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jenny_adams · 02-03-2009, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hogg

On Sun, 1 Mar 2009 08:58:20 -0000, Charlie Pridham
wrote:

In article ,
says...
On Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:45:56 -0000, Charlie Pridham
wrote:

I was today at a get together of Cornish garden owners and head gardeners
and while waiting for the busines to start we were all swapping horror
stories about how cold our gardens had been and how much stuff was
looking bad, but all decided this was minor and most had already cleared
and replanted, the good news is that the cold winter has held back the
flowering of the spring flowered Magnolias and Rhodos and things are
shaping up nicely for one of the best years ever.

I must have lost getting on for 20 shrubs. In many ways, it's been a
blessing in disguise, as it gives me a chance radically to re-plan all
the shrub beds with things that aren't quite so tender. When we first
moved here, nine years ago, I was a bit over-ambitious in what I
thought I could grow. The inevitable gaps have appeared over the
intervening period, and last month's frosts were what I needed to spur
me into a full-scale replanting.

Same here but I am struggling with ideas, I need to get around some
gardens and see what catches my eye but am actually flat out trying to
catch up on the garden after not being able to in January.
Any hope for dead looking Phormiums?

No idea about the phormiums; mine seem OK. But my Aristea Ecklonis and
A. Major are black to ground level. I just hope there's life in the
roots.

I'm trawling my books and catalogues for hardier plants that are both
interesting and attractive, and will also put up with vicious
salt-laden winter gales without being either stripped or simply blown
out of the ground!

--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

I've noticed this spring is shaping up nicely, can't wait to see some beautiful flowers around!