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Talk on Corners – Part 3

13 comments

Part 1 of this mini-series introduced the corner border as an expansion project, in which there was a flurry of activity in marking it out, cutting the edge and then a sudden stop as soon as the border was covered over with polythene to kill the grass and weeds underneath.

Part 2 of this mini-series saw a return to the border a year later with the compacted soil dug over and mixed with manure, compost and more soil from seven bulk bags. There was so much material that the whole border was raised up with a stepped bank and a retaining wall made from rocks kindly donated by the neighbours.

It’s 5:00am, the sky is light but the sun is still hidden behind the trees. The birds are up and about as well as the bees; no-one else seems to be though, there’s a rare stillness and lack of “modern day” noise. Sounds are muffled. Tip-toeing out of the kitchen doors in my gardening clothes and onto the patio, which is thankfully dry, I look out over the two borders already planted up. Magnolia Hill is bursting at the seams, just on the verge of descending into flowery chaos. The formal, tall blue spires of the Delphiniums along the Crescent are so noisy with bees it sounds like a hive must be close-by. The near-end of Fruit Avenue is overrun with Shasta Daisies about to flower, their white flower buds look like stars against the darker beech hedge behind. The patio itself is a mass of green on concrete from the sprawling Nomadic Patio Pot collection.

My gaze then swings across to the large empty expanse of a newly restored border, with a rockery wall, a stepped bank, razor-sharp edge and sculpted, contoured top; it is utterly pristine. It has taken many weekends, late evenings and early morning starts to get this border ready and now, I can start picking pots and plants from the patio and the staging area and set them down in the new border in their planting positions. It’s one of my most favourite things to do, even at such an absurdly early time in the morning. The thrill of being able to just walk along and pick up a few pots, barrow them down to the border and lay them out without going through the checkout is amazing. Most of the chosen plants are rescue plants, from seed, divisions or donations; the best kinds.

The border is so large that it actually takes a few early morning and late evening sessions just to lay all the plants out. By the time this is finished, the staging is almost clear, gaps have appeared in the Nomadic Patio Pots and part of the greenhouse is empty. They’re all there, sat in pots on the new border, glittering with morning dew, impatiently waiting to be released into the ground.

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It’s exhilarating to finally dig the first hole and reach for the first pot, knock the plant out, firm it into the ground, backfill and water. Then do the same with the next and the next, rinse and repeat. The first twenty or so still keep the feeling going. By the next twenty, I’ve settled into a well-practiced routine. The next twenty start getting repetitive and dare I say, tedious. The next twenty are tiresome. There are still many more plants left. I’m desperate to finish planting the border though, the build-up to it has been huge, it’s the final piece in the trio of borders at the near-end of the garden. Like a marathon runner seeing the finish line in sight, I race to get the last hostas, ferns and foxgloves into the ground as the shadow of the house stretches longer and longer, signalling the evening is coming to and end.

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The final fern goes in, a quick tidy up of tools, stacking of pots, throwing out of rubbish and turning off of the hose pipe and for all intents and purposes, the border is planted.

I collapse, exhausted from fifteen hour days (nine of those are for work), non-stop weekends, lifting rocks, tilling soil, shovelling, planting, watering. It’s all done now. The plants are in the ground, the border joins the others to form a set. It’s a little like getting all properties of the colour group in Monopoly. There is still some tidying and tweaking to do but this is just maintenance work and can be done later.

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For now I’m going to step back, have a bit of a sit down and look over this newly restored border, remember how it came to be, appreciate how it fits in with the other borders, how it will flower, which parts will be of interest at which times of year, notice all the different habitats and micro-climates that have been created, imagine how it might look when mature and compare the reality with what I had in my mind and finally, decide that it looks good.

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Sunil Patel

I'm Sunil Patel, this is me. I created the Garden at 13 Broom Acres and I open it to visitors. I also bake and write blog posts giving a "behind the scenes" look into what it's like to maintain such a garden.

Visit the blog, then come and visit the garden. We can have a good sit-down, a jolly chinwag and a relaxing cup of tea with a sinfully generous slice of home made cake.

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13 comments

Jean 06/07/2016 - 2:14 am

I agree, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as finally getting to spot plants in a border that you’ve spent weeks/months/years preparing — and when most of those plants are gifts or divisions or something you’ve propagated yourself, the pleasure is at least doubled. It looks spectacular!! Congratulations on this accomplishment.

Reply
Sunil 06/07/2016 - 7:45 pm

Thank you, Jean, after spending so much time focusing on this border and finally finishing it, I’m at a bit of a loss and wondering “what’s next?”.

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Jean 06/07/2016 - 9:48 pm

I know it’s a shocking idea, but you could put your feet up and relax in your beautiful garden!

Reply
susan maclean 06/07/2016 - 10:58 am

Well done Sunil. Hard work but worth it. I think I can let you have a few G&Ts on the terrace to celebrate now!

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Sunil 06/07/2016 - 7:46 pm

Hello Mrs Mac, I know I have my usual Winter hibernation, but after that border, I might need to take a “Summer nap” after all the effort that went into it.

Reply
Jayne on Weed Street 07/07/2016 - 2:57 am

That back breaking work is the toil we gardeners accept as our fate. Well done Sunil!

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Sunil 07/07/2016 - 8:38 pm

Hello Jayne, I guess that I see and appreciate the results of it everyday so it works out in my favour in the longer term.

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Casa Mariposa 08/07/2016 - 1:20 pm

You are such a hard worker and this gorgeous garden is the result. I love it when a bed is finally done and I can sit back and enjoy all the effort that went into it’s creation. Here’s what’s next – take a break!!!

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Sunil 09/07/2016 - 5:48 pm

Thanks Tammy, I’m really pleased we’ve finished these three borders. The view from the patio is much better now. I think I will have a bit of a pause to take some time to figure out how to do the rear half of the garden – particularly the rain garden idea.

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gardeninacity 10/07/2016 - 4:16 am

You’ve done a marvelous job! I look forward to watching your new border fill in. I also find planting to be very satisfying, so much more fun than staking, dividing, weeding, etc.

Reply
Sunil 12/07/2016 - 6:54 pm

Hello Jason, I’m looking to this border growing and filling in too. There are a lot of plants and they’re densely packed in, we’ll have to see what needs rescuing from what but I’m hoping that won’t be for some time.

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Alistair Cruickshank 10/07/2016 - 8:29 am

Hard work Sunil, but wow, look at the rewards.

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Sunil 12/07/2016 - 6:54 pm

Hello Alistair, it’s good to start spending more time enjoying the rewards rather than continuing to slog away at the work.

Reply

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