Cheshire Gardening
Cheshire Gardening! well, just a little information letting new visitors to Aberdeen gardening know that we moved away from Aberdeen twenty months ago and are now living in a Cheshire village..
Valuable information regarding Aberdeen will remain on my site for myself, and hopefully may come in handy for others living in the North East of Scotland.
Today I am dropping my plant profile theme in favour of showing what’s been going on in the back garden these last two weeks.
I had been talking recently as to whether or not we should remove the grass in the back garden.
Guess what, i’ve just gone and done it.
Having replaced the grass with golden gravel, I am tired but satisfied well it may not be to everyone’s taste. Nevertheless it will be great going outside in Spring, Autumn and even Winter and not have to concern ourselves with the boggy grass.
Today’s post really is a visual exploration of our back garden in July.
I will not make very much of naming the plants, this is left for the plant profile thing which I do.
The small patio area at the top of the garden is ideal for relaxing, something I intend doing for the remainder of the Summer.
Our back garden is small, something like 40ft x 26ft. I had already cut out the boat shaped border last August.
This past week or so with the help of a spade, a barrow, Myra with the rake and 2000 kg of golden gravel, job complete.
We did of course put down a ground membrane material .which lets the water through and prevents the weeds from growing,
I hope you enjoy sharing our back garden with us, when I say job complete, well, thankfully, it never is.
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This is part of the main patio area, with identical patio set to the one at the top of the garden. This patio area measures 26ft x 8 ft.
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Cracker of a Veronica is the Dwarf Ulster Blue.
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I am hoping to share the front garden with you next time.
thanks Pam, relaxing but a bit fidgety.
So you went with the gravel, Alistair, and it looks amazing! Your hard work paid off. I truly hope you are now relaxing and enjoying your beautiful sanctuary! P. x
Annette, I think the answer to it is (the very well drained position)
My Iris reticulata are growing in a very well drained position in poor soil – they seem to like it and have thrived for many years now. On the other hand I can’t get them to flower at all in pots for presents! I just get leaves.
Thanks Sue, Instead of mowing the grass, I can now regularly be seen raking the gravel.
Alistair, your labour of love has really borne fruit – well, flowers – lots and lots of them. I like the gravel look. I got rid of the grass years ago, and have never regretted it although Potter still regrets it. I can’t believe yours is a fairly new garden. Congrats – and to Myra.
Indie, Thank you very much, we are already thinking of what next to do, guess it can wait for now.
Holy cow, your garden is so gorgeous!! You whipped that garden right in shape after moving! I just love the explosion of colors and textures. The gravel looks really nice with it. I’m going to go stare at the photos of your beautiful garden some more…
Rick, I must admit, it felt like a gamble lifting all the grass, seems to have worked out fine.
Although this is such a young garden you still make it look like a work of art Alistair, I am stuck with grass in between my beds currently although to have gravel pathways to me is preferable not only because of problems with saturation but it just looks better.
Thanks Debs, I must admit, I was never a gravel fan myself but I had a feeling we could make something of it in this situation. I think it only works due to the quantity of plants surrounding the gravel.
Alistair, your garden is a visual feast! You have created a paradise. I can imagine the work involved in changing grass to gravel. I admit it looks wonderful, though I am not a gravel fan. I can appreciate not liking to walk on soggy grass!
The gravel makes a nice foil for the all the color and bloom in the garden. Your garden looks lovely.
Thanks Sunil, really appreciate your comments,all the work of two old timers.
Hi Alistair, my jaw dropped as soon as I saw garden view picture and I’m too stunned to pick it back up. The garden looks incredible and it’s so immaculate it feels as though I’m looking through a “National Trust Gardens” book! I love the border and how they’re filled such such a variety of flowering plants and foliage. I know you moved less than two years ago but the garden looks like it’s been tended for years to get to how it looks now! I still can’t believe it – did you have the whole street on the job!?
Helene, the winding stretch of grass was a nuisance to mow. You are really going to get those new plants which have been on your wish list.
Thanks Angie, a bit of re-jigging will be required in early Autumn, y know that over planting stuff we do.
Annette, I never could get Iris reticulata to come through a second season, well done.
I guess that is quite hard work if the plant grows more than you would like. I certainly can’t complain about Rhododendrons or Azaleas, or even Meconopsis or Iris Reticulata.
