ONE
Behind our fence covered in ivy is this wonderful backdrop of trees at the bottom of other people’s gardens. We are so lucky that we can borrow this forest of trees to look out on. It does mean we’re overrun by squirrels but we also have wonderful owl hooting at night and a great morning chorus.
Borrowing a backdrop from neighbours
TWO
Having a small pond adds so much to a town garden. It reflects light, has frogs and newts, things swimming about in it and dragonflies skimming the surface. It’s another way to get LIFE into your garden. Just scoop out a shallow hole, line with pond liner and fill with tap water. I’ve used old terracotta pots all around the edge to hide where the black liner meets the soil.
Pond the size of three dustbin lids
THREE
Have a birdbath of some kind if you possibly can. Any container off the ground will do. It’s a joy watching birds have a bath, it really is. Again, the water reflects light, it’s alive and changes with the weather and brings creatures into the garden for drinking and washing.
A stone birdbath reflecting the light
FOUR
Gorgeous acer leaves from a neighbour’s tree thrown onto my beds and borders
I collect attractive leaves from other gardens and chuck them onto my beds and borders. Why give them to the Council? You could use them as a lovely warm blanket for your garden. If this turns out to have been a very bad idea I will let you know.
FIVE
This is a trachelospermum (jasmine) climbing up a trellis at the front door. I’ve stuck in some artificial berries on wire stems. Would you have known they weren’t real if you didn’t know that jasmine doesn’t have berries? I think it looks quite cheerful so they can stay for a few weeks (until someone tells me it looks naff).
Artificial berry stems tucked into the trellis
SIX
Here is our water bill showing the use last June and July. Watering the garden has quadrupled our water use. This needs a rethink as it’s nuts to keep doing this.
The best plan I can think of is to NOT plant new stuff as late as May but to plant in Feb/March/April at the latest. Hopefully new plants will then establish before any drought as it’s only newly planted things that need such heavy watering to keep them alive.
Huge increase of water use in June/July
Those are my Six thoughts today and you can read more ideas from other gardeners on the propagator blog. Thankyou to him for hosting this theme.
Sounds good to me. Love the water feature but I would need to be concerned about snakes.
Oh goodness, snakes! Always lovely to hear from people who have such different gardens from mine. Thanks for your comment and best wishes, Julie
I love the idea of attracting wildlife to the garden. Although, i daren’t have a pond because of the mosquitoes. Will the leaves act like a winter blanket to your soil and then eventually break down? I love the autumn colours in your garden. ALmost makes me feel homesick.
As for your water bill have you thought of having a waterbut? We use the Japanese rain chain.
http://www.rainchains.com/aboutrainchains.html
and try and store the water for the drier months.
Mosquitoes?? Eek! What we do get is wasps buzzing around the birdbath and pond. The leaves – well that is what I am hoping but years ago I found I had to scoop them all up again around February because they hadn’t rotted down. They look lovely for now though and it’s nice to see them change colour as they fade. Thanks for your comment, best wishes, Julie
Your garden is so lovely and leafy and damp looking – something I can never achieve here. I expect your neighbour’s trees provide some delicious shade too. I think the artificial berries look perfect on your jasmine. Certainly not naff.
Thanks Jane, the berries might well stay all year round now. Yes the garden is mainly green and shady at the back. The front gets the summer sun but not all day because of big trees nearby. Are you in USA or am I imagining that? Best wishes, Julie
You are brave to look at your water bill! I dread to think what ours was. I think we just closed our eyes and paid.
Oh yes we totally just close our eyes and ears and pay too! This graph was sent to us to try to persuade us to get a water meter but I’m not keen. I can’t see any benefit at all. Thanks for your comment, best wishes, Julie
Because of this summer’s drought, we put water dishes on the ground w/pebbles in them to keep the insects from drowning. Altho there’s other sources of water in the garden, the dogs absolutely loved these dishes, shoved the pebbles out of the way & emptied them several times a day. The pollinators did get a drink here & there, but it was an uphill battle against the dogs!
That trachelospermum looks fabulous with the berries, very festive for this time of year. And a birdbath is such a brilliant idea and suitable for most gardens, even for those not going for the cottage garden style. Happy Christmas!
Thankyou Francesca and Happy Christmas to you too.