Planning for 2008?

[Cheerypeabrain]

Well this year has been a bit of a disaster as far as the garden goes. The flower border has big gaps in it where plants have collapsed trying to cope with the very hot spring followed by a soggy summer

BUT

nil desperandum

I've already started planning for next year!

The flowerbed....I'm fed up with the bits and bobs, random planting with very little structure in there...I hope next year to have swathes (now there's a gardening word if ever I've heard one!) of colour...rather than bits and bobs...I have the bones in there already. Want the sunniest end of the border , with the palms (chusan and humilis, still quite small) and at least one banana... ;D
flower wise I plan to have gazania 'bronze kiss, rudbeckias, the odd dahlia, heleniums, and cosmos polidor...I need to oraginse myself so that I have the big stuff at the back ;D

The 'cool' end of the border will have soft pinks, mauves and blues flower wise....I have a couple of purple euphorbias in there...plus a few small firs and a 'tree heather'.

Veg: I need to work on the ground a lot....will grow lady crystl taters again, courgettes, turnips, parsnips, carrots, onions and leeks. Beans and peas will be in large tubs.

After this years snail invasion...all my salad stuff will be grown in the GH or in tubs.

watch this space....

Are you doing anything different next year? and has the weather made you have a rethink? (after all the indoctrination on GW about growing 'drought tolerant' plants!) ;D

[Deleted]

I've kind of given up on the garden this year. It's ticking over but I haven't done any "proper" gardening for weeks. I just don't seem to have any enthusiasm for it.

As for next year, I don't know what we'll be doing. If our planning appeal gets rejected and we're looking to move house, I won't be doing much in the way of gardening. I'll keep the lawns cut and the borders weeded and that'll be it. I won't even do much in the GH because I will want to take the GH with me if we move.

FA x

[Shrubrose]

I'm going to put another two veg patches/raised beds in and give one over completely to potatoes. Will grow a variety of veg in the other two. Will be able to do proper crop rotation then and also increase the yield of veg I'm producing.

I'm also hoping to get to grips with the bit of the garden that needs shaping up into a 'proper' garden. This'll be done in stages, as time and finances allow. Do need to start putting some ideas on paper for this.

[Tig]

I would like to dig up more lawn and extend my plots. The cost of wood for edging is a bit scary - I could do with finding a cheaper way of isolating them from the grassed areas.

Found this interesting from ealier this year - shame it didn't go on! "A YEAR in the GWD Garden"

[JennyWrenn]

I am going to get rid of my ugly shed - I have started to move stuff into one of the garages - I never use them anyway - so it will become my new shed

And then plant three trees where it once stood

But all I need now is a volunteer - they can have the shed as wages

[Barbara]

i want to get rid of my shed, but i dont have any where but the loft to store things,
bit of a traipse for stuff,
i want to plant some fruit tree's up there, as its a sunny spot,
i'll figure something out, i've got my thinking cap on full time.

[Chuckles]

See you going to be going like a mad woman again CPB ;D

Your so right about the borders this year, mine are the same with big gaps:( I want to bulk mine out a bit next year instead of having little bits of this an little bits of that. I'm going to be growing lots from seed to help with the money side of things or it will cost a fortune. I have some pots of plants that should be ready to plant in spring, some bought ones that I've split and some home grown. Have a Verbacum and a some Catananche that GH gave me when we met in York, they have been potted into bigger pots and are being well looked after

I'd like to move my pond next year from the middle of the garden. It was on the list for this year but not had the time do do such a big project.

Veggies will be hopefully better next year now I've learnt a little bit more. Don't sow too early

Looks like everyone is going to be busy in one way or another.

[nightowl]

I intend to only plant dwarf stuff next year.

My tiny garden is full of 6ft Cosmos (supposed to have been 3ft max!) and I have lost some nice plants in the jungle.

[bagpuss]

I want to continue to replace any pots I have with square/rectangular ones, but I don't want too many if I can help it (so some things may have to be planted in the tarmac!!!)

