We only called in to the supermarket to buy some bread but I couldn't resist adding the tiny, pathetic potted Acer into my shopping trolley when I saw it shivering in the wind outside the store. "I thought we said we weren't going to buy anymore pot plants," Paul admonished me.
Our terrace runs the whole length of the bungalow. When we first arrived six years ago it was completely overgrown but once we had pulled out all the weeds we were left with a huge, stark expanse of stone slabs. I asked Paul to remove some of the slabs to break up the hard surface but the ground was solid underneath and it was difficult to plant the ornamental grasses we had bought. And so began my quest to have potted shrubs in various groups across the terrace.
In France our courtyard was filled with pots of brightly coloured geranium and lavender that looked stunning against the honey coloured stone of the property. Here in Lincolnshire I wanted a more subdued palette using architectural plants. My choice of plants has been limited due to the cool climate on the east coast but the spikey Cordylines and lush Fatsia Japonica plants have done well. The terrace faces south so we have to be careful that the hostas and ferns don't get too much bright sunshine. The Callistemon (Bottle Brush plant) comes into the garden room during the winter and many of the less hardy plants get moved into the garage so the pots have to be of a size that Paul can manhandle. I would love to have giant Ali Baba pots but I get a stern "No!"
I went outside between showers this morning to take some pics...
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| baby fern needs a new pot |
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| parsley and chives |
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tiny acer almost invisible in front of the hostas
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| Rick hiding in the bamboo |
Guess who has to water them all.
ReplyDeleteNo need with all this rain!
DeleteHahaa...and guess who's buying pots for Her patio?? lolol
ReplyDeleteME!
hugs
Donna
It's difficult to resist isn't it?
DeleteYour patio looks lovely. I love stone in the landscape. That said, greenery is needed to soften the stone. The original owner should have designed a few large stone boxes for planting internal to the patio. The large number of pots makes for lots of watering. An alternative might be to add two or three large built-in stone boxes strategically placed on the patio or abut the patio edge? (The boxes would be like raised bed gardens.) Boxes filled with soil and some mulch on top, might require less watering.
ReplyDeletePots give us the flexibility to move them to a warmer place in winter. Paul enjoys the watering!
DeleteSue, you have a gorgeous patio! I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures and will show them to my husband when he gets home. We're working on our back screened porch and planning a stone/gravel walkway beside it with some large potted plants. Thanks for the inspiration! :) Oh, and Rick is, as always, a cutie!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer. I guess you would be able to grow some palms and fairly exotic plants where you are?
DeleteI can't wait to see if my pot plants have survived again in France. We have a gardener there now, but he just mows. Your garden looks superb, I imagine you spend a lot of time there.
ReplyDeleteWe do, weather permitting! Bet you are looking forward to your summer in France.
DeleteThe patio looks fabulous, and the plants look so healthy. I particularly love Hostas and had many different varieties in the garden in the UK, but not sure if they grow here. Can't recall seeing them in the local garden centres. It hasn't rained much over the last winter so I'm very conscious of the fact that we need to conserve water, and pots always seem to be thirsty. The ones that I have are frugally watered every so often but still seem to survive!
ReplyDeleteLovely to see Rick hiding in the bamboo!
Hostas seem to thrive in shady, damp positions.
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