I was moved to use Adam Frost's idea (BBC Gardeners' World) for a drinks rest. Using some planters bought by the Under Gardener earlier in the year and some Sempervivums that spent the winter in the Pelargonium Theatre with some upturned clay saucers, I made two and put them either side of the seat in front of the studio. It's well known that gardening is very thirsty work and, as pictured, they have already been put to excellent use!
Am rather pleased with my new broad bean supports!! I drew out the design and our local agricultural engineers - JW Lanes made them. Being weighty metal bar, they sit in the post hooks and with the mini spheres welded on each end, there's no sharp sticky out pointy bits! A million times easier than wrestling with pig netting and fiddling around with canes and string - which always comes loose! I shall of course allow them to rust naturally.
Never before have we seen more of Pear Tree Cottage! Wisteria has ALWAYS been a garden favourite and this year we were an National Garden Scheme nominated Wisteria garden. Time for our old Wisteria to rule again! No more competing with a thuggish Jasminum nudiflorum and certainly not an old mildewed rose! First it was removing the Jasmine - which took 2 Saturdays! It was as high as the top of the window and obscured all of the Wisteria trunk. The rose was a lovely old fashioned Albertine. Sadly this old climber had no vigour whatsoever. In a good year it would look fabulous for about a minute and a half. For the rest of the year it was covered in mildew and its thorns tore the Wisteria. Time to go!! Now we have the whole of the house wall dedicated to the Wisteria and I must say, it looks SOO much better! Simon has repainted the recently exposed areas and Chris, who a little sceptical at first, is fully on board with the new look!
The blue pots have been spaced out and the little stone seat at the top of the Lion Steps re-centred. 'Wisteria Walk' (as it has to be known!) looks really quite spacious. As well as making Wisteria pruning much easier, we love having the old gnarled and twisted trunk of the Wisteria on full view.
Having moved the dragon posts lawn entrance to the lawn to the left by 1 yard, all is looking very settled. It's been the best mini project and has made digging up and moving all the roses, lifting and relaying the turf totally worthwhile. It's a big advantage to have the table sideways on and still have room to pass easily with a full wheelbarrow. The new plants are establishing in the two borders either side of the well path. The roses are budding up and the under planted Pulmonarias are all establishing.
I should have thought of it AGES ago!! Even the dragons lprefer it!
