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PicPost: Tulip Time

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16/04/2016
Picture by Atie Post

Picture by Atie Post

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Top Tip: Climbers- Do’s and Don’ts

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15/04/2016

g-yellow-climber-on-fenceGrowing climbers against boundaries or internal screens adds interest to a hard or unattractive surface, and is the best use of space in a small garden. choosing the right plant for then right site is the key to minimising work; in particular, you will need to consider the plant’s eventual size, and its preferred aspect.

Also, choose a support system that’s right for the plant- some will cling on without much help, others twine, others need to be tied onto a wire or some other support.

Differetn climbers need different support systems

Differetn climbers need different support systems

Here are some other things to consider:

Do put up the support before planting. Make sure it is the correct size and strength for the climber.

Do kill weeds before planting.

Do add compost when planting and use a mulch to reduce the need to water and weed.

Do invest in long-handled pruners or loppers to cut back tall climbers.

Don’t plant large plants where they will need constant cutting back to keep them within bounds.

Don’t remove canes from new climbers (though if the plant is taped to these you can cut the tapes). Position the canes to enable the plant to clamber easily onto the support.

Source: ‘Short Cuts to Great Gardens’- Reader’s Digest, 1999

Further Information:

‘Social climbers: How to cover a house in plants’- Daily Telegraph

‘Insulating a house with climbing plants’

Old School Gardener

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PicPost: Pest Control

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14/04/2016
Picture by Barry Simmons

Picture by Barry Simmons

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Top Tip: Tree Roots

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13/04/2016

lal304195When choosing a tree for a garden, take care; a large tree in a small garden will lead to problems in years to come. It will dominate the garden and put it in shade. So, unless you have a large garden, avoid large ornamentals, such as Cedars, the Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) or Prunus ‘Kanzan’, and woodland trees, such as Oak, Beech and Horse Chestnut.

Of course you may ‘inherit’ trees planted some time ago, or as here at Old School Garden, ‘allowed to grow’. We had to have some serious tree surgery done to a huge Black Poplar that was getting too big for its boots a couple of years ago. I have an aerial photo of the house and garden taken in 1965 in which you can see the young tree just starting on its life journey. After having its crown and sides trimmed it must still be 45 feet tall and about as broad. I’m also contemplating some more surgery (possibly completely felling) two Oaks that have grown up on our boundary with our neighbours and throw a lot of shade which is causing a lot of moss growth on one roof slope of the house.

Even when you choose a tree that’s suitable in terms of it’s above ground size, don’t forget the impact that the roots might have.

If tree roots are a potential problem, restrict their growth by using thick polythene or a polypropylene membrane, which can be trenched into the soil to act as a physical barrier (or ‘root barrier’) and will prevent the roots growing where they are not wanted. New pipes and drains can also be wrapped in the material to prevent roots seeking moisture from them.

The damage tree roots can cause… to tarmac surfaces…
..to paving…
…to paviors…
to utility pipes …
..and IN drains!

Trees planted in areas that are paved or covered in another solid surface (e.g. tarmac) can cause the surface to lift with time. To combat this, the same types of thick membrane can be used to line the hole at planting time to encourage the roots to grow down, and not along the surface. There are a number of types of root barrier available which can be installed either at planting or to help control roots down the line; here’s one example.

Old School Gardener

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The Castle Vale Estate, Birmingham, Part II: ‘a dignified low-rise estate’ — Municipal Dreams

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12/04/2016

We left Castle Vale last week, an undoubtedly troubled estate, damaged by the construction flaws specific to much system-built housing of the sixties and beset by the social problems affecting estates across the country as a traditional working-class economy collapsed and council housing itself became increasingly allocated to the most vulnerable of our community. Something […]

via The Castle Vale Estate, Birmingham, Part II: ‘a dignified low-rise estate’ — Municipal Dreams

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PicPost: Spring Lamp

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Picture by Gina Gray

Picture by Gina Gray

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Temporary Quarters at Blickling

Filed under: Blickling Hall- rebirth of the Walled Garden, Community Gardening, Heritage Gardens & gardening — 2 Comments
11/04/2016
Hyacinth 'Blue Jacket' putting on a show- and fragrance

Hyacinth ‘Blue Jacket’ putting on a show- and fragrance

Another Wednesday session this week at Blickling, and, you guessed it, more spade work!

