My garden is a labour of sort of love but obviously back ache and there is one major problem. You can probably guess who.
Clue: large, white, furry and whinges.
So here is my before photo.
And yesterday I went to the garden centre and spent all my money on lovely bedding plants. Something comes over me at a garden centre – I just want to spend, spend, spend. I resorted to Googling my own garden to see how many Belfast sinks (the answer is 6) that I had to buy for and fill.
So, I weeded the weed-things away, got a wheel-barrow full of horse manure/compost and then planted everything out.
This year it is pansies, trailing lobelia, with alysum. The night scented stocks (gorgeous in the evenings) are in separate little pots.
The rest of the garden looks like this.
And I had my little helper. Ted was in the house refusing to ever come outside. He had run away on the dog walk. He has his anxiety at the moment. I am ignoring it.
This is one of the many times, I wish I could phone my mother to ask her for gardening advice. She knew everything and her garden, as you may know, was always incredble.
I would’ve asked her if you water after you plant bedding plants. I erred on the side of caution and watered. Mum would’ve told me what to do right. I do miss her very much.
So, after planting everything out, I had to cover it all up with chicken wire because of Monster.
To him, this is a cat litter tray. To me, it is not. I am hopeful I can take the wire off once all the plants are a bit more established. Bloody cat. There is nothing worse than meeting plants scattered all over the ground because he back-dug after doing his business.
Yes, one always waters in a new planting. You may need to fence off your lovely plants from the feline outdoor pooper. In his feeble defense, that soft dirt is nice on his paws to cover the evidence. Sorry Ted has the vapors.
Great work, Frances and Pepper! I like the neat side of your garden and I like the lovely billowy wild side too. This year we’ve (by which I mean I’ve) decided to put perennial flowers into our garden so that they’ll last for years. I’m trying to get the better of our resident slugs and grow some vegetables. Usually vegetables are gobbled before we get anything much at all!!! I do hope they grow alright (the vegtables, not the slugs) because I’ve sown the sort you can keep cutting. I really hope the sorrel grows OK because when I grew some before it lasted for years and was delicious, a lovely lemony flavour.
I have had luck with buying the very thin copper tubing and bending it around on top of the ground on the outside of plantings that the slugs attack. I guess they don’t like copper.
Hi Frances, yes watering after planting helps settle the soil around the roots and I think I recall getting rid of the air pockets that might be in the soil..
As for Monster, I have read (don’t know for certain) that cats don’t like citrus? Any idea if he is repulsed or pays it no mind?
At least you don’t have deer and rabbits. I live in the city and cannot grow any beans or peas. No fence and no dog. So its a bit of yellow squash, zuchini and cucumbers. I do have a good bit of herbs too, Thyme, lemon Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage and some bay leaf bushes.
M in NC
I am the same as you, spending too much on bedding flowers. I get so much joy, as you must also. Once flowers are large, Monster won’t be able to get in. I have 3 cats and are share your pain of them digging in the garden.
I’ve had success with red pepper powder and mothballs to keep critters out of my beds.
You chose such beautiful flowers, Frances. I hope you can uncover them soon! I always water after planting, to give them a good start!
It looks lovely and the sinks are amazing. Wish I knew where to buy one in the US. Sorry about Ted’s anxiety.