NEW PERENNIAL BORDER UNDERWAY
A few weeks ago I wrote about my visit to Hauser and Worth and my plans to recreate a small portion of it by the Stables in our garden. This project is now underway! I've started lifting the turf, which I reuse elsewhere in the garden. I've dug out all the borders in the garden step by step like this.
This is progress so far. There is a large Choisya growing next to the stable, but two ash trees are growing right in among the roots so the Choisya will have to be sacrificed to get them out. Cuttings have been taken.
I've seen Autumn planting recommended as a better way to get plants established, so I thought it would be worth a try, particularly as I've been able to buy a few reduced plants (although half price plants from ‘Crocus’are probably not much cheaper than full price plants from elsewhere).
Here's what I've bought so far.
Sedum Matrona- I hope these are good plants, but they've been so comprehensively cut back, it is hard to tell.
Panicum virgatum Shenandoah is also going in. I'm not a big fan of grasses, and these aren't showing any of the promised Autumn colour, so we will see if I learn to love them.
Also on my list is a pink Japanese Anemone. This is Bowles Pink which isn't the variety used by Piet Oudolf, but they were half price in the local Garden Centre and aren't too tall so I think they will be a good substitute.
Finally for photo number six, this is Symphyotrichum Little
Carlow. These seem a little small to be planted out over Winter, so I'm wondering whether to grow them on in the cold frame or greenhouse. Any advice on this would be welcomed.
The other plants for the border can be grown from seed. When the seed arrive I'll feature those too.
That’s all I have room for this week. All the Six on Saturday posts can be found on Garden Ruminations our new home from home thanks to Jim who is caretaking while the Propagator takes a break.
Lovely little painting of the Choisya. Who is the artist?
ReplyDeleteI feel so bad that I'm having to dig it up I thought I would do a little picture of it. ( I'm terrible at getting rid of plants even if they really really need to go!)
DeleteI'd already started a garden visiting itinerary with Longstock Water Gardens, from Rosie's post, now I've added two more. I don't seem to have been anywhere for years, next year that must change.
ReplyDeleteWe had two years of not going anywhere either. So nice to get out and about again.
DeleteGood idea re the bargain plants, it is time I visited the garden centre again. Hopefully I'll find a plant or two hiding between all the Christmas razzamataz.
ReplyDeleteLots of cut price plants at our local one, although most of them aren't much to look at this time of year. Plenty of Christmas tat too.
DeleteChoisya cuttings work very well. I tried just in case 2 or 3 years ago and now I have a beautiful bush in another corner of the garden. (Directly a stem cutting into the ground) This anemone is full of promise and the colour is very pretty : cheap plants are often interesting
ReplyDeleteI'll try one directly in the ground too Fred. Thanks for that tip.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be exciting to see how it all develops. I hope the Choisya cuttings do well (reading Fred's comment it sounds as though they will).
ReplyDeleteIt still amazes me that cuttings actually grow.
DeleteI’m a bit puzzled by your Hauser and Worth reference as your link directs me back to this page, so I googled and found an art gallery, no garden. However, I noted your reference to Piet Ouldof…. Is there a garden of his at H&W? I have Sedum matrona in my garden and it does have a tendency to fall over. I’m presently looking at ways to keep it upright. You little choysia painting is delightful.
ReplyDeleteHopefully I've fixed that link now. H&W in Bruton has a Piet Oudolf garden that's been in a while now so it's good and mature. It's the first one of his I've seen in the flesh rather than just photos.
DeleteI used to not be a fan of grasses, but I am starting to like them. At least some of them. This year I planted a Sporobolis heterolepsis, and I have seeds of Schizachyrium scoparium that I am planting this fall. These are both native to my area. The first has an unusual scent when blooming, almost like cilantro and the other has a lovely fall color and little fluffy seeds this time of year.. Some of these plants have very long root systems that facilitate water absorption, and are also drought tolerant. Some of our native bees need to have bunch grasses to build nests under. My S heterolepsis is pretty unimpressive, being a first year plant - it only had two seed heads and no discernable scent
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you should mention the Sporobolis heterolepsis as used by Piet Oudolf at the Hauser and Worth garden so I have ordered some seed to have a try with.
DeleteN20. I'm also doing a little late autumn planting with some cut price perennials. A couple have gone straight into the garden, but the gaura, which is on the tender side, I will pot on and keep in the potting shed gh. I've dipped into grasses a few times in the last few years. I can happily recommend calamagrostis Karl Foerster' which turns a lovely colour in the autumn - goldenish perhaps? And it does that grassy thing of swaying in the breezes. Look forward to seeing how things go.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll overwinter the asters before planting them in the Spring as you are doing with the gaura. The grasses I have in the garden (Miscanthus zebrinus and festuca glauca) don't sway, and I think some swaying grasses might convert me.
DeleteI read somewhere recently (or was it on GQT?) that Asters are better divided in the spring as they grow away quicker then so that might be a better time to plant out a small plant.
ReplyDeletethequiltinggardener
Thanks for that. The Spring it is then.
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