To say I am speechless is an understatement Alistair. What a huge difference in such a short time. Flowers as far as they eye can see. Well done to the both of you. The gravel looks great, sit back and relax for the remainder of the summer.
You know what Alistair, I don’t think you will regret getting rid of the grass, it looks great!
Having a small patch of grass is more work dragging the mower out and putting it back than actually doing the mowing, I did the same in my previous garden and will do it again here in my new garden.
Your back garden looks beautiful! I can’t believe how well everything has filled in in such a short time. It helps of course having taken with you a lot of mature plants from your previous garden and I hope this will be the case for me too, once I can start planting. I haven’t got enough plants for my new, bigger garden though, what a problem eh? I need to buy more plants! Can’t wait to get started searching, got a wish-list as long as my arm with plants I could never fit in my previous garden.
I hope the weather is turning for the better for you and Myra this week-end, it was almost winter-like down here in London last week 🙂
Annette, It is different growing plants here,some plants which would perhaps make a neat clump in Aberdeen can go crazy here. To be quite honest it has always been a case of trial and error with us. I must say Rhododendrons and Azaleas grow much better in Aberdeen.
Wow. Your garden is stunning and the gravel sets it off so well. I wish you could come back to Aberdeen and advise me on how to achieve this in my garden. I will be studying your plantings and hopefully get mine a bit better next year. Do you find it easier growing plants down there or is it just different? I know it is just a matter of getting the right plants for the right conditions and I guess a certain amount of trial and error. At least the Aberdeen part of your blog is still up and is very useful to me. Thanks
Sue, Pinky Winky has settled well in its new surroundings, in fact this year its at its very best. Glad you like the look of our back garden.
I have ‘stumbled’ upon your website whilst looking on the web for Pinky Winky. Your comments made me laugh, but also convinced me to buy one. I hot footed it round to Gordale (I’m in Cheshire too)I hope it does as well as yours, I am on wet clay so should be okay. I love what you’ve done to the back garden and If I can persuade my husband to take up the grass……………!
Thanks Sarah, I am all for the sunny August.
Alistair, you HAVE been busy! I reckon you deserve to sit down and enjoy your garden. It is immaculate! The gravel looks great. The small patio looks like a wonderful place to relax. Here’s to a sunny August.
Thanks Diana, touch wood, getting on a bit but still in surprisingly good health, eye sights not so good but hey when I look at Myra just like (Kate Moss) Shame she has to look at my dial.
Oh Alistair your garden is absolutely magnificent!
Whether gravel, or stone paving it sets off the plants so much better.
As for you and Myra doing the heavy work yourselves, WOW!!
Your garden looks just amazing with all of your plants full and lush and beautiful. It must give you such pleasure, as it does me to see your photos.
I cannot believe you and Myra tackled such a back breaking job. Bravo to you both!
Debra
The bird’s eye view really shows the contrast between the gravel and the plants – I think it looks so much better than grass. Your flowers are always so gorgeous and the gravel just shows them off even more.
Thanks Lorraine, weather is pretty miserable at the moment, expect it to change soon.
Donna, I dont think it would have worked if our flower beds had been sparse, as it is I am very happy. Weather here has turned wet and cool, hope it changes again soon. Thanks for your kind comments, shame you cant make use of pots however your usual glorious Summers give spectacular results.
Thanks Brenda, it felt risky, glad it worked out.
Your garden is a credit to you both
You have accomplished so much is such a short time
I was doubtful about taking your grass up thought it would spoil your centre bed but WOW!!!!!11 it looks so good with the gravel the planting stands out so much more
Look forward to more of Cheshire Garden in the future
Alistair what sheer joy to see the back garden….you are so enterprising doing this project already. It looks fabulous and I love the beds really popping now and less maintenance for you. The weather there must love a garden as everything is lush. I particularly love how you use containers. I wish we could do that here but the plants do not like it nor the containers with our winters….but the look is so professional. This garden you created is worthy of any garden magazine.
Looking forward to seeing the front garden profile!
Alistair, you’re garden is stunningly beautiful. I love the gravel, I think in view of the boggy problem, you have made the right decision. The garden certainly doesn’t look any the worse for it. Hopefully the weather stays warm enough so you can spend as much time sitting in the garden just enjoying the view, you’ve certainly earned it.