A SMALL CHANGE

 Looking forward to when we won't maybe have as much time or movement to work in the garden, we have been making some spaces that need a refresh also less work intensive.

So the old rockery raised bed has finally been reduced in depth and raised at the front by another two rows od broken paving. We found this didn't work in it's original size due to the shrubs that have increased in size over the years which constantly dropped leaves over everywhere and it was low enough that one of the dog's decided that he could walk over it if no one was watching!

We had removed the rockery stones and used them to infill the stream and wildlife pond area at the back of the garden.

So while we were working on this area we also cut back some of the shrubs and removed a small Lilac tree which was struggling. Due to being on a hill, the garden drops away quite a bit on this side, there is a small gulley which the shrubs are growing in behind the raised beds here. So we had a good sort out on what could stay and what could go.

We will need to do something with the area now left in front of the new reduced raised bed.

Now originally we were going to completely cover the raised bed and the smaller one next to it with paving but we always look again at our plans once we reach a certain point. We considered should be try making the raised bed into a flower bed? 

But in the end we decided to not complete cover the area but around two thirds of it along the back, and put in some low growing trailing plants at the front edge.

So today we went and bought some lovely black limestone paving , which after adding some weed suppressant fabric below and then some bricks on their edge, the paving was placed across the top.

Then some pots were added, still space for some more and the front edge was planted up.

So on the lower small raised area there was a nice little geranium, which was doing well, so instead of moving it we decided to place a smaller sized paving slab on three quarters of that area, again we used weed suppressant under the paving and lined edge with bricks.

So we just need to sort out the area in front of the larger wall and place a pot on the last area at  the far left until next year, when we may place some paving there back to the fence and use for a small greenhouse for scented Pelargoniums.

With the paving on and now reduced the planting area and we can use it for lots of pots next year.