My house wants its fields back

[JoceAndChris]

:lol: But it's a little paddock really, hardly rolling deer parks.

Nevertheless I will have endless hours of amusement wondering how best to make use of it (and probably will do nothing at all except maybe scatter some snakeshead fritilaria - I like those.)

Glad to hear you've got your old land back too Carol. How have you used it?

 

[Penners]

It's ours - very nearly. We put the deposit down today. Beacon Cottage will sit in 4.5 acres, and no b*stard can erect anything right in front of my ha ha.

Ho ho ho! That's great news, Joce!

I hope that scattering fritillaria seeds works for you, but the grass does look pretty lush. Establishing a wildflower meadow is not entirely straightforward, I'm afraid - rampant grass is the enemy of wildflowers.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

:lol: But it's a little paddock really, hardly rolling deer parks.

Nevertheless I will have endless hours of amusement wondering how best to make use of it

May I make a modest proposal (now you've got a proper slope, and a blank canvas)?
View attachment 2
View attachment 1

 

[JoceAndChris]

They're very beautiful Gareth. Yes please, especially to the stunning Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore. I do think the stone statues are more tasteful that those solid golid ones I saw at Peterhof in June. And that white peacock!

A terraced garden would be lovely. But I need an army of staff to make it and keep it lovely!

 

[Juju]

Let me know if you want any historical design advice for your new land/garden :wink:
Juju

 

[Penners]

You could hire a mini-digger and do a bit of landscaping...

 

[JoceAndChris]

The Grand Canyon? Yes please!

(and thanks Juju - can you recommend any books that contain drawings, plans, or maps, with garden layouts and historic border schemes?)

Or even, can anyone recommend anything on border schemes? Masses of enormous borders here, even without this extra - not a clue what to put in them. The maid is busy digging them out and ridding them of the ramsoms, aquilegias, ground elder and ivy and crocosmia that have just taken over the whole garden.

 

[Penners]

If your maid can get rid of ground elder for good and all, please can I borrow her afterwards?





It's not that I have a ground elder problem. I just like maids...

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Keep an eye out for the oiks, before you ha ha becomes a boo hoo:

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh, that's awful! We battle that constantly here. Fortunately the council are very good and come and collect it before such a heap begins. Many of the dog walkers carry plastic bags and pick up rubbish too.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Great news Joce, before I saw Penners comment about wildflower meadow plants not mixing well with lush grass, I was going to suggest wildflower planting a la Highgrove style. We need bees and more bees---- anyway, I'm sure you will find something good to do with it.

 

[Juju]

Joce - I really like 'Gardens through the Ages' by Roy Strong (2000) - he gives an overview of each main period together with a modest plan/design for each. Also there's a series of books on garden history by Anne Jennings & English Heritage eg 'Georgian Gardens'. Another possibility is 'Regency Gardens' by Mavis Batey (I've not read it but her other work is good).
Juju