Heather28/12/03 6:50
Hi all
I posted here a few weeks ago saying I'd got a new garden. Now I'm at the
"planning what to do with it" stage and I'd appreciate any thoughts or
advice you might have on the following projects:
1. The instant herb garden project.
There's a pre-formed fibre glass raised pool with a wooden surround right up
by the house (surrounded by wooden deck). I don't want it as a water
feature (I have two other ponds - one quite LARGE). I thought I might empty
it out, drill holes in the fibre glass, fill with gritty compost and plant
with herbs. It's about 5' x 3' and about 2' off the ground. Faces SW and
gets reasonable amounts of sun. What do people reckon - will this work or
will it get waterlogged?
If there's *plenty* of drainage, I think it stands a good chance and it
sounds interesting, too. Certainly worth a try with the herbs that like a
lot of sun and well drained roots.
2. The native hedge project.
Deciduous hedge runs up one side of the garden for about twenty five feet.
It's about six foot high and has obviously been trimmed with hedge cutters
and not much else done to it as it's got very thin in places. Hard to tell
what it's made of at the moment, but I reckon it includes hawthorn, berberis
and possibly viburnum. Also full of old brambles and rubbish growing
through from next door's neglected and overgrown patch. I'd like to thicken
it up a bit and try some evergreens to give a bit more privacy at this time
of year - any ideas for relatively quick growing - preferably native -
plants. I'd like it to stay an "informal" hedge.
Would Eleagnus 'do' with you - lovely scent on some of them? But in your
shoes, I'd wait one whole year and see what you have got and how it can be
improved.
3. The anti-magnolia project
No, not that kind of magnolia. I like those.
The previous owners overdid the "house doctor" bit and have painted the
fibreglass edging of the LARGE (20'x 10') pond and the concrete path edging
and the terracotta "brick" path edging (ALL over the garden) and even the
stones lining the "stream" that feeds the pond, with magnolia paint!!!
Judging by the amount they painted in the house I reckon they got onto
"autopaint" and just couldn't stop...... I think it's ordinary emulsion,
although it looks almost luminous in poor light and is doing the "natural"
look of the garden no favours at all - any ideas for removing it?
First question is - can you stick the whole lot in a pile and hose it off?
The paint won't be doing your stream any good, I'd guess. Second question
is, can you hire one of those things that tumble stones around to rub,
abrade most of the paint, or would a local quarry do that for you at a small
charge? Then, replace the stones and put a few dabs of live yoghurt here
and there on each one to encourage the growth of the 'natural look'.
I hope you don't mind multiple questions in one message - I expect I'll
think of some more later..........
Seasons Greetings
And to you and good luck! Keep us up to date, won't you? Personally, I'm
riveted by anyone who would paint stones with magnolia paint - and so MANY
of them........!
--
Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)