The Fruit Garden

The fruit garden is now completed in terms of its planting. The last four trees are planted, two are Plums:

* Plum 'Czar', which produces medium sized, oval, dark purple cooking fruits which are excellent for pies, crumbles, sauces and jams.

* Plum Avalon - Krimsk, one of the very finest dessert fruits with large round-oval red fruits.

Avalon came from a specialist nursery along with a cullinary Damson we also ordered. This is called Shropshire Damson 'St Julien'. We also picked up a Pear, 'Concorde', locally which is a very heavy cropper with sweet, juicy medium to large fruits. It joins the collection of fruit trees we have previously planted:

* Cheery 'Stella Giesla'

* Apple 'Royal Gala'

* Apple 'Discovery'

* Crab Apple 'Malus Hupehensis'

Added to this are the 3 x Step-over Apples that divide the Fruit and Vegetable gardens (1 x Apple 'Pinova' and 2 x Apple 'Ambassy'.)

The Crab Apple is already producing the most wonderful array of red berries which we will use amongst our Christmas decorations.

We also had time to construct a leaf bin out of tree stakes and chicken wire. Our leaves have been collected in a very large and very white dump bag. Not ideal for long term use and something of an eyesore. The leaves will also rot down quicker now with the air flow that the chicken wire allows.

But we are most pleased with the Fruit Garden. Yes, it looks like a collection of twiggy trees and stakes right now, but given time and patience it will look lovely come this spring and many years to come. And we get the benefit of the wonderful produce it will provide.

A time for division

It's time to add to the plant stock by dividing up healthy growing perennials. An example in this garden is Nepeta racemose 'Walker's Low'. Since we moved in it has certainly been long flowering (a beautiful blue/deep purple colour) and more upright than most Nepetas. It has been a joy and we want more of it. It has been a struggle to find any in local garden centres to supplement the stock of plants so division is the best and certainly cheapest option.

By digging up each plant and dividing each I was able to gain 12 new plants and probably saved myself around £50 to £60. I have used the new plants alongside the lower end of the main pathway that divides the garden. At the far end I have further divided plants, this time Nepeta Six Hills Giant, an old favourite of ours. Come Summer the pathway will be awash with the deep purple blue of Nepeta and humming from the sound of bees.

I also managed to divide some quite large Crocosmia which I planted last Summer adding numbers and the drift effect I am after. And I purchased some Sisyrinchium striatum and was able to create more plants by dividing each straight out of the pot. In most cases each pot yielded three decent plants. 3 for the price of 1, a pretty good deal I'd say!

Bulb Planting

As Autumn draws to a close and the shorter days of Winter take hold it is time to think of next Spring and the promise that comes with it. Planting bulbs is my way of preparing for Spring and taking my mind off the dull, dark days ahead.

Our delivery of Allium bulbs has arrived from our supplier Direct Bulbs and today we were busy at work planting all 300.

Mount Everest, Purple Sensation and Nigrum are our favourites creating, when planted together, a wonderful raspberry ripple effect. In our central round border, we have the tall white Mount Everest in the centre with Purple Sensation running around the mid section and the smaller white Nigrum at the front.

In another border Purple Sensation drifts, serpentine-like, through and around the border. Meanwhile, Nigrums frame a curving path at the end of which they mix and mingle with Purple Sensation.

Spring is many months away but for today at least, it seemed that little bit closer.

Hedge Planting

A hedge is a wonderful thing and I have been waiting patiently for some months now to start the process of planting hedges. Today was that day and I have laid over 60m of bare root beech hedging in three specific sections of the garden. Firstly and most importantly, alongside the Parterre creating a clear division between the back and front garden. Secondly, to close off the Nursery Garden in the middle of which access is provided by our old oak gate. And finally, two runs of hedging against our western and southern boundaries overlooking open fields.

It was hard but rewarding and the effect immediate. An investment that will be repaid in full over the coming years.

Transformers

Trees have the most wonderful way of transforming spaces. I love the way they add height and perspective to gardens.

We have been searching for four key specimen tress that will be the focal point of the garden here at Ordnance House. The round central border acts as the centre piece of the garden and the beds and borders radiate off it so these trees will be seen from all parts of the garden.

But what trees should occupy such a key space? Well after much deliberation we decided that Crategus Prunifolia was the best option. This Hawthorn has pale ivory flowers in Spring and dark leaves which work well against the backdrop of the house.

With the central bed prepared with a rich loamy soil, all four went in pretty easily and once staked they now stand tall and imperious.

The whole garden has been immediately transformed by their presence and I think they look great.

Planting for winter colour and spring promise

November will keep us busy with the planting of more fruit trees as well as the feature specimen trees in the garden. But in the meantime we are kept busy with planting for winter colour and spring promise. The spring promise comes in the form of wall flowers. Orange alongside the garage wall and Ivory beside the new lawn in beds opposite the veg patch. Come April and we should have a fantastic display.

Meanwhile the veg patch has its own winter colour with purple and white cabbage and kale to cheer up the gloomy months ahead.

Indian Summer

The weather has been fantastic and the garden basks in the heat of an Indian Summer. I am busy planting out the main herbaceous border with plants that catch my eye and fit the colour palette.

This week it is 3 x Sedum Spectabile, 4 x Erysimum 'Bowles' Mauve' and Verbena bonariensis. I have also added an additional Virburnum tinus standard.

Meanwhile the grass seed is taking well in the new lawns and lush green lines are appearing in the grass after mowing.

All in all, the space has the feeling of a proper garden at long last.