Sunday 10 February 2019

Sunday

It is almost ten in the evening before I get a chance to read down my side bar, read yesterday's comments, write a response and then, finally, get round to posting something today.   I always do it in this order as a matter of habit - I love reading your comments - they are often so helpful and so enlightening.   Thank you for them all.

I went out for a look at my tulips coming up this morning - I would guess about half of them have been very neatly excavated and eaten.   I refuse to be cross or disappointed.   Something is staying alive by eating them and I shall put something else in the border as the year goes on.

My electrical work is finished as is the bathroom ceiling - now it is just the car service and then I can relax for a while.   During relaxation I shall be thinking about a little patch of lawn just outside the fence but in my front garden (which at present is  grass but I wish to change to make a bit of interest).   The space is only about ten feet square and I would like to put  just a few dwarf shrubs in.
I have two conical shaped dwarf box bushes which at present are in terra cotta pots - but they have blown over so many times over the winter that the pots are now smashed to smithereens - so they will go in for a start.   Any suggestions anyone - I probably only  need about three more.

21 comments:

Charles said...

A bay tree or two is always good. They are useful for cooking and two outside you door guarantee health, wealth and happiness. What more do you need?

justjill said...

We too are thinking of planting but in our case its a hedge and we are going for Escallonia. Its evergreen and has bee friendly flowers. You hack it back in September to keep it trim. Also I think it has a nice smell. And its hardy.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I would suspect a delightful little bunny rabbit is shearing your tulips off. It's happened here from time to time (not that any tulips are showing their heads yet, here!) . -Jenn

angryparsnip said...

I enjoy hearing about your garden, be sure to show us some photos.

cheers, parsnip

Joanne Noragon said...

And I am thinking about moving and planting nothing.

Mary said...

I may have mentioned this before - I only plant tulips in pots and then over plant heavily with pansies. This seems to stop the squirrels from digging out the bulbs, however it's impossible to stop them eating the tulips flowers when they arrive, grrrrrrrr!
Remember, they will not eat daffodil bulbs though. . . . . . . . . but as I mentioned in my Sat. post, they are now pulling the stuffing out of my cushions on the porch! I give up.

Take care - Mary

Sue said...

I love your attitude about your bulbs. I feel the same way.

Cro Magnon said...

My father always claimed that he planted (vegs) 75% for us, and 25% for the wildlife. The problem was that the wildlife would eat 25% of every plant, but like you, he was philosophical about it.

Terra said...

Some critters are seeing your tulip bulbs as a delicious buffet. I planted a weeping mulberry tree for the birds and like you, don't mind sharing. Could you plant blueberries, they are pretty shrubs and provide yummy berries.

Gwil W said...

An unusual stone. Or a nicely shaped rock off the fells. I knew a a farmer who had an old plague boundary stone near his gate. He said it was designed to hold vinegar so that people could leave coins in the hollow on the top and the villagers would leave their produce by the stone to be collected.

Librarian said...

How about sowing some wildflower seeds on that patch of grass? They look so pretty with their mix of shapes, heights and colours, plus you're helping bees, butterflies and birds with it. (Although I guess that is less of a problem in your area than in mine, where there is little natural habitat left and most gardens look so sterile it makes any lover of nature despair.)

Anonymous said...

A rosemary would be lovely. The associations are well known.
It's easy to care for and there are upright and prostrate varieties.
Mine is flowering at present.
It could team up with the Bay tree that “Gardener Fisher” suggests.
We have lavender by our front gate. Every time the gate is opened it's
scent is wafted around.
It will be interesting to see what you choose.
Sue.

Rachel Phillips said...

A bay tree will need winter care if you get one.

Heather said...

I notice Beachcomber suggests a rosemary - the contrast of foliage would be lovely and the flowers would attract bees. Maybe lavender too?

Carol Caldwell said...

Thirteen years ago, when we moved here, we planted a two foot bay tree. We now have to use a step ladder the prune the top of it. They do get very big! Just something to bare in mind in a front garden.

Anonymous said...

I have dwarf viburnum carlessii - Korean spice bush. It has scented white snowball flower in April/May and the leaves colour beautifully in autumn. It only grows to 1m and is hardy in Scotland so should survive. If you would prefer an evergreen, I have a dwarf Daphne as well. I have to grow then in pots and they are doing really well.

Carol

Derek Faulkner said...

While the weather can obviously be more severe up North, I would say that my partner has a largish bay bush which has survived being covered in snow and severe frosts, perfectly OK, with no special attention.

Minigranny said...

I was going to suggest Rosemary but see that two others have already done so. Lady's Mantle isn't a shrub but the leaves can be lovely especially when they hold raindrops.

Mac n' Janet said...

Nice to have all the jobs done. We've had to have a new washing machine.
Sorry about your tulips, we have no luck with them, but our daffodils are log well.

Anonymous said...

I would suggest a hydrangea, hebes( bees adore the flowers and they never look untidy) and maybe some of the attractive heucheras that are available these days. Some sort of mulch like bark chippings would help to keep the weeds at bay.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you so much for all your suggestions - I have plenty to go at here and when it does get planted nup I will certainly put photographs on to show how it is getting along.