It was a showery day, so the waterproof was never far away…at one point we had an almost horizontal driving shower of hail to contend with. Anyway, my first job in the Walled Garden was to dig a trench (and half) with my fellow volunteers to provide a temporary home for a rather large number of Black Mongo Grass (Ophiopogon) plants which had been removed from the Black Garden.

All trenched in…
…Ophiopogon (Black Mongo Grass)

I’d noticed a digger hard at work in this important area near the Double borders; I’m pleased to say that the grass (or rather mud) surface of this area was being replaced with gravel and a slight remodelling was underway too. This area is heavily trafficked and the grass surface soon cuts up over the season, so something tougher is required.

Whacking down the path base- this will have gravel laid over…
…many edge plants removed, some levelling up and a bit of tweking to the design…
…but gravel isd the answer to the heavy traffic problem in the ‘Black Garden’

The Mongo Grass provide an important ‘floor’ to the planting here which features spring tulips and summer Black Elder amongst other ‘black’ plants. It is also home to a large bench which provides one of the best views at Blickling across the parterre, towards the Hall and the Lake beyond.

There were plenty of plants to place out and some of the other volunteers helped Gardener Rebecca pot some up for sale. I’d also noticed a large number of potted Roses, recently delivered and waiting placing out to fill gaps in the Rose Garden.

Plenty of roses waiting to be planted out in the Rose Garden

Plenty of roses waiting to be planted out in the Rose Garden

After this work- the plants didn’t require any special watering in as the rain came and went- we turned our attention to preparing the ground for the raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries that will occupy a quarter of the walled garden.

All is mucked in... forked over lines for soft fruit in the Walled Garden

All is mucked in… forked over lines for soft fruit in the Walled Garden

So having moved the piles of muck from the other side of the garden a few weeks ago, we now moved it (again) along lines that Mike had set out; to finish off we incorporated this into the top soil and so the ground is ready for planting. A digger had already been here to deep dig the soil, so, though I was still digging and forking this week, I managed to avoid yet more double digging!

The first Tulips are starting to show in the double borders

The first Tulips are starting to show in the double borders

Further Information:

Blickling Hall website

Blickling Hall Facebook page

A 360 degree tour of Blickling Hall

Old School Gardener

 

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​Amsterdam’s Wild West: Nature Play at Woeste Westen — PlayGroundology

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10/04/2016

Ed’s note – I’m a fan of Glasgow-based City of Play. I’m a sucker for cable spools and other playcycled materials. Though I’m born and bred in Canada, my roots are from Scotland’s west coast. Having had the good fortune to visit and stay with family on several occasions as a young boy, I have […]

via ​Amsterdam’s Wild West: Nature Play at Woeste Westen — PlayGroundology

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PicPost: Nearly time……

Gallery
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Pictures of Bluebells in Ireland by Gareth O’ Brien
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Top Tip: Revamp an Old Wall

Filed under: Design, Gardening techniques — Leave a comment
09/04/2016
Hmm... a suitable case for treatment?

Hmm… a suitable case for treatment?

You can extend the life of a freestanding garden brick wall, provided it is still safe.

First, cap the wall top with a coping of engineering bricks, which are water resistant. alternatively use tiles laid on the slant, so that water easily runs off.

Next, cover nearby plants with plastic sheeting, then rake out loose areas of mortar using a wire brush.

Repoint the wall where necessary using a ready-made mortar mix to save time using your own. If the walllooks like (it is probably worth trying to match the mortar to the colour of the existing if you can, so for an old wall it might mean using lime mortar).

Maybe a bit ofart work?
The colours available are endless…
Or how about this for a smart scheme?

Finish off by painting on a silicone sealer to extend the wall’s life and stop algal growth on shady walls. To finish off you can apply two coats of masonry paint- there are plenty of colours available…maybe black or dark green to show off those nice foliage plants and flowers you’ll plant in front?

This approach can be used on freestanding walls, such as those used as garden boundaries. But if your wall forms part of the house and it’s exposed to the elements, then it’s wise to avoid coating it as it needs to ‘breathe’; repointing is the best method of  repair here.

The ultimate in painted walls- extend your garden with a 'Tromp l'oeil'!

The ultimate in painted walls- extend your garden with a ‘Tromp d’oeiul’!

Source: ‘Short Cuts to Great Gardens’- Reader’s Digest 1999

Old School Gardener

 

 

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