Hi Jazzy, your raised beds sound brilliant - well done to your OH Mine are a teensy bit raised as they are edged with old railway sleepers but they still involve plenty of bending over. I have a rabbit fence around the veg garden otherwise everything would get eaten. Dahlias are easy. You just plant the tuber in the ground or a big pot (with a stake if it's a tall variety) and watch it grow. They do like plenty of food and water, and are not frost hardy although they will survive over a mild winter in a sheltered spot here. There are so many shapes and colours to choose from
Ah, that is so helpful, B! Thank you so much. I will make a note of the plants. When I had my little town garden for a year, it did make a huge difference to grow and tend to plants, and you might be lucky and discover all sorts of wildlife moves in now too. Is there a river or park where you can walk? That's what I did. Am sure you're not the Morticia Adams of plants, lol x
Hi B, I wondered if you could give me some ideas from the foliage plants you used in your new town garden? I have an area at the back of my cottage (away from the millions of bunnies who eat everything I plant elsewhere) where I have a few pots of flowers but I think foliage - some evergreen but maybe a few deciduous too - would really add to it. I thought about a Japanese Acer too. All suggestions welcome Thank you X
Hi Jazzy, my rocket is still baby-sized and the other salad leaves didn't germinate So weird as I normally live off salad from the garden at this time of year. I have tried to grow beetroot as I love it but the mice (of which there are thousands here) nibbled every single one so I gave up! Your garden sounds amazing, and full of deliciousness
LL, I think some plants need more food than others so they can never say exactly how long the food in new compost will last but most potted plants certainly need added nutrition. Hope we can see your photos
I didn't know you moved, B! I remember now that you were hoping too. I had a small town garden for a year, about ten years ago, and it was a joy in its own way - a lot less work, for sure! Yours sounds gorgeous. You can sit in it and read, or wander into town for a coffee instead of spending hours pulling up weeds! It can be hard to move sometimes so I hope you enjoy it more as time goes by x
My friend said exactly the same about her Acers, VWC. I haven't got one raspberry yet Lots of weeds in the 'lawn' here too but we keep bees and they love the clover etc so that makes it okay...
I've spent the morning weeding, deadheading roses and cutting back huge Buddleias that hang over our driveway and annoy the supermarket delivery driver (He will be happier now, hopefully!) Lots of my flowers and herbs have already gone to seed after the hot spell and the salad seeds still haven't germinated, apart from a bit of rocket. It has been a good year for roses and lavender but apart from that, my garden is really suffering this year. Anyone else finding the same thing?