…if winter comes, can Spring be far behind? 2014 beckons us...

[echt]

Okay, so the height of summer is yet to scorch the nethers of those in this wide brown land of Orstrylia, but welcome to the MNettie gardeners of the world. Prop up your sagging fences, evict the rats from your decking, and find a use for that poinsettia.

Thanks Bearleigh - it can be a bit bleak in winter! Our farm isn't all rock like the google image pictures but we have rock on our land like that and also national park walks a mile down the road.

Think I got confused with the mulberry tree and the may pole .

Humph tell us more about the pond .

Castle I've wanted to visit the Burren ever since learning about it in geography lectures. One day. You lucky girl to live there.

I have just booked a week on the Isle of Wight though, so I'll be able to visit Bumbez and all those lovely gardens she linked to.

I'm planning to take the kids to Wisley tomorrow to see the butterflies in the glasshouse.

Rhubarb the butterfly glasshouse sounds amazing, as does a week on the Isle of Wight. I read about a fab garden there in a magazine. Must dig it out and post it up (but am away til Thursday).

Maybe we'll have to fly you over here to do the garden plan!!!

I'm up for that, Castle!

I have farmed out the kids for the day today (can't really afford to but what the hell, it was a rare opportunity) and I have got out my drawing board and am planning my orchard/kitchen garden. What fun!

I need more planting ideas for the border along the east facing wall. So far I've got rhubarb, blueberries, gooseberries, grape vines and Japanese wineberries. The grape vines are already there - east facing wall is not ideal for grapes for I'm going to leave them for now. Any other ideas? I'm not fond of blackcurrants.

But Rhubarb blackcurrant jam is so delish!
That sounds like a heavenly way to spend the afternoon! Are you keeping it to all fruits in the orchard or could you put veggies along the east wall too? Espaliered trees? Or is that only for south facing walls?

Rhubarb what about raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and redcurrants?

What about raspberries, loganberries, tayberries and the like?

Also maybe plant different varieties of fruiting bushes for a prolonged cropping season. My blueberry gives a tiny crop, so plenty of each type of bush for a decent crop!

I always recommend morello cherries: great for cooking yet unobtainable in the shops, make wonderful cherry brandy, or jam, and they grow well in shade.

Raspberries, blueberries and asparagus are going on the west facing side. Some hybrid berries are a good idea though; I've never grown loganberries and tayberries so they could be fun to experiment with. Blackberries I don't need because the lane is full of them, and I prefer the flavour of wild ones.

Strawberries and veggies are going to go in three beds across the middle of the garden - full sun. I'm not going to cut out these beds till next year at least though. Veg are too full on for now; I need to focus on other bits first.

The north facing wall is going to have a row of hazels along it, and in the north west corner, for the hell of it, a Prunus 'The Bride' because I've always wanted one. Ornamental rather than productive but I reckon it will still 'go' as it's still technically a cherry.

I'm now wondering about cut flowers too - might be worth trying some on the east facing side.

I'm not keen on Morello cherries. I don't cook much (DH's department) and I'm not huge on cherry flavoured things generally.

What fruit trees will you have Rhubarb? Have you space for many? Your walled orchard is sounding fab! Very !

I've just caught up with this thread, I'm loving the sound of everyone's plans, especially the walled orchard. I was planning to put my Rhaspberries on the east side, need to shove out Dh's motley palm plants though.

Dh has managed to build a base for the greenhouse in between showers. The lawn has been trashed in the process. We're planning to errect it this weekend when the cement dries.

Which week are you over Rhubarb?

castle I've just googled the Burren it looks idealic !

Thanks Bumbez, it can be! Ooh you are building a greenhouse, lucky you! . Is there an ideal part of the garden for a greenhouse?

Well I have picked up some huge plastic pots (€6 each in the poundshop) for my DA roses, as the roots were too big for anything I had and are just temporarily planted in their current containers.

I also picked up 4 small buxus plants in Woodies DIY (expensive @ €5.99 each, but they were 2 for the price of 1) as advised further up the thread. Now off to google how and when to take cuttings!!

Thanks castle, we've sited it in the only place it can go, bottom of a reasonably sized north facing garden on the west side. I have no idea if there is a right place. Eventually there will be a patio in the east corner under the large pine tree. - unless it blows over!

Bumbez we'll be there second week of June. We are staying in Steephill Cove, can't wait! Sounds like your greenhouse is going to be positioned perfectly. Very jealous.

Castle the orchard already has several varieties of apples, a couple of pears, two greengages, Victoria plum, mulberry, peach and a nectarine. Then on the house wall (which makes up the south facing side) there is a wisteria and a very old Mme Alfred Carriere climbing rose.

Bumbez it sounds like you have great plans there.

Rhubarb your orchard sounds really lovely. I especially love the sound of the wisteria and climbing rose, beautiful!

I've done a little research on propagating buxus. It looks like I have to wait for summer to take cuttings! If I can keep my little plants alive til then, of course!!!

Am on a roll this week on the spending front!

Picked up 3 lavender plants in Aldi along with 2 big planters for transplanting my two baby Christmas trees into. DH will drill some holes in the base for me as there aren't any.

Planning to take some lavender cuttings as well as box cuttings! Found some lovely images of lavender walks/paths on Pinterest .

I also saw some lovely hydrangeas and lilacs that had been pruned into standard trees - they looked fab surrounded by box. Has anyone tried this type of pruning before?

My little rose cuttings are doing really well. There are lots of leaves on 4 of them now and plenty of buds on most of the others.
When do you think I should disturb them to replant them by themselves? Or should I let them establish themselves a bit more I wonder? Hmmm

Those sound like some great bargains, Castlelough.

I would love to grow lavender en masse but gave admitted defeat.

Maud why doesn't lavender grow where you are?
Oh dear, maybe I am setting myself up for failure!!!

No part if my garden can provide the Mediterranean conditions - warm, sunny, well-drained -that it prefers. Cold, wet Lobdon clay and lavender are not a harmonious combination!

rhubarb Steephill cove is just lovely, is your ferry crossing included? If not I often get deals posted, so can pass them on.

A lovely sunny day here today, I've waged war on a big ornamental grass and won I think. I'm not sure what it is but seeds all over the bloody place and gets huge. Greenhouse frame is nearly up, hopefully glass in tomorrow.

Sounds good castle lavender is doing ok in the front, might take some cuttings too. The back is just swamp central, and very slippery. What does grow well in your garden maud mine is heavy clay. I need inspiration !