MBE's new garden

[mrbadexample]

Lovely pond! I can see lilies and duckweed in your future

A lily is already in,



and duckweed is inevitable!

I've got a marsh marigold in one of the marginal pots. There might be another in the other one but I've forgotten what's in there. I should be able to pinch a water hawthorn and a water soldier from mrbadexample snr. What I really need is something with a bit of height - maybe one of those zebra rush things?

I have learned a few lessons from my last pond. I will not be having water mint. Nor will I put a giant spearwort in a small pond. There's a clue in the name, apparently.

[mothhawk]

... Nor will I put a giant spearwort in a small pond. There's a clue in the name, apparently.

[SarrissUK]

Zebra rushes are lovely! I have one in my little pond I also like Cyperus alternifolius - gives lovely structure to the design

[mrbadexample]

I also like Cyperus alternifolius - gives lovely structure to the design

Will it go mad?

[SarrissUK]

Will it go mad?

I don't think so! I've had mine for a year now and it has brushed out, but stayed in its pot

[mrbadexample]

I don't think so! I've had mine for a year now and it has brushed out, but stayed in its pot

I like it but I think I'm going to swerve it. I'm going to go for native British species where I can. I've been to a couple of garden centres today but it must be the wrong time of year to buy pond plants as they didn't have any in. However, I found an interesting site called Puddleplants which looks to have a nice selection. I've ordered a water figwort, bog bean, flowering rush and watercress. That will do for now. I'll find something like creeping jenny to provide some coverage later on.

[mrbadexample]

I've got this really lovely tree stump which I foraged after a mate had a rotten apple tree cut down.



It's almost hollow and would make a great planter. There is some wood left in the centre, but it's pretty rotten and plant roots could easily make it right through the stump into the ground. So firstly I want to choose something that will be happy in the stump. I thought maybe a fern of some description would look nice, or something that trails down to the water's edge. As it's got two holes I could possibly do both, if they wouldn't compete against each other too much?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[SarrissUK]

Try www.lincspplants.co.uk - they have natives too and a huge selection.

[mrbadexample]

Try www.lincspplants.co.uk - they have natives too and a huge selection.

Thanks, that looks like a good place. More importantly, it's not too far from my girlfriend's mum, so I can send her in when she goes to visit. I fancy a bit of frogbit.

[SarrissUK]

I used to work there I can certainly vouch for their quality - I'm heading there myself in the next few weeks to pick up a few more plants for my little pond (not that I really need anymore, but hey.... lol)

The site they're on is amazing though - go with her! They've converted old nissen huts on an old airfield into polytunnels that I would absolutely LOVE for growing veg It's an experience in its own right to see where they are located!

[mrbadexample]

The site they're on is amazing though - go with her!

I will, but the next visit is for a school reunion, so she's going on her own.

[mrbadexample]

We've had Mr & Mrs badexample snr staying over Easter, and as they're the real gardeners we took full advantage of them. Lots of things bought, planted, repotted etc. I'll take a few more photos over the next couple of days.

Yesterday we went to The Dorothy Clive garden near Newcastle under Lyme where, after a good look round, we bought a few alpine plants. I had been passively looking for some gentian after we saw it growing at the top of the Carpathian mountains in Romania last year. I was mesmerised by the fabulous blue colour.

So I did this one:



and Viki did this one:



They're in a couple of old dough bowls from a bakery. I'm rather pleased with them.

[tallis]

Just read the whole thread, loving the evolution of your garden, and the feline helpers

[mrbadexample]

Just read the whole thread, loving the evolution of your garden, and the feline helpers

They are evil, evil Gittens.

[mrbadexample]

So, some recent pictures:

The gage tree out the front is coming along nicely. I have elected not to stake it in an attempt to encourage it to put out some good roots and thicken up a bit.



I bought a large copper (coated) planter which I was going to use for the olive tree my sister bought me for my 50th birthday. However, once I got it I decided it wasn't quite right. Mrbadexample snr helped me plant it up over the weekend. Cordyline from Wilko for a fiver, plus a few little ivy, some pansies and marigolds to fill it out a bit. I like the red of the cordyline against the copper of the planter. It brightens up the front a bit.