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The holly and the ivy.
Dec. 13th, 2011 12:55 pmIn this new garden (at the new house), we have two holly trees, one male, one female (and absolutely covered in berries). They were being smothered by two trees, so, after a lot of swearing and some blood, I've managed to rescue both hollies using a bow saw and a pair of secateurs. The lawn is now covered in branches which will, one day, be excellent fuel for the chiminea.
I've also dug out the gate through from front to back, which was entirely covered in ivy, and heavily trimmed back overgrown evergreen bushes. So now I have lots and lots of foliage, most of which is ivy.
The plan next is lunch, then making at least one wreath out of ivy-plus-other-greenery.
Longer term, by sawing out the branches, I've opened up a large area of south-facing ground, which right now is covered in a beautiful deep mulch of dead leaves, one day to become wonderful rich compost. I suspect it's rather acid, but I have buckets of wood ash to lime it with. There was rhubarb, but in between our viewing the house and moving in, someone literally came into the garden and stole it. I wish I were kidding. Still, I can always get more crowns, and at least I know the soil just there is suitable.
The one thing this new bed does not need is my usual first crop of peas. Soil fertility really does not look to be an issue. However, there are some crappy looking exhausted places, elsewhere in the garden, where I can grow sugar snap peas and sweet peas together. There are probably things I should interplant to deter diseases.
If I am going to plant fruit trees and bushes, then now is the time, but I think tbh, that can wait until next year. That said, I might start a hawthorn in a pot, grown from a berry. This garden has tons and tons of cover, but bugger all in the way of food for birds and, cats notwithstanding, I'd like to see more birds around. I can bet fairly safely that right now, there's a robin picking over all the ground I've just disturbed for dropped insects.
I've also dug out the gate through from front to back, which was entirely covered in ivy, and heavily trimmed back overgrown evergreen bushes. So now I have lots and lots of foliage, most of which is ivy.
The plan next is lunch, then making at least one wreath out of ivy-plus-other-greenery.
Longer term, by sawing out the branches, I've opened up a large area of south-facing ground, which right now is covered in a beautiful deep mulch of dead leaves, one day to become wonderful rich compost. I suspect it's rather acid, but I have buckets of wood ash to lime it with. There was rhubarb, but in between our viewing the house and moving in, someone literally came into the garden and stole it. I wish I were kidding. Still, I can always get more crowns, and at least I know the soil just there is suitable.
The one thing this new bed does not need is my usual first crop of peas. Soil fertility really does not look to be an issue. However, there are some crappy looking exhausted places, elsewhere in the garden, where I can grow sugar snap peas and sweet peas together. There are probably things I should interplant to deter diseases.
If I am going to plant fruit trees and bushes, then now is the time, but I think tbh, that can wait until next year. That said, I might start a hawthorn in a pot, grown from a berry. This garden has tons and tons of cover, but bugger all in the way of food for birds and, cats notwithstanding, I'd like to see more birds around. I can bet fairly safely that right now, there's a robin picking over all the ground I've just disturbed for dropped insects.
