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

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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.

Your probably right bearleigh I was quite late last year, but now I have a greenhouse I feel I should! I just ordered that book by the way looks good :)

My garden is north facing under an oak tree and so I inevitably have a woodland theme and the following flourish: against the walls> rosa alfred carriere, rosa american pillar, rosa new dawn, jasmine, winter jasmine, clematis wiley, clematis jingle bells, clematis marjorie, clematis abundance, clematis polish spirit, clematic montana growing up ceanothus, chosiya, cotoneaster, various fruit trees (which dont really fruit very much owing to it being north facing) cherry amanagowa, at lower levels, peonies, deutzia, gilenia trifolia, gaura, japanese anemones, hydrangea, astrantia, papaver, hosta, cyclamen, hepatica, tulips, acanthus , alchimela, stachys, forgetmenots, alliums, hellebores snowdrops lilies etc etc I get plants from plantsforshade and burncoose. rosa musntead wood
Rose dr du jamain is meant to flourish on a north facing wall but hasnt. As a result I have planted the roses I bought last autumn in pots and put them out the south facing front for this year. In a sunny patch I have irises.

Whilst the DDs were babies, toddlers we barely scratched the surface in the garden since we had to get the house civilised. In the early days I found The Jewel Garden (Sarah & Monty Don) and Perch Hill (Adam Nicholson, Sarah Raven's DH) both inspiring and calming. I also like Bob Flowerdew's approach if you've got small children - grass it and plant a few fruit trees.
Now both kids are at school the days are mine and the wilderness awaits.

this do?

I've never had much luck with clematis though I do love them, perhaps I should try again. No walls to grow things up just hawthorn hedge, I'm hoping this year Dh will build me some trellis, and a pergola. I really like the rose walk I saw on here. All takes time though particularly when we have to work.

Oops dunno why that didn't work try again! www.wheels.co.uk/coach/vehicles.htm

Fabulous, Bumbez! . My mother used to talk about going on Sunday School trips in a charabanc.

My aubrietia is flowering.

I have just googled Madame Alfred Carriere - my oh my, now that is my kind of rose! :D
Have great plans of digging 10 very wide and manure-filled holes this weekend for my Aldi rose bargains... let's hope the weather holds and I can get DS to not run out to the road for long enough to get digging properly.

I also saw pics of Munstead Wood - that is totally gorge, almost like a peony. I never really got non-edible gardening....oh how I have seen the error of my ways!

Mmr Alfred Carriere is just heavenly. Beautiful, delicate scent and and lovely form. Always the first rose out here.

Although I love all the roses I grow. And since Maud introduced me to the concept of plant anthropomorphism I now think that William Lobb and Constance Spry have come to an understanding.

Arf at plant anthropomorphism. Lovely turn of phrase. Come to think of it, I will be adding General Sikorski (clematis) to my garden this year. Do you think I should introduce him to Darcey Bussell?

Anyone heard of/know anything about Shootgardening? I just came across it while researching my roses.....

The idea of an idealised, containable, manageable garden with regular reminders of what to do when, to what, is VERY appealing! (wondering what the catch is)

We are about to install a new picket (ish) fence across our lawn to stop DS (20 months and a tearaway) from running across the driveway out onto the road. Might dig out a border to run alongside it :)
Suggestions please? So far my Aldi roses will probably take centre stage......

Yes yes yes to a rose border. Plant in groups of three of the same rose if you can, for impact. Underplant with Alliums and cranesbill. Edge with Bergenia and Erigeron karvinskianus.

I visited not one but two gardens today. Pembury House this morning, open through the NGS. Marvellous woodland garden full of Hellebores and snowdrops. Never seen so many Hellebores in my life.

This afternoon Sheffield Park Gardens. The conifer walk was wonderful enough to win over the most hardened conifer-sceptic. Honestly, so many funky different forms from wafty dippy types with fluffy needles to neatly geometric characters. The dcs had great fun comparing shapes.

We did the trips because we have the preschool bear to entertain and photograph this week. Forgot the bloody bear both times. Gah.

I love the idea of General Sikorski entwined with Darcy Bussell.

And colour-wise, General Sikorski and Darcey Bussell would be quite harmonious!

Yes, Please may come and visit when your clematis are in flower, maud?
What about
the Countess of Wessex (clematis) entwined with Dr du Jamain (rose)?
the Generous Gardener (rose) cuddled up to Sarah Bernhardt (peony)

I put lavender with my roses, and already there was a carpet of violets. Although lavender like sun and poor soil, I have to be careful not to feed the lavender.

I potted 7 of the Hostas and into various sized pots and planted the other 3 in a shady border. I had to dig this out first and used an azada for the first time - bloody marvellous. I just need to figure where to put the 2 Agapanthus and the Gunnera.

It was hot today my face is glowing :)

Our rose walk is underplanted with nepeta but we made the mistake of using Six Hills Giant. It gets massive and blocks the path (making the walk was the first thing we did and we only made the path five foot, it should really be two foot wider than that) I was planning to dig it up and replace it but DH started trimming it with the hedge trimmer and it looks fine. It is a very reliable plant, you can cut it back for regrowth and it flowers again. We can't grow lavender here.

Hmm. My clematis are not that marvellous, funnyperson. ::Thinks of the ghosts of so many dead clematis:: One of the best was Polish Spirit and it either died completely last year or suffered a major setback. Time will tell, I guess. But Wada's Primrose is usually the first to flower so should be ready soon, I hope.

The most scandalous liaisons planting combinations are those involving the Bishop dahlias, I fear.

Our previous house had a clematis habit: from what I could tell its previous owners bought a new clematis every year, and them never tidied any of them..... So I had fun trying to tidy them up and tame them...now I only have one little clematis that I rescued from a 50p bargain bin last November.... It's shooting nicely :)

The fruit trees are starting to oh-so-nearly bud, and my dormant rhubarb is poking tiny yellow-red tips out from the ground... Getting near to Spring!

Bumbez now that's an elegant charabanc! ;-)

Avoided temptation at Aldi today, I really just can't afford to buy any more containers or plants until I have a garden to plant them into...but it is soooooo hard! I bought some covered seed propagators (3 pack for €5) though, as I have a heap of seeds for sowing - both at school and at home, including aubretia Rhubarb - yours is out! How lovely!

Am exhausted googling all the clematis and roses mentioned today...loving madame Alfred!

I have never had luck with any clematis... but maybe it will take in the new garden.

Rhubarb have you thought of photoshopping the dreaded bear into photos? Maybe in a very obvious way?....

Sheffield Park is lovely isn't it, and I do love the different characters of the more unusual conifers. Good plants on sale too.

Ooh, sneaky - I like it! Will have to ask dh, as I am inept with technology.

what a beautiful day!

dd and I are busy in the garden. some weeding and I turned the soil in the veg patch.

looking forward to watch monty for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Spent a happy half hour weeding in the sunshine this afternoon. The DDs have come home from school and gone straight out into the garden...in swimming costumes

Took a few photos of the lovely signs of Spring in the front garden.