Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May: Alternative potting shed thread

[funnyperson]

On the grounds that potting sheds should admit those of all cultures here is an alternative potting shed thread. Probably makeshift and not as posh as the other one. Definitely subversive and open to gardeners of all capabilities.

I was talking to dh about those tools too, as my dh has one and his lawn is lovely now.

Oh yes Bearleigh, the dog picks blackberries too. And peas and beans. I'm ok with that though as she's very delicate.

I am not ok with her stealing my beer traps though.

Can I have some advice please? I have this monster in the long bed. I was given it by my old boss four years ago and plonked it in the bed when it was a tiny thing hoping it would die. Clearly it is very happy. It does not fit with the herbaceous border thing that is going on in the bed and is drowning the plants around it. I need to move it but really don't know what to do with it. Ideas anyone? I really can't bring myself to dump it.

If it helps - I've dumped many of those. Esp from 'sensory' gardens. For some bizarre reason - people think that spiky stuff is good for people with disabilities to experience. That over soft, sweet smelling herbs. Yeah right...

Dump it. Horrid plant.

Karbea that looks lovely. Think your Mock Orange may have blackfly but don't know what the solution is. With beans I just take off the affected bit.

Oh dear with beer trap, my dog would do that too!

Ha at beer-swilling dog but you have reminded me to buy some cheap beer and refill my posh beer traps (bought after a recommendation here).

Bertha, if you can't bring yourself to dump the plant, I would make a focal point of it by putting it in a nice pot with verbena (one of my new obsessions) or ajuga (if you prefer permanent planting) underneath.

Karbea's planter is going to look magnificent once the verbena (spot a theme here?) gets going.

Sorry ... Forgot to say thank you for the information about the lilac. for everyone affected by Alzheimer's and dementia.

What is that plant blackpudding? Does it ever flower or is it just leaves?
I think ajuga would just get lost when this plant grows bigger. One option is to make a little 'tropical' section I suppose which could apparently provide late summer interest. This could include orange dahlias not the pompom type the open single flowered type like the bishops ( which are from Mexico originally apparently) and that bird of paradise flower. Heleniums would also look good and are easy to grow.
There is a section on the Great Dixter website about the tropical look.
Otherwise move it sooner rather than later I think.

It could be a phormium or a coryline. In parks they are grown with Canna lilies.

Cordyline
Phormium tenax is said to produce orange flowers if fed potash etc.
I really ought to do some work/home admin. Posting on garden threads is clearly a mental strategy to divert me from any real work.

Bertha I had one of those in my front garden - planted when tiny, grew huge etc. When I dug it up it had a surprisingly small root ball, and came up quite easily. If you really can't bear to throw it then putting with more exotic looking things may be the way. I threw mine away, as I feared it might take over the whole garden.

Hapshawl - I am intrigued by your plant. It's lovely. No idea what it is, but something in the veronica/hebe family???

Dan Pearson garden photos
www.danpearsonstudio.com/#/selected-works/private/gloucestershire/

Great Dixter tropical garden photos
www.google.co.uk/search?q=great+dixter+tropical+garden&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=3E1kVaLcNsu5sQHO74CgDw&ved=0CDoQsAQ&biw=1152&bih=545

I think I might have found your mystery plant, Hap - is it this?

Better pics here

I like it, so pretty!

Lovely plant hapshawl looks like halsall has identified it.

Planter looks great karbea

My dog would definitely swig the beer too, I've never actually got round to the beer traps, sadly my Hostas are suffering this.

I forgot to share with you I am now the proud owner of a shed, no more rooting in the garage and twatting into things, hurrah. Tools are neatly organised on shelves and hooks!

Haven't done much in he garden, it's all coming together I think, some things need moved which is the problem with unlabelled plants. Stares at pink lupin clashing with red pelagoniums!

for everyone affected by this terrible illness. Although the lavender has gone, shame I quite liked it!

A shed! Wow! With neatly hung tools! Brilliant!

thank you so much! it is very pretty and i would like to make sure i look after it properly and now i can. thanks so much also to everyone else who offered suggestions too, you are all fab

went to woburn abbey this morning, which was looking lovely. the gardens are quite young after a refurb in 2013 i think, so it was really interesting to see their progress. some very interesting aquilegias and Euphorbia griffithii which i had never seen before (or if i have, never noticed it!) and looked stunning. there was also one part with swathes of veronica gentianoides which looked really beautiful

also hugely envious of geoff's shed. mine is full of bikes that belong to no one who lives in this house

I have parahebe longing. It's gorgeous and yours looks very healthy hapshawl.

Thanks for the link to Dan Pearson's website funny. I love his gardens - the Guernsey one makes me drool, even though it's sort of prairie planting, which normally I don't like. And the link to Great Dixter pics.

I am reading the letters between Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto at the moment - recommended.

Yes, it's a cordyline Funny; it must flower as mine is a seedling from my old boss' plant that self-seeded in his garden. I think a rather large pot is the way to go. It has to come out of the bed, I think it's going to keep growing until it's a full on tree. It will have to be quite some pot though. Trip to the garden centre coming on I feel

Although I like tropical gardens I wouldn't have the patience to protect all the less hardy plants in the winter. I'd kill them all after the first year!

I have my own shed. I started with neat shelving and hung up tools. All that is still in there but it's just not big enough. I have so much in there now that I can't get in to get to my neatly hung tools. I need a bigger shed. How big is yours Geoff? I was eyeing up a proper potting shed the other day with a large angled window and a shelf for seedlings.

It's not that big bertha 5 x10 ft, fits some dead space at the side of the house. I won't have room to pot things in it. Our garage is massive and if Dh wasn't such a hoarder I wouldn't have needed a shed - that's a separate thread entirely! I intend to be very strict on what is in it!

I have just spent a pleasant hour sipping wine with Dh on the deck. He's had the day of today privilege day apparently! We've got to go camping in a few weeks so have put the tent up to check for leaks of course the girls are out there sleeping not sleeping

I thought I'd maybe invented a new type of foxglove by xbreeding with the Echiums. They all have central stems and then branches off the central stems with, flowers to come. Dh looked at me like and said they always look like that. Anyways they are just coming out I love them, some are white possibly alba, and others pink.

You see mine is only 6x4ft. Clearly not big enough.

Oh well done Halsall! Great spot! It's a beautiful plant, Hap and looks very handsome on your etagiere (apologies to French speakers, I do not know how to do the accent).

My lilacs and alliums are out! Hooray! It smells wonderful and there is lots of purple. I like purple.

pictures!

shove that looks lovely