I inherited a twisted Willow (in a large terracotta pot) and I would like to make a better planter for it, which will be better at retaining moisture.

Next year, I am planning a few different veg (and I am desperate to try and get an allotment plot - but my search is not going well at the moment)

I am intending to grow, Toms - Tumbling Red and Sweet Millions (not tried before), broad beans, celeriac and I can't remember what else I've bought.

Will also try to improve my selection of herbs (I have a selection of herb seeds which my Mum found in Wyvale's 50p sell off - they were originally £3.99 - bargain!!)

I am also going to try, probably in a pot or trough, some wild flowers (again a 50p Wyvale bargain!)

I would also like to make my hanging baskets a bit less of an embarrasment than in previous years. If I only buy one packet of seeds next year (that will remain to be seen!!!) I really would like to grow these (T&M do seeds):

plants.thompson-morgan.com/uk/product/81273/1

[Deleted]

I am going to plant faithful, season long flowering geraniums under the tall perennials, I dont know what they are called, the student garden I grow veg in has loads, I have them flowering under a dry hedge so I'm sure they will cheer up the disaster bed. Hanging baskets too, I need to do something which lasts much longer. but what///

[Deleted]

Hi CPB ... re. weather re-think, the slugs and snails were out in force this year, and I've learnt that, despite Nemaslug, copper collars etc. the only thing that will work is just grow plants they don't like! Also, when I started off I thought 'small garden = small plants" ... but actually, I've realised it looks a lot better with big, or rather tall, plants, so next year is going to be Echiums, Malva Magic Hollyhock and some really huge cannas. Unfortunately, all my attempts at growing Verbena Bonariensis have failed, because I'd love to have that in the mix too ... generally, I'm such a novice it's all still a steep learning curve ;D ... cheers ...

[isabella]

Having not opened for the n.g.s. this year - I really missed it- I am full of enthusiasm for next year

My bedding displays,baskets and tubs will be the best ever
I have been really pleased with the front garden this year so will try to do the same (ish!) next year

We have a couple of problem places in the back garden to sort out

I won't be growing Candy Pink morning glories again - hopeless

I must divide my Streptocarpus plants in the Spring - I didn't this year and it shows

My greenhouses will be full of colour and looking gorgeous by the time we open the garden

[Barbara]

gertrudej2nd said:

I am going to plant faithful, season long flowering geraniums under the tall perennials, I dont know what they are called, the student garden I grow veg in has loads, I have them flowering under a dry hedge so I'm sure they will cheer up the disaster bed. Hanging baskets too, I need to do something which lasts much longer. but what///

gertrude i planted sweet peas in my baskets this year and i have only just taken them out. (they were the trailing ones) in among the trailing pelagonium which are still going.

[Mr Grinch]

I started planning for 2008 at soon as the sun came out this summer. How sad is that !!!

Mr G

[Dr Bill]

The veg has been a total disaster this year so I hope to be a bit more orgnaised next year. We are planning a sort of formal partere of raised beds surrounded by clipped box in which to grow vegetables in an ornamental sort of way. By choosing varieties carefully I hope that it will both look good and provide good crops.

I also need to start on rebuilding the front garden which hasn't been touched since before the building work started last September. When I start I shall resurrect my blogs to show you chaps what I am up to.

And I want to redesign my mixed borders as well. They are a bit haphazard to say the least so a bit of planning wouldn't come amisss

[Jonah]

Well after a disastrous year, where I have barely been out the garden other than to dash out to put the washing out before a downpour, I am determined to get stuck in next year.

There is a very slight possibility we will be putting a drive on the front, in order to protect my new little tonka toy car from the yobs who like to kick the mirrors off. So that could mean quite a lot of re organisation out there. But if it doesn't happen, I still plan to move lots of plants and give it a good makeover.

I have decided to try and build a little veg garden out the back. I'm not expecting to produce huge quantities of anything edible, but would like to have a go, and get the children involved. The plan is to make four 3 footish raised beds and plant an ornamental kitchen garden. However it's nowhere near the kitchen! ;D It's a very small plot, but we'll see.

