Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú

Garden inspirationÌý permalink

Wild flower bedding area,

• Message 1.Ìý

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Thursday, 4th August 2011

  Hi All,
  It rained yesterday and the garden needed it, and todays been hot hot hot,
  But one thing i thought i'd talk about tonight is the wild flower bed i made a few weeks ago,
  
  Just for those who may not know about the new wild flower bed!
  
  Its the edge of the orchard grass area, It's one of those area's you dont tend to do a lot with and so i thought "having read a few of Alan titchmarsh's write ups about wild flower gardening "I'd give it a go"
  
  The idea is to bring as much of nature into the garden as possible, ie bee's & butter fly, etc and to have verious wild flowers growing all through the summer, and as these get to the end of the summer they seed and are then rotovated and re grow next spring and so the cycle continues.
  
  Well it was about 3 weeks ago i started to clear the edge of the orchard grass area and about 2 weeks ago i bought a few bags of mixed wild flower seed's and just got on with sowing the seeds on top of the tilth soil and gently raked these seed into the soil and then mist spray the complete area.
  
  Today ive noticed the first blue little flowers in full bloom, "thats how quick this project has taken to produce lots of green shoots all over and as i say these little blue flowers.
  Im made up with the speed and the result so far.
  
  Tomorrow will be more "Plum" picking as the vitoria plums are ready for picking and to be used for jam etc etc .
  
  I bought and planted these plum trees 3 years ago now and this year has been a really good harvest for the little time they've been in the orchard,
  
  It really is a good investment buying and planting fruit trees.
  
  Well its been a long day and one ive enjoyed very much "ive not seen anyone other than the boss all day" and so its been peace perfect peace all day long.
  So i'll say good night and hope you have a nice gardening day tomorrow
  ,"I will"
  Regards Punpun.

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Thursday, 4th August 2011

  I love wild flowers. I let a few self seed around my garden - I bought a few, the rest were presents from the birds. I'm also delighted to find my bugle, which I don't have anymore in my own garden, has self seeded along my street, colonising cracks and unkempt gardens normally only used by dandelions.
  
  I wish more councils would understand the value in these days of austerity. My local council is replacing colourful seasonal bedding with grass and a few shrubs. If only they'd realise giving this space over to wildflowers will save them money still by needing even less maintenance, still look good in the summer and be great for wildlife.
  
  I saw a piece on Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Look North news a few months ago about residents complaining that the council had stopped mowing a part of their park to save money. What they were complaining about had already turned into a lovely springtime meadow with perenial "weeds" and no doubt if left longer plenty of annuals. I was so annoyed that people are seeing it as a bad thing.
  
  In contrast, my local council in one instance at least appears to be leaving areas of the catherdral grounds unmown this year after the spring bulbs. We've already had a heart warming display of cowparsley earlier in the year.
  
  In open spaces, especially in times when money is tight and wildlife needs help, less really is more. Everyone should do their best to spread the word.

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Thursday, 4th August 2011

  It's worth noting I composted my bugle as I got tired of it getting mildew every year. I've replaced it with stock for quick replacement, which is equally as good for wildlife judging by the sheer number of hoverflies in my garden today. Anyway, I digress.... In contrast, the self seeded bugle plants growing wild with no watering or feed are smaller but pefectly healthy. Another example of nature doing it best.
  
  The seeded plants are purple leaved just like the plant I owned. I'm sure the bees won't mind.

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Friday, 5th August 2011

  Hello to both of you,
  As you've said we really have lost some natural flowering seeds because gardens have become very regimental, and selection of the old seeds not tobe seen for sale in most gardencentre's
  
  Be fore i came to live here in france "and we really are in the deep countryside"
  we excepted what the local coucils put in the verious areas for us to see and as time went on and cash was being cut in council spending, what could have been some lovely villages and towns by just using baskets, and troughs full of flowers was given the boot and they lost the chance to look & feel sunny & bright.
  
