A work in progress Pt 2

[Cathrin]

So where did we go from there?



I started under the trees for the woodland area




Overall effect, but will need more plants next year, mostly different types of foxgloves I think (I only have 5 so far)



Now thats the Loggery, most people have a rockery, but we wanted to be different and its a lot cheaper to do



Thats the herb garden, a raised bed made from old oak pallets that where no longer needed on the building site



Our first Magnolia flower.

So what do you think?

[Silk]

Just to add this is Cathrin's first attempt at posting pics on the board. She needed a little help to get her started, but soon got the hang of it

Me? I'm still rather chuffed at getting that pic of the magnolia ;D

[Edda]

Wow! Congratulations on the picture posting, too!

[Ann]

What a transformation, it's going to look fabulous when it's all done. And that pic of the magnolia is quite something Mark, so sharp. My digital camera hates white so I'm very envious. (Course I know from other pics that you have a lot more expertise too, so it's a bit more than just the camera!)

[Daisy]

What a super job, love the woodland area we have two really big trees in our garden, an Oak and an Ash and our garden is heavy clay so sadly most of my flowers are grown in pots, overwintered and then placed in the garden to fill in any gaps.

I do like the raised herb bed that's really clever. Do you think you'll ever be satisfied Cathrin? They say a garden is never finished after all, and there's not one season goes by where I don't have to just 'pop out to get a couple of plants'.

Marion

[Cathrin]

He is good with that camera isn't he Ann
But that is just one of the cheap digitals he got for quick snaps, don't you just hate him at times Grrrr.

Hi Marion,

We have heavy clay too, but there are lots of flint nodes so that helps drainage, what we have also done is to mix compost into the clay to help break it down (most gardens in England seem to comprise of clay for some reason)
This is why we are also doing raised beds, where we dig out we are using that to build up and then doing a mix of compost and top soil, this will eventually work into the clay and give a good soil type. Yes hard work now, but it will pay off later when we are less mobile.

The soil at the woodland end is the best years of leave fall have mixed with the clay to produce a rich black soil, the wild plants are loving it.

As for never being finished, don't tell Mark, but of course its never finished ;D You have to replace plants that have died off or not done so well, you see a gap and know that 'there' is just the thing to fill it. LOL

The raised herb bed was Marks first big project, and you wouldn't guess just by looking at it that is made of scrap wood. I love the 4 little front pockets, we have filled those with different types of thyme and hope they will spread and hang over the wood for a mini hanging garden effect.

We still have pots and planters as I will use those for growing on seedlings and plants before putting them in.

I'm pleased you like the effects we are trying to create, at the moment we are working on the loggery for the alpines (lots cheaper than a rockery and more in keeping with the effect we are trying to achieve in the garden)

[Ann]

How on earth did you survive for so long without a garden?

There's a lot of composted bark mixed in with the clay soil in my garden. With everything being in raised brick beds, the soil levels drop every year and the cheapest way of raising them back up is the composted bark. Plus it loosens the clay and feeds the soil. I love the effect of plants hanging over the walls too and have quite a few in the back. The downside is that snails love to gather underneath them. I spend half the summer relocating snails.

So what's the make of this "cheap" digital camera that can process white so well Mark?

[Silk]

admin said:

So what's the make of this "cheap" digital camera that can process white so well Mark?

Actually it wasn't my 'cheap' one it was a Nikon Coolpix 3100, an old work camera. But I wouldn't buy one myself as it has some 'quirks' that I am none too keen on.
The secret from what I have worked out using this and others. Is to read the manual and learn how to use the settings to their best advantage. Especially the macro setting -they may not have a true macro mode, but close up work is better with them.
The rest is just normal photography rules, good light rather than false light, get it behind you, but not so you create a shadow, and don't be afraid to take 10 shots of one thing - especially with digital where you can see and dump shots straight away. That magnolia shot was the one good one out oif about 8 I dumped - mostly because what you see through the viewfinders on most small digi cams - is not what you get - but using the back screen for a viewfinder is more liable to result in camera shake (IMO)

[SaffiandJasmin]

WOW! What a change you've made to that garden! Congratulations on such great work.
I'm only just on the other side of London if you want a follow-up challenge!!

Seriously though, I bet you feel rightfully proud of that!
Lesley T xx

[Maria]

The garden looks wonderful. If you're lucky you might get some stag beetles breeding in loggery. Congratulations on your hard work and brilliant garden designs.
Maria

[Silk]

Sun was up this am: So i snapped a couple of shots of our work over the weekend (not enough to warrant another part - more of a before and after for the Loggery.

The Loggery



The Loggery - I must've pulled this apart a dozen times trying to make it look natural - rather than built. Only 3 rocks, but a LOT of soil (most of it from where I am digging in a new path)



Another flower comes into bloom - gorgeous isn't it?

That's all from me - Cat is better at adding the notes - I just dig and build ;D (and take the pics)

[Chris]

Gosh, I know I've been away from the boards for a while, but haven't you done well in one season! Fantastic, the garden looks brill and even better it's wildlife friendly, my kind of gardening. ;D

[catsnaps]

That looks like a lot of hard work Silk, good job. I would love to somethign like that in our garden but it is quite small. At the end of our garden we have a little pebble-rock 'display' with some nice big and tall plants and a little tree but it is nothing like that. No built up beds or 'constructed niceness'

It looks real nice and I might come round to laze in your garden from time to time just for the new chill out factor hehehe

[Lesley]

the garden is fantastic. and yes like ann said how did you manage with out one!
oh please come over and help me with my dry crispy yard... i have one tiny corner for shade, the rest is sun (even with the trees) the afternoon sun moves directly over the yard. actually it feels like the sun has lowered into the yard. hoping for an early winter...

lesley

p.s. of course that magnolia is beautiful