This year is a year of simple, straightforward, wholesome gardening and enjoyment. I get to revel in the fundamentals: Pottering, weeding, deadheading, supporting, clipping, mulching, sowing...
Anticipating gardening season here in North Carolina. I love the beauty and the poetry of your piece. Brought a big smile to my face. Can’t wait to find out about no dig flower beds. Thank you for sharing your life and garden on Substack.
Ooh these are my favourites… Skimmia, sarcococca, hellebore, libertia grandiflora, epimedium, box and yew (obv), ferns, Geranium macrorrhizum, viburnum tinus…
Viburnum tinus I love the glossy leaves & the clusters of tiny white flowers with the hint of palest pink, this is the centre piece of a new area I’ve created.
I’ve had it quite a few years & have made it into a tree (rather than a shrub if that makes sense) ferns, hellebore, box & yew I have.
Fatsia is a favourite evergreen again I love the leaves & it’s a good structural plant & thrives in shade, I’ve just planted a variegated variety to sit along side another non variegated one.
I love evergreen plants as it gives a good structure & interest to the garden all year round.
I have lots of bamboo in pots love the swaying movement of them.
I’m so excited about the garden this year. We are very much at the early stages of our garden so a long way off being able to say no more building jobs; the main jobs this year are creating a new cutting garden (no dig so your new series will be very timely!), I am getting my first ever greenhouse (beyond excited - not the 50th birthday present even 48 year old me would have ever thought I wanted 🤭) and I’m going to build my own 3 bay compost heaps (I am totally unskilled in terms of DIY but am hoping it will be a simple project to start with 😅). I have designed the master plan and we will now spend the next few years slowly implementing it. While also trying to save money for the big changes needed on the house. Trying to prioritise the house whilst wanting to continue to change the garden is going to be my biggest challenge I fear 😬.
Sounds very exciting to me. Also seems like we’re on a similar path. We spent the first 4 years renovating the old cottage and just clearing the garden and making it serviceable. It was very neglected. Since then, the gardens have been made in phases.
P.s. I would have loved a greenhouse for my 50th!!!! Still waiting…
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it. That means a lot! I’m going to do a price on the Shady Table. It’s one of my favourite parts of the garden. Virtually snail free too! Always a bonus!
Anticipating gardening season here in North Carolina. I love the beauty and the poetry of your piece. Brought a big smile to my face. Can’t wait to find out about no dig flower beds. Thank you for sharing your life and garden on Substack.
Thank you! That’s really very kind of you ☺️ Always so appreciated. It’s a pleasure to be writing again.
Skimmias are small evergreen shrubs that flower in very early spring with a beautiful perfume. They’re good for shade too.
I’m looking for evergreen plants for a shady area so that’s useful to know 💚
Hellebores are gorgeous!
Ooh these are my favourites… Skimmia, sarcococca, hellebore, libertia grandiflora, epimedium, box and yew (obv), ferns, Geranium macrorrhizum, viburnum tinus…
Looking those up. My beautiful burgundy hellebore is blooming now!
Thank you so much for that a few of those I already have 🪴
Do you have any favourites?
Viburnum tinus I love the glossy leaves & the clusters of tiny white flowers with the hint of palest pink, this is the centre piece of a new area I’ve created.
I’ve had it quite a few years & have made it into a tree (rather than a shrub if that makes sense) ferns, hellebore, box & yew I have.
Fatsia is a favourite evergreen again I love the leaves & it’s a good structural plant & thrives in shade, I’ve just planted a variegated variety to sit along side another non variegated one.
I love evergreen plants as it gives a good structure & interest to the garden all year round.
I have lots of bamboo in pots love the swaying movement of them.
Great article. I’m a shade plant lover too!
Ah, thank you very much! Very much appreciated! Shade is cool. It also makes you work harder! Haha!
Pleasure and yes, it does!
I’m so excited about the garden this year. We are very much at the early stages of our garden so a long way off being able to say no more building jobs; the main jobs this year are creating a new cutting garden (no dig so your new series will be very timely!), I am getting my first ever greenhouse (beyond excited - not the 50th birthday present even 48 year old me would have ever thought I wanted 🤭) and I’m going to build my own 3 bay compost heaps (I am totally unskilled in terms of DIY but am hoping it will be a simple project to start with 😅). I have designed the master plan and we will now spend the next few years slowly implementing it. While also trying to save money for the big changes needed on the house. Trying to prioritise the house whilst wanting to continue to change the garden is going to be my biggest challenge I fear 😬.
Sounds very exciting to me. Also seems like we’re on a similar path. We spent the first 4 years renovating the old cottage and just clearing the garden and making it serviceable. It was very neglected. Since then, the gardens have been made in phases.
P.s. I would have loved a greenhouse for my 50th!!!! Still waiting…
Oh , I forgot to ask , what are skimmies?
Hope it really works out that way!
Me too! Thankfully we’ve just spent a fortune on a new bathroom so budget for big projects is non existent! It’s quite a relief!
A great read! I love the sound of your shady table, I love groupings of plants on tables.
Looking forward to your no dig series as it’s something I’d love to do but not sure how.
Have a great weekend 🙋🏼♀️
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it. That means a lot! I’m going to do a price on the Shady Table. It’s one of my favourite parts of the garden. Virtually snail free too! Always a bonus!