Not much opportunity for gardening this weekend - the weather and other activities conspired to press the hold button. On Saturday I went to a Bee Festival - yes that's a bee festival and not a beer festival. The highlight of the event for me was the opportunity to listen to a talk by the inspirational Pam Warhurst from Incredible Edible. More of that in a future post. Yesterday offered a welcome and rare opportunity for me to meet up with my younger brother who lives abroad. So apart from opening and shutting the greenhouse and some potting up on Saturday night when hailstones held me captive in the greenhouse there's not much to report.
However it's been good to catch breath and think. I've been mulling over the new area that I hope to start planting up soon. This is at the base of the gabion walls and it swallowed up some of the 4 tons of top soil that was delivered recently. The border is north facing and rather shady although it will receive afternoon sun. I am hoping to plant some hellebores in there and to start to plant some of my special snowdrops in that area too. I will wait until the snowdrops concerned go dormant before lifting them from their present pots to plant in the ground. There should also be enough room for some pulmonarias, brunneras, corydalis and other spring flowering woodland plants. You can see some of the plants that are possible candidates in the above photo waiting patiently in the wings for me to decise their fate.
Maybe one or two shrubs at the back to disguise some of the wall but still at that can't make my mind up as to which ones stage. Himself is keen for me to make a start on planting as soon as possible, before the local cat population think that this area of soil might have been specially provided for them. I can see his point but need just a little bit more time to think. Is there any new planting up going on in your garden this spring?
It's nice to have a new patch of land to plant up and the plants you've got earmarked for that area sound wonderful. I'm sure your snowdrops will appreciate being able to stretch their legs. The bee festival sounds interesting, I look forward to hearing more about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same position with my new border although some of the planting has already gone in rather mishmash as I have to find homes quickly for plants that were in my son's way. I also have a large number in pots on the patio. I have earmarked next weekend for the planting. I know where some are going but there is a kind of whole in the middle of the border since I have mentally planted the shady end and also the small plants at the edge of the sunny end but the middle - no idea at all!!
ReplyDeleteHave fun
A Bee festival sounds great, much better than a beer festival!I will check the link out you have put on.
ReplyDeleteA new bed to plant into, pure luxury and a shady bed too, my favourite sort of planting! I have lots waiting in the greenhouse for another week until the frosts are over, then plants that I have been growing for the autumn border will be put out, it will be good to have some room in there again!
ReplyDeleteI love designing and planting new beds - how exciting! I have lots of shady areas in my garden, and although they are more challenging to plan for, they are very very rewarding. The dog's tooth violets have done really well in one of my heavy shaded areas this year, as has woodruff. I look forward to seeing it!
ReplyDeleteLove the sound of all those spring woodland flowers. I still have several plants to put in gaps and tricky spots in my rockery, but the snails are out in the damp weather we've been having!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear more about the Bee Festival, very intriguing. At present I'm also designing a new area of the garden. It's great to have room to realize your (garden) dreams. Looking forward to yours, best wishes
ReplyDeleteA new area to plant up, sounds nice! Lots of new planting here too, slowly getting there :)
ReplyDeletePictures of your new pulmonaria at last - hurrah! As everyone has said it's so exciting to have a new area to plant up, but a still a big decision on what put in it - lots of contenders for a shady border though. I look forward to more pictures, Anna
ReplyDeleteYour new planting plans sound lush.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am also re-planting some bits of the garden this year, and I totally empathise with the "mulling over" stage, I have various things sitting in pots in their new positions ... but .... I am still thinking! :)
K
I think you're wise to have a good think about what you want to plant in the new area. I've been guilty many times of just throwing something in to fill a space, and regretting it later. I'm looking forward to hearing all about the bee festival, much more exciting than a beer festival ;-) .
ReplyDeleteoh what a great combination of woodlanders Anna and I'll be interested in finding out more about your Bee Festival.
ReplyDeleteLove the sound of the bee festival and your new shady border. I was meant to be redoing my sunny border this spring but I've been so busy and the bad weather has got in the way so it might have to wait until the autumn now. Although it looks a bit of state and it's going to annoy me all summer now if I don't do something to it. ;)
ReplyDeleteThese things take time, don't they, mulling is so important, cats or no cats. Lovely plants to find homes for, and selecting which shrubs is always really tricky as they are more pricey and therefore more important to get right, somehow. So much mulling and arranging and re-arranging and even re-planting going on here that I have had no time to blog about it all! Enjoy the process, I say, it is a large part of the pleasure.
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