm growth.

I also have half dozen shrubs in 3L pots.

Can they be left out in the snow and 0degree temps and survive? Or do I leave them in my garage? Or bring them out in daylight and back at night? What about watering?

Thanks,

Bill

shrub suggestions

The borders are just what I dug out as they stood. My intentions are to widen them and curve around the corners, but fill in the square; either with bought turf or transplant that I lift to widen the borders.

I want the box to grow to about 50-70cm. Then maybe in front of them/bottom of them (on road side), have a "carpet" plant/flower, although no idea what and no idea when to do it.

I have bags of bark/mulch to cover the beds, but not had time to dig them yet and thought if I transplant the turf, now might not be a good time. So might just put bark around tree base and box base for now.

I've been petrified of cocking it up so took a long while to decide to buy and then to plant! But someone on here said slowly, slowly is way to go...

looking for small flower

verbena bonariensis

greenhouse?

whats wrong with my tree?

to bark or not

roses

chilli peppers

pyracantha, honeysuckle or other

raised beds

weather and plants in pots

shrub suggestions

sanity in need of restoring

Hedge or border

can I plant now?