Do you have a garden?

[Lizzie]

Hello Everyone,

As I look out of the window whilst I write this, I am pleased to say that the sun is out and there is a deep blue sky. In the UK? I hear you say! Yes, it's true...I think Summer is on its way. 🙂

Whether you are going into Summer or have already moved into your Winter, this signals a change and often if you have a garden there are things to be done.

Do you have a garden? If so, how do you find preparing this ready for the season ahead, do your guests like to enjoy your garden too? If you don't have a garden, as perhaps you live in the city, do you have any alternatives such as a small herb garden that you enjoy all year around? 

It would be great to hear from you. 

Enjoy! 🙂

Lizzie

[Aogán0]

Thanks @Lizzie,

It takes a fair bit of work to look after that much land, mostly a battle with all the leaves! 🙂 Waking up to see a deer munching away in the garden makes it all worthwhile though!

[Em4]

@Aogán0  very cool woodland area.

🙂

Em

Hukawai Lodge

Franz Josef Glacier, NZ

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Oh, I want some of those bluebells for my garden!  Beautiful!

[Mariann4]

I have a garden of 1200 m2. And only a few months a year to do something decent with it. So far the biggest projects have been to first build a new parking space to have room for guests. Then I had an enormous pine taken down to save me from having trash from the pine entering my hallway, stairs, shower and even my bed. The bonus after removing it seems to be more sunlight in my fruit garden and my berries seem to thrive this year.

I often catch myself looking at my garden while making plans in my head on how to cultivate it. But plans cost... Big money! So I try to remind myself that Rome wasn't built in one day. And that I'm one single person that only can achieve this much. So Im taking it step by step. Trying to get it to be a nice garden that won't take up all my time to maintain. Right now it takes about 2,5 hours just cutting the grass. Depending on the weather it might need to be cut at least once a week. With a full time job, friends to see and a house to maintain as well having 2,5 hours, and good enough weather to cut, isn't always easy.

I would love to have the ability or stamina to grow a garden with herbs and flowers and vegetables. But right now that is not an option. It is however important to have dreams for the future 🙂

It is lovely to see the other gardens in this thread! Very good inspiration. Thank you guys!

Mariann 🙂

[Lizzie]

It is great to have projects though @Mariann4 and as I saw from the 'Good Morning' thread, you have a great garden in the making - with an amazing view to start off with. 🙂

If you could have anything in your garden are there any particular colours or plants you would have? 

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Lizzie:

We don't really have a garden, but we have managed to keep some landscape plants alive for the last couple of years.

Tucson, AZ is an arrid desert region with about 12 inches (30cm) of rain per year and temperatures ranging from a moderatley cold 20 degrees (-6C) to blistering hot 120 (50C) . Cactus grow well- all you have to do is dig a hole and stick a cutting into the ground, but I hate cactus because of the stickers. Flowering plants require consistent watering but water is prohibitively expensive so we have to be innovative.

Although we collect the rain water in large basins to use when it is dry, but our main plant watering system uses the grey water from our wash machine that gets used almost daily as we clean between guests as well as do our own laundry. Water flows from the machine into a 55 gallon (208L) barrel where a float pump automatically kicks in and pumps the water through a hose system to all of the plants.

One exception I made concerning cactus is the wall in front of our home. We planted cactus in pots and secured them to the wall for decoration.

I've included a couple pictures here.

[Lizzie]

Those are tricky temperatures to deal with in a garden @Tim-and-Holly0, I think you must have very green fingers to create such a beautiful looking one, shown in your photos. The cactus plants on the crenellations are a great idea, they look so sculptural and I bet when the sun is setting it look very striking. 🙂

Did you plant everything yourself?

[Ron91]

Hi Lizzie,

Gardening is my hobby! I live in Atlanta and I use a picture of my garden as my primary photo. I've had so many people tell me that the only reason they chose my place was because of the garden. I also live about a block away from the Atlanta Botanical Garden and get many guests who book just because they wanted a place close by. I feel that the outside is just as important as the inside.... I want my guest to truely experience what my place has to offer.

My ideal guest are the ones who share my passion for gardening. Sometimes we just discuss plants and gardening tips... I love it!

[Lizzie]

I can see why your guests book just because of your garden @Ron91. It looks like a garden you can get lost in and feel like you are in another world! 🙂 

How is it to manage, do you plant lots of things in it every year? 

[Em4]

@Ron91  i think you're right ronald.  people like to talk about gardens especially if they're gardeners themselves.  also in my experience, gardens are something a lot of people have experience with even though they might not have a very large section themselves.  even people in apartments can garden.  they will also have memories of their own parents, grand parents etc gardens.

Em

🙂

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Lizzie:

Yes, I planted them. The large spined cactus were OK; only stuck myself a dozen times despite the leather gloves and holders. But the round greens ones were a nightmare. The spines were so tiny they became airborne with movement and the breeze. The needles got all over me! I was feeling them for several days but they were too small to see and too fragile to pull out without simply breaking off in the skin. Will never plant ones like those again!

[Lizzie]

Oo ouch that does sound painful @Tim-and-Holly0, yeah I would stay away from those plants in the future, even if they do look great. 🙂

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Lizzie:

Just for you! Here's the sunset.

[Heather212]

Yes! Numerous! I have a raised, yet small veggie garden, numerous flower and woodland gardens and container gardens as well. Most folks enjoy the beauty, some enjoy the food, others appreciate the fauna that the gardens house, attract, or feed.

 To each their own..?!

[Lizzie]

Hello @Heather212,

Great to meet you, it is lovely to hear about your garden (or should I say gardens)! 🙂

Oo I do love a veggie garden, what do you have growing there this year? I don't have much room on my small patio area, but I do like to grow herbs and I also have a chilli and a tomato plant which helps me get through the summer.