Landscaping 2018

Landscaping has been the focus of attention this year. Quite a challenge [again] as it turned out, because of the late spring, followed by the exceptionally dry summer. Result at present is mixed, but I suppose time will be a healer, at least of some aspects.

Access path

The hard landscaping at the eastern end of the site was completed in the early part of the year, between bouts of cold weather, and I am pleased with the long path, designed for disabled access with chukkies in retaining grids to make it wheelchair friendly. A gate was added later. The fencing and gate are all in Scottish larch.

Gate and east end

The planting at the eastern end was completed around easter time, mainly by Mari, and it has mostly taken hold now, though it looks a bit sparse at present. Snowdrops and other bulbs were also put in, and will appear next year. No doubt it will all look better with some fuller growth in the next season.

Fruiting hedge

A fruiting hedge was planted along the upper eastern boundary, adjacent to the fence, erected by the Council under the excambion land exchange agreement. Some Contoneaster Horizontalis was also planted to cover the bank.

East end

Steps in progress

Here the planting looks a bit more hopeful, and some of the plants that had appeared to have died in the summer have re-emerged in the autumn.The location under mature trees and shielded from the sun seems inauspicious, but the plants are thriving. A flight of stone steps is under construction, leading to the upper level and the Fruitful hedge.

Wild flower meadow 2

Wild flower meadow 1

The wild flower meadow has not taken off very well, and some of the plants around its border have not survived, despite copious attention.





A line of lavender borders the timber and concrete supporting wall. These were bought as  wee plug plants, and have been successfully brought on. The exposed bank will be covered by Cotoneaster and a rose.

Fruit & Veg area

The fruit and veg area is slowly being dug over and levelled off, and fruit trees and bushes have been ordered for delivery in the bare root season from november. This is slow work, since there is a layer of solid clay to be dug over. A little at a time!

South beds

The south beds are now dug over and laid out, with plants beginning to be bedded in. The frames for climbing rose, honeysuckle and clematis are set out, as well as a random series of edging plants.

Studio bed

The bed in front of the studio is probably the most successful area, with a border of thyme around Sedum Iceberg, Hebe Pageii and Berberis Thunbergii, with a rose and Clematis on the fence.

However the steep bank down to the road behind the gabions appears to be the least succesful area, with azaleas appearing to be dead as are some of the Vinca and heathers. It is a very free draining area with a good dose of builders rubble below the surface,and it was really hard to cultivate. We will see what survives, and rethink the plan.

Plenty going on and plenty more to do.

Landscaping - another challenge!

Landscaping. A major task. First a path was planned for wheelchair access. It was finished with chukkies in [recycled] plastic retaining grids, which make it wheelchair friendly. The path had to fit various specific requirements of

• easy gradient, 
• level platts for rest every 10m, and 
• not to disturb the tree roots of the various trees with Tree Protection Orders. 

 The completion of the path was further delayed, since it went over ground that had been exchanged to the Council with a right of access retained. The Council were to build an extension to the car park, which was eventually engaged in november 2017, followed rapidly by snow, ice and otherwise conditions unfavourable to completing the access path. They were persuaded to build a new section of wall which provided one side of the path when it had descended to that level. Elsewhere the path was built with hefty slabs of timber edging in treated larch, and a fence was added to discourage people from falling off into the road. And finished with chukkies. Gate for gateway currently under construction.

 Here is part of the large order of plants from wholesaler, with some images of the planting out.

 The timber edging for the path shows the challenge of constructing the path at the appropriate slope.

 And a more formal structure for the planting in front of the studio.

 With the triangular raised beds filled with aubretia grown from seed for planting on elsewhere, and annuals for a bit of colour.

The steep bank beside the gabions facing toward the High Street. Difficult to dig and plant here!

 Here is the story of the wardrobe doors, eventually ordered from JLewis because I preferred the smoke grey to the IKEA offering, and they appeared to be identical in size. When installed, they fitted the IKEA frame fine, but were blue, which I thought was a bit funny, but I decided was rather good after all the white of the rest of the house. However when the protective covering was removed, they re-emerged as...smoke grey.