The back garden still needs a lot of work in general. I relied heavily on annuals this year to inject a splash of colour, but want to get something a bit more substantial in place. And we still have the paving to do, but that will have to wait. Not only was the weather not kind to the OH, but some locals decided to pinch our cement mixer from the garage!

[grannyjanny]

Our garden has been a disaster this year. Like FA no enthusiasm for it. We have had a lot on. Baby granddaughters in & out of hospital, our lovely friend Simon lost his fight with leukemia & have been supporting the family throughout the horrible experience as well as supporting our girls. The garden has suffered but like I said to one of my daughters I would rather be remembered for helping family & friends than having a lovely garden.
Lets hope next year will be better.
Janet.

[isabella]

I have had horrid years too in the past - the garden has always taken 2nd place in bad times but then after the bad times it is good to be able to forget sad times by being in the garden and sowing and growing for the future

I hope you have a better year next Janet

Love from Pam x

[Alicat]

I can't say my garden has been a total disaster although it did not go completely to plan but it's done alright. I have lots of ideas for next year and hopefully family members will be well again, so I can spend some time in the garden. At the end of the day though they come first.

[Deleted]

Janet and Alicat ... hope things look up next year ;D ... cheers ...

[4pygmies]

I believe I may have said this last year but I WILL get my flower garden sorted out for next year....now I've cut the hedges and reclaimed the space I can see exactly how much serious digging I have to do... Still I shall plug away at the weeding and clearing every chance I get over the Autumn and Winter and hopefully it'll be in a fit state to plant come Springtime...still the good thing is that there are HUGE toads everywhere in the space.
Plus I have to cut down and clear the hedge along one side of the veggie garden, move or remake all the fencing and then clear the ground. My vegetable garden will be much bigger next year, and will be much more efficiently run

[Deleted]

Next year I think my efforts will mainly be focused on the lottie! ;D The garden wasn't great this year , but we live and learn! I'll get the soil around my roses in tip top shape to try and stop the dreaded blackspot , but other than that and a bit of annual sowing, it'll have to get on with it!

[andy]

Bedding in tubs has been superb this year. So more of the same really....dark blue petunias, copper coloured marigolds and yellow marigolds with some night scented stock dotted around the patio.
I'll also grow a lot more tuberous begonias in tubs as they just seem spectactular.

More sweet peas....they were great this year.

My cannas were awful this year....i'm going to cut back on numbers but the ones i do grow will be big and blousey and grown in bigger pots. Also going to get some larger grasses....tall miscanthus and arundo and some plioblastus.

Not sure what to do with the one basket i have....it'll probably be just impatiens as they seem to do best. I might get some of those long "pouches" and hang them from my pergola over the pond.

So the grey matter is starting to kick in already....i'll probably change my mind a dozen times though !!!

[Rosefriend]

After a totally disastrous year in the garden - I gave up on my Garden thread even in the middle of June - didn't feel that ill and rotting plants were the ideal pics to post.

I enjoyed the Sweetpeas this year and will definitively be doing some more next year. Beans were fantastic - the first time I have ever done them and I have already bought some for next year.

As far as Roses are concerned I will be getting rid of a few, the sight of a plant without any leaves and rotten blooms.........sad.

I shall be doing spuds in Pots again, if only to prove to myself that it can be done.

Apart from that I will just be praying that we get just a little more sun than this year, and a hell of a lot less rain.

RF

[Alicat]

canarycreeper said:

Janet and Alicat ... hope things look up next year ;D ... cheers ...

Thanks CC. and my thoughts are with anyone that is having a tuff time at the moment. - Not wanting to wish our lives away but I hope for all, things are more settled next year.

4P - I hope you get to do all that you want to do, because you deserve it. - But don't wear yourself out.

[isabella]

Hello Alicat - I hope everything is better for you next year
Love from Pam x

[Alicat]

Thanks isabella, I hope so too Everyday at the moment is special. - Mum is a fighter.

Alicat. x