To start with, ” Sowing a lawn” . I have seen on TV many a time, the theory behind sowing grass seed, I have watched Geoff Hamilton, Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don demonstrate preparing the soil, doing the gardeners shuffle over it, sowing the seed, then raking it all. Now it was time to put it all into practice, where some shrubs had grown over the lawn in the back, by the gravel area.
Just a little area, but big enough for my first try at sowing grass seed.
Almost half price, I like a bargain!
I carefully read my instructions on the packet of seed, then got sowing, hoping the birds wouldn’t come straight away and eat all the seed. Then I waited and waited and waited, then waited a bit more, the packet said it would sprout in 5 days, this was about 3 weeks ago!
Success at last!
Today they have sprouted!
The more I looked, the more I saw.
I never thought I could get so excited about a few tiny seedlings. I haven’t gone as far as counting them, but tomorrow I will be out to see if more have sprouted!
Iris unguicularis Walter Butt.
I noticed my lovely iris flowering by the front drive when I came in yesterday, lovely in spite of being nibbled! This will flower on and off through the winter months.
Clematis Rouge Cardinal.
I nearly lost this clematis through neglect, my own fault entirely. It was in an old wooden planter which had rotted and was half hanging out of it with its roots exposed for quite some time. When re-doing the gravel area at the back, I replaced the old wooden planters with smart new fibreglass ones, the clematis was potted into a small pot with some nice compost to encourage some roots to form, then finally planted out a couple of months ago. I was so surprised when it put on such a surge of growth and was then sporting 3 buds! It was determined to flower before the frosts came and it made it. I think it’s going to like it where it now is, I hope for great things from it next summer.
The garden continues to surprise me, even after all the years we have been here, 26 years yesterday!
26 years? Do you have some Before and during pictures? Always interesting to see how gardens develop.
Yes Diana, I have some photos that I took when starting all the work. The garden was virtually all grass with just 2 borders, we altered a section each year and it took us 13 years altogether! I did do a post but can’t remember when that was, I’ll have to look for it!
I’ve found it now Diana, try https://www.leadupthegardenpath.com/news/before-and-after/
If this doesn’t work, try the side bar and click on 2012, then March 1st Before and After.
Interesting – I have never come across Iris that flower at this time of year and that clematis is a wonderful colour. I’m so glad your garden is still giving you surprises after 26 years.
I have another iris Sue, Iris unguicularis Mary Barnard but she usually starts flowering round Christmas time. I’m still changing the garden, borders get re-done when they get out of hand, planting needs improving, that’s what keeps a garden looking fresh I think.
I wonder why the grass seed took so long to germinate in October? Still, all is forgiven once we see those promising green shoots. I missed your previous post, if I may comment here, your Miscanthus ‘Malepartus’ is looking fabulous in its autumn finery!
I don’t know why it took so long Kate, but as you say, all is now forgiven! I keep having to go out each day to remove the oak leaves that are falling on the seedlings at the moment, I would hate them to be smothered!
M Malepartus is my favourite grass, it is such a huge presence in the garden, all through the year.
Twenty-six years of tending this lovely garden and you’ve created a remarkable place Pauline. Good luck with that grass. We reseeded our grass this fall, but after one nice rain it has reminded completely dry so the grass is withering. Glad your clematis could be nursed back to good health. Have a good week.
The garden was nearly all grass when we came 26 yrs ago Susie, I hadn’t realised how lucky we were inheriting so many different areas of soil, all crying out to be treated differently.
I think plants are determined to try and stay alive as long as possible, they are so forgiving!
Hooray for the grass seed! Looks like this little project will be a success. I’m glad the clematis has made a comeback…such gorgeous ruby color. No sign of Iris unguicularis here yet, but (unbelievably) we are still having summer weather. It is going to be in the 80s again today. Needless to say, there are mixed reviews–some people are loving it, but I’m not among that group.
The temperature when I first went out this morning Marian was 7C, when I returned home an hour later it was 9C and I don’t think it has risen above that all day!
I think the grass seed will succeed now, I was worried for a while, but more has appeared today. The clematis was determined to stay alive and I’m so glad it has, as it is a lovely colour, it should be beautiful next summer.
Congratulations on your sprouting grass! Perhaps they are slower to germinate on cool autumn days.
It got there eventually Jason, but we have had our warmest October for such a long time, it’s only this week that the temperatures dropped when the wind changed from the south to the north.
Congratulations on your 26 years in the garden! And on the germination of the grass seeds. The last time I got round to some resowing, the grass seed was so old nothing germinated! The clematis and iris are lovely. Here we have our first snow!
Thank you Denise, I was beginning to wonder if maybe my grass seed was old and that was why it had been reduced! Snow already, will it stay all winter?!
Now if only we knew! There we were one minute enjoying the late autumn and the next we were plunged into winter. I managed to dig up my root vegetables a few days ago and store them but the poor dahlias are still out there! Just now we have about 15cm and it is snowing heavy and forecast to continue. If the snow stays it is (she says reluctantly) better for the plants (not the dahlias of course)! Must out with the dogs now and then I look forward to reading your before and after post.
I use the search facilty on my blog to find old posts – either within the posts section under ‘My Sites’ or in search the box I have on the right hand side of the page (you must have chosen to have yours hidden but it is a useful feature for yourself and other bloggers). I would love to see your ‘before photos’ too! I have had mixed success with grass seed and for a small area have decided it is no more costly to buy turf and it will invariably be more successful
Thanks for your suggestions Cathy, I have found the post, so please see my answer to Diana.
More grass shoots are showing each day, I still think £4.99 is a lot cheaper than turf would have been!
26 years, thats a great milestone. What a lot you have done in that time and all the wonderful plants. That Iris is gorgeous a real treat at any time of year but in winter all the more welcome, though its a bit early!
We were a lot younger when we came here and a lot fitter Annie! We still like the layout that we have done, I wouldn’t want to change that, but now and again, borders look tired and need re-doing. Making new plantings keeps the interest going.
Iris unguicularis is a lovely plant with just a few cultivars, lovely plant to have through the winter.
I completely agree that gardens are always presenting us with something new. Nature is full of surprises. I planted grass seed here earlier in the summer on a bare patch and was delighted to see it come up – a simple pleasure! It’s still so fresh and green, even after a period of drought here.
Simple pleasures indeed Wendy, that’s what gardening is all about, especially when you garden for wildlife. So glad to hear that your grass sowing was a success, I hope mine is!
Novice gardeners always hold back worried that they will kill plants, but I find that plants have an ability to persevere despite the things that are thrown at them. Your clematis is a great example. I am sure it will grow away now that it is in a new pot. I wonder if your grass was so slow to germinate because of the cool fall weather?
We have had such wonderful autumn weather Jennifer, far warmer than usual which has made the autumnal colours so much brighter than usual. The cold weather only came this week when the wind changed to the north and temperatures are now coming from the arctic! With the warm sun and me watering every day, I was surprised that it took the seeds so long to sprout, but they are doing well now, thank goodness. Grass grows here all winter except when it is frosty, so there is still time for more shoots to develop.
Hi Pauline, I always look forward to my walks in the garden, because there is almost always a surprise. I imagine how lovely your clematis will be, now that it has a good home! I followed the link you gave to Diana above, to your before and after post, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. How wonderful to spend 26 years in the same garden, a blessing I also share.
We moved quite regularly before my husband retired Deb. When we were moved down to this corner of the country with his job, we hoped that we would still be here for our retirement as it is a lovely part of the UK, and we are still here! Glad you enjoyed the post.
I think the clematis is now very happy in its new home, at least these planters won’t rot and expose the roots!