This is a project that has been in the making for such a long time, simply because I kept putting it off, so I decided to bite the bullet and get on with it this year, now that I am having to spend so much time at home. The rockery bed is at the side and back of the house and is a roughly north facing slope with the high side facing south and east.There were small trees and shrubs that I had planted over the years but they had all grown far bigger than I had thought they would and were causing a lot of shade ( which I already had plenty of in other areas!) so it was time for a clear out.
This shows the rockery from the back lawn, you can see all the empty spaces waiting to be filled. The border wraps round the alpine scree which is where the variegated yucca is and the back of the Bar-b-que which doesn’t get much use any more., maybe I could use it to display some pots?
Looking the other way towards the back lawn and woodland.
Lots of space for lovely new plants, none of which are supposed to grow more than 3 or 4 ft!
There will also be lots of room for bulbs to be added next autumn.
There is also lots of room to move plants from other areas in the garden.
This is one load of plants waiting patiently for me to get a move on. Having this lockdown is giving me plenty of time to email nurseries and order so many plants, it is a bit too easy and far too tempting! This order came from Crocus who were very happy to sell plants that should have gone to Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows.
Various primulas which I ordered last year from Barnhaven Primulas in France before we left the EU. as I wasn’t sure whether we would be able to order from them in the future. They came as tiny bareroot plants, not all for the rockery, some for the bog garden and some for the woodland. They seem ready to plant out now.
Another order arrived recently from Plantagogo. I have ordered my heucheras from them previously and always been pleased with their plants. They always win gold at Chelsea and the other flower shows and I think they were pleased to sell a lot of what would have gone there this year but of course, all the flower shows have had to be cancelled. Some will like the sun and some the shade which will be caused by the larger plants.
You will see from the plants that I’m not going for tiny little rockery plants, I have strong beefy soil which will have compost and grit added to it, but basically it is very heavy clay so needs plants that can cope with it.
I tried planting a short while ago, but it was like digging in concrete, such a change from a month ago when everywhere was sodden! Also when I was vigorously digging with my trowel, I struck a stone and such an excrutiating pain shot up my arm, I really thought I had done some serious damage, but no, a good rest for a couple of days and I was back out in the garden, working. At the moment, at the end of April, we are now having rain every day for a week, the April showers have arrived that we should have been having on and off all month. The soil is now much softer, so much easier to plant in, so once more, no excuse for not rolling my sleeves up and getting on with it, I’ll just have to dodge the showers to do it!
Is your garden benefiting from our enforced lockdown? I think everyone is going to have a wonderful garden this year!
Look at that, you’ve been very busy and it shows! I can’t believe the primula have done so well for you, they look as if you brought them home from the greenhouse this week, and not as little bareroot plants. That should fill a few spots.
I wish I could say my garden looks amazing, but it’s still got plenty of rough patches and areas in need of attention. Things are ahead of a normal schedule though, and some of the more tedious problems that I’ve been avoiding have finally been dealt with. Hopefully by June the work will pay off!
Take care 🙂
Over the winter, I did wonder Frank if I had lost some of the primulas, but once the warmer days came, they all popped up and have done very well, they just need planting now! I too have lots of areas that still need attention, I’ll get round to them eventually. Having so much time means I don’t have any excuse any more!
That’s quite a project Pauline but I can see by all the plants you’ve got lined up it’s going to be a lovely, well stocked bed! Plants do have a habit of deciding for themselves how high they will grow don’t they? I am glad you didn’t do any serious damage to your arm. Here I think my garden is also benefiting from our self isolation though the arrival of a new puppy next week may well change that!
Wow, a new puppy, Denise, that is fantastic, you will be too busy to garden! Ive been trying to place all my plants, but haven’t planted any yet as I keep changing them. If any do grow more than 3 ft, they will find that the secateurs come out to curb any wayward branches!
Always good to have space for new plants, Pauline and I am pleased you have been able to source things whilst in lockdown. Did Crocus and Plantagogo have special deals on plants that were due at the shows? Avon Bulbs were doing so. You have reminded me that heucheras vary in thir needs as some of mine in the bronze bed struggle – so perhaps those ones prefer shade
I have received a few Agapanthus Cathy, from Avon Bulbs that would have gone to Chelsea, I don’t think Crocus or Plantagogo were doing special deals, can’t remember, but bought their plants anyway as they were wanting to sell their surplus.I’m sure my bed will soon be filled up with just room left for bulbs to plant in the autumn.
Your rockery will look wonderful once all those plants go in. Oh, so many gorgeous buys!!! I haven’t got around to ordering any plants yet, just growing from seed. I have bought next year’s veg seed as there has been a run on them. Good to know your arm was OK.xxx
It was so tempting ordering my new plants Dina, I had to stop myself from getting carried away! You have certainly been busy with all your seed, you won’t need to go to the supermarket! My arm is fine now thanks, rather a shock at the time though! x
Pauline, isn’t it nice to find a bit more space for planting! I’m sure you’ll fill the rockery in a most imaginative and lovely way. The primulas are charming and I love your heucheras. Glad you’re finding plenty to do in the garden. It seems a great refuge to me to be back in the garden some this year after a couple years of ignoring it. Spring weather has been the best in many years, making it all the more enjoyable.
It’s wonderful Susie for an excuse to buy more plants, I have enjoyed the planning, now to do the hard work, but it needs weeding again before I can do that.I’m doing far more in the garden than before, with not being able to go out anywhere, I am trying to get the garden back to what it was before the undergardener died, if I don’t do it now , I never will. We too have had wonderful weather for a long time now, dare I say that we need rain!