Parks & Gardens in London, the UK & abroad
I am finding it hard to leave the garden to grow, but I feel it needs to settle down without me interfering this year.
I love the garden in the early mornings, especially when the sun is shining. So, while the coffee was brewing, I nipped out to take a few photographs.
As far back as 2005 the garden in London was slowly turning into wilderness as I spent longer periods in South Africa.
By 2014 it was a wilderness, and uncomfortable and unwelcoming, if you could find your way into its hidden corners! ‘Romantic’ in some ways, but no longer inviting.
It was time to start again.
I was lucky to find bare-root hedge plants so late in the season and they are now in and watered.
The garden is empty apart from three trees, but the walls and fence and surrounding buildings cast shade. So I have a light garden, but a little direct sunlight.I thought the best way of monitoring the sunshine would be to take photographs at intervals during the day. The planting plan is going to be quite tricky!
Around 8.30am
Around 11.00am
Around 3.00pm
Late afternoon
We are making good progress. When the construction work is finished I will clean the steps (!) and repaint the walls, and then the garden is ready for a new hedge, either box or privet.
The house has a very narrow front ‘garden’ and by clearing it step by step it became clear a radical change is needed. Once the ivy had been cut down we could properly see the railings, and their pretty ending at pavement level, but clearly those posts and the chain need to go. The railings and the wall will have to be painted, and the vitis cognitiae will be cut down to the level of the painted wall. I am planning a box hedge.
There is a small bed outside the steps leading from the dining into the garden and it has sun most of the day – probably the warmest place in the garden! The planting, however, has to be low to let light into the dining room.
And on the other side of the bed steps lead into the ‘fernery’ with another small bed against the new fence – and a sunny spot!
I have been away for a week and the transformation has been amazing!
The steps into the ‘fernery’ and out of the dining room into the garden are starting to take shape!
