Yesterday, I did something I've been meaning to do for ages. I recycled the recycling box, and turned it into a planter for the front garden. The council provided us with blue plastic recycling boxes, but then a couple of years ago, they changed their mind and replaced them with a large blue wheelie bin. (I should have thought to photograph the 'before' photo of the ugly box for this blog). I disguised the ugliness with some sacking cloth, attached with garden twine (I have also given the same treatment to a plain plastic pot beside it), filled the box with multi-purpose compost, and began potting up shade-loving plants, as this arrangement is destined for my shady front garden. I relocated my hostas and pieris from the south-facing back garden, which is always hot, in direct sun. (You can't see the hostas in this photo yet, as it's a bit early for them, and the pieris hasn't been too happy in the back, so it's not at its best. I'm hoping it will prefer the shadier conditions at the front). I also added some ornamental grasses, an ivy, and a hardy fern. I think the recycling box makes a good planter. I'll update with photos in summer when the plants have got going.
I also planted up my hanging baskets yesterday. I know it's a bit early according to most, but I have no greenhouse, and my plants have been sitting on the outside window hardening off for a couple of weeks now. Some are already flowering, all were outgrowing their pots, and we've had a heat-wave over this last week or so, which has made it hard to keep them watered in their tiny pots, so they were ready. I haven't hung the hanging baskets yet. I've balanced them in plant pots, so that they are off the ground, but still sheltered. By day, I sit them on the sun-drenched patio. At night I am moving them around the side of the house where it's sheltered. We're due worse weather this weekend, so I'll continue to keep them sheltered for a week or so, before hanging them ready for May. There are three hanging baskets (12", 14" and 16"). Each of the hanging baskets contains an ornamental grass in the centre, for height, some creeping jenny, and an ivy. (I'll list the other plants individually below). I also potted up three spare petunia 'Tumbelina' (Joanna, Julia, and Susanna) with another ornamental grass in a pot covered with sacking cloth for the patio.
This is the largest (16") basket, and will be hung at the back of the house - south facing. As well as the grass, ivy, and creeping jenny, this basket contains trailing Ivy Geraniums ('Precision Amethyst,' and 'Precision Burgundy Red'), a trailing Pelargonium ('Blizzard' white), trailing Callie (in purple), Convolvulus ('Sabatius Blue'), and Petunias ('Fanfare Dark Blue,' 'Fanfare Lavender Vein,' 'Tumbelina - Angela,' and a mini 'Double Blue'). I may have over-filled this basket for the back garden, but as this is my first year attempting hanging baskets, I'm keen to see which plants fare best, so if it becomes over-crowded in summer, I may have to separate some of the plants out.
This is the 14" basket, and I'm hoping to hang it at the front of the house in semi-shade. This is potted up with five different Surfinias (as well as the grass, ivy, and creeping jenny). The Surfinias are 'Sky Blue,' 'White,' 'Blue Topaz,' 'Burgundy (Keiburtel),' and 'Sunblu.' I've read that Surfinias should be OK in semi-shade, so I'm crossing my fingers that they'll get enough light at the front of the house.
And lastly, this is the 12" basket, which is also going to the front of the house in semi-shade. This contains just three trailing fuschias (as well as the grass, ivy and creeping jenny). 'Southern Belle Trailing Deep Purple,' 'Southern Belle Trailing Blue Mirage,' and 'Trailing Trudi Davro.' Again, I have read that fuschias shouldn't mind semi-shade, so am hoping they will get sufficient light.
No comments:
Post a Comment