  We arrived during the month of august and when we went for an evening walk it was then we noticed all these lovely wild flowers growing all over the banks and in the lanes as we walked along,
  
  We now take all these flowers for granted "but visitors from the uk who come here" always mention all the wild flowers growing and no litter to be found.
  
  We have a real love for the area we live in and they do say you should'nt look back!
  But its 10 years this sept that we signed for our home here and we've both said it would kill us to go back to our old life of work work & more work.
  
  We bought a run down old farm house that a lot of people would have walked away from on the first viewing,
  But this old place had something about it crying out tobe saved and lived in once again.
  We're just about finished all the big stuff and from now on it's gardening gardening & more country walks,
  
  We had a saying i heard once and it 's this,
  
  If a problem just needs time & money to put it right, Then its not really a problem,
  Those problems that time or money can't fix ??? They are the real problems!
  This old house has taken time, learning how to do things we thought we'd never be able to do, and well earned & well spent money to get it sorted,
  
  All the wild flowers that have come into being are i feel the old house way of saying "we've been here all the time, just waiting for the sun to shine"
  
  Thanks for your reply.
  Regards Punpun.

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by androse (U13822970) on Monday, 8th August 2011

  It's worth noting I composted my bugle as I got tired of it getting mildew every year. I've replaced it with stock for quick replacement, which is equally as good for wildlife judging by the sheer number of hoverflies in my garden today. Anyway, I digress.... In contrast, the self seeded bugle plants growing wild with no watering or feed are smaller but pefectly healthy. Another example of nature doing it best.
  
  The seeded plants are purple leaved just like the plant I owned. I'm sure the bees won't mind. Ìý Can you tell me what the bugle plant looks like

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Monday, 8th August 2011

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Typhoo (U14886858) on Tuesday, 9th August 2011

  I know it's not a "wild" garden, but do you think all the lovely cosmos which grows all round the border at the house which overlooks Intermarche are self seeded? There are soooo many I can't think he would grow it every year.
  
  Our visitors have just left for a few days but are coming back next week for 4/5 days. Between us we got some of the path done and hopefully will finish it with their help next week, it's looking good and glad you came up with it Punpun. At least the weather hasn't been too hot to do heavy work. The grass is really needing cut, but it's just too wet, at least it's green now instead of brown and crunchy, maybe tomorrow - not a lot of rain forecast for the forseeable!! Will need to visit a friend then back to breaking up tiles this aft, and pick/blanche runners.
  
  Oh the joys of retirement in rural France
  
  Have a good day all!!

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 9th August 2011

  I know it's not a "wild" garden, but do you think all the lovely cosmos which grows all round the border at the house which overlooks Intermarche are self seeded? There are soooo many I can't think he would grow it every year.
  
  Our visitors have just left for a few days but are coming back next week for 4/5 days. Between us we got some of the path done and hopefully will finish it with their help next week, it's looking good and glad you came up with it Punpun. At least the weather hasn't been too hot to do heavy work. The grass is really needing cut, but it's just too wet, at least it's green now instead of brown and crunchy, maybe tomorrow - not a lot of rain forecast for the forseeable!! Will need to visit a friend then back to breaking up tiles this aft, and pick/blanche runners.
  
  Oh the joys of retirement in rural France
  
  Have a good day all!!Ìý Hi Typhoo,
  Well ive almost finished the path all 45 ft of it "but ive run out of roof tiles" but my neighbour down the lane has come to my rescue with an offering of roof tiles they've no use for, so tomorrow ive to collect them and join you in a days breaking tiles and then the mixer will be doing its bit in removing the sharp edges.
  
  But as you say "the joys of retirement" i ve started to cut out the first of two large flower beds in the Lawn,
  These are for next years spring bulbs and summer flowers "But as the soil in this part of the garden is like concrete ive started now so i can turn it over a lot and apply manure to really work this clay soil mix to a good rich base for the bulbs etc, (they're going in the end of sept/october)
  
  Regards Punpun.

  Link to this forum: Wild flower bedding area,

  Report message8

Back to top