A STAR PLANT

 

Sedum or Iceberg plant. These plants always flower so well and the buds take a long time to open and then are open for months.

A great plant for the later months in the garden

LETTING IN THE LIGHT

 We have a habit of planting too many plant in a space when making a new bed and this happened with our big shrub bed near the back of the garden, We wanted to fill the bed with shrubs that would grow and hide the view from the seat on the back circular patio to the Lychgate. This we achieved and the space filled and you no longer had a clear view.

The area on the left near to the folly.

Seen from the 'front'

So over the years they have been in there it's all grown densely starting to fight for room to reach into the light. 

There is a lovely Rowan tree which gets lots of flowers and berry each year but the Mahonia at the back to the side is now getting so big and fighting to the front along with getting into the lower branches.

We decided a serious cull was needed to get some light in, also bind weed was curling massively around everything making matters worse!

So the Mahonia branches that were leaning forward have been cut back, a lower branch on the Rowan that was crossing the space has been removed. Loads of bindweed has also been pulled out, we will need to get in to remove the roots later.

Top branches of cider apple tree has been removed which has opened up the area on the right. We also made the decision to remove a Verburnum shrub from the front and centre which has given a big open area which is also going to allow some squashed small shrubs to thrive.

From the other side of the lych gate showing how the apple trees have been allowed to grow.

We allowed the centre Bramley apple tree to grow thinking about shade in the years to come if climate change made the world hotter. However it's just not in the correct place it's meant to be espalier so was planted up against the side by some trellis but it's too big has a tree to be there.

 But there is also another two espaliers either side which have gotten out of hand, so we have decided  to remove the two other trees completely and cut the Brambly apple tree back to being an espalier again. 

The Rowan finally clear .

The window of the folly on the left can now be seen from the end of the garden but the lych gate is still 

hidden perfect.