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My Garden story

Spring update to Fred and Linda's garden

The realities Winter forces us to accept

Irrigating hanging baskets.

"My Garden Story" kindly supplied by Fred and Linda Short

"My wife and I are both dwarfs, and yes, our surname is "Short" HONEST!

We are both in our 50's and the garden was becoming more and more of a problem. Believe it or not, but for all we are so close to the ground, because our body's are so disproportionate (we have short arms and legs, but an average size trunk) it is the hardest place to reach! In fact, to be honest, it is just downright pain all the way! The easiest method we have found to enable us to plant at ground level is to simply go prostrate! Lie on the ground, crawl around on our bellies and do it that way! The problem then of course, is getting back up again! Similarly, heavy work is becoming more and more out of the question.

At the same time, we are determined to stay in our bungalow (which we have to our own requirements) for the rest of our lives. Therefore, we decided the garden had to be made as maintenance free as possible.

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Sooooooooo, we sat down and designed the 'perfect' garden to meet our requirements.

It had to be a garden where, if it wasn't touched for a couple or more weeks, it wouldn't really be noticed. Which of course meant the lawns had to go! Have you ever tried pushing a lawn mower the same height as yourself? Not easy!

Planting areas MUST be raised, and steps changed to ramps. We also love our ponds, but they needed to be raised for us to reach them. An added, unforeseen bonus is the fact that we now have planting areas between pond and wall!

We decided on large patio areas, surrounded by cavity walls 3'6" high. The height was critical! We had to be able to plant without bending! We discovered the height by trial and error. As the bricklayer laid each row, we walked up to it. He stopped adding rows when our backs didn't bend to reach! We also decided that since we love the ponds with their waterfalls and fountain, we would like a water feature (Charlie Dimmock eat yer heart out), right in the middle of the largest of the three patios.

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We sat down, discussed it, and did our sketches.

We then got an excellent firm of landscapers in to turn our dreams into reality. The boss of the landscapers came, expecting a small (no pun intended) job. I took him into the garden; I asked if he wanted paper and pencil, he declined. I began walking him round the various areas, and his eyes lit up, his jaw dropped as we walked and I explained in great detail exactly what we wanted. Three quarters of the way round he took me up on the offer of stationary!

When it was all finished we realised that in fact, what we had created would also be ideal for a wheelchair user! We even invited a wheelchair user friend round to 'test drive' it! He 'drove' round the various patios and used the water feature in the middle of the larger one, as a round-a-bout! Also he couldn't resist grabbing a trowel and having a dig in the walls. He could reach even the outdoor switching system for the pond and water feature pumps.

The final garden is, to us a delight and a doddle to work! We have always dreamed of raised beds, but never really been able to afford to do it. Age brings with it surplus cash, so we spent it! As each stage was finished and we begged the contractor to fill yet another bit of wall with soil, we were under their feet, (literally), planting. Each day they would arrive to another area completed over night by ourselves! We were forever going back to garden centres for plants and looking for large plant containers to further adorn the various patios. Again, they had to be high enough to be able to work, without the bending. We were in our horticultural heaven!

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We have discovered we have an ecological problem in-so-far-as encouraging a life cycle within the soil in the walls, which at present, is worm and bug free! As I write I am cadging worms from everyone I know!

We also put a lot of thought into what plants to put into the cavities, because we wanted those to be self-maintaining and whilst we needed plants which would come year after year, we also wanted a seasonal cycle of events. Therefore, our first experiment is to have lots of Hosta's to give height and shape. Between them at present we have Primula, which of course, are dormant at present. The idea is as the Hosta's die back, the Primula will come into their own. Comes September, we also want to add bulbs to the walls.

The curved cavity wall which snakes around the huge Sycamore commanding attention in one corner of the garden is at present planted in 'bedding plants', which in a sense is a contradiction of the walls being maintenance free. BUT, we love gardening, pottering on etc. With the walls the height they are, it therefore is a shear delight to be able to chop and change.

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Naturally, this dream didn't come cheap! All in all, we reckon we got no change out of £14,000. BUT, before you take a huge intake of breath, we consider it a bargain! We ended up with the garden of our dreams with no more backbreaking work to be done and a shear delight to work in. Also, if we divide that money out, over the years we estimate we still have to serve on this earth, then it has to be cheaper than employing a gardener to do it all. At the end of the day, we preserve our independence and we can, hopefully, continue to enjoy our gardening well into our old age.

The irony of course, is the fact that we will never grow old. Dwarfs never do!"

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Fred and Linda's Spring Update

Spring has truly sprung in the garden which was SUPPOSED to be maintenance free! The first of the seasonal displays is in full bloom! However, it has fast become clear that there is no such thing as a totally maintenance free garden.

For starters, trees are fine, and their autumn rustic carpet with which they covers the whole area, is wonderful, - until the time comes to clear it all away. THEN, the problem of what to do with it all takes some thinking about, especially since there is no where now, just to 'dump' it! We resorted to bagging it, BUT, only after we had used the wonderful (though extremely heavy) 'sucker upper and chopper upper' we bought!

It doesn't help the situation to have this machine hanging from ones shoulder, when, being a dwarf, the darn thing is nearly as big as I am!

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None the less, we sucked, we chopped and we bagged! Fine, now what do we do with the bags?????

Thankfully (?) the soil in the walls has settled, which meant a huge topping up was necessary.

Having got the garden supplier to deliver TEN Sacks of soil, the next stage on this supposed maintenance free logistics exercise began, accompanied to the drilling of the woodpecker attempting to chop down the huge Sycamore! Even the fluttering and flapping of the wood pigeons and collared doves going through their courtship routines in the top most branches, doesn't detract him from his work.

With the barrow tilted perpendicular and towering over me, it was a case of somehow, man-handling each sack onto the barrow before hauling it back to its horizontal position. This is where my wife is extremely valuable as a barrow stopper! She prevented the barrow moving, while I tipped and toppled the sacks!

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Each sack was then split open in the barrow and trowel, by trowel, decanted into the walls. BUT, not before a good sprinkling of the sucked up and chopped up, leaves were tipped in! We did two jobs in one! Added nutrient to the soil, (plus a few stray worms) and got rid of sack after sack of leaves.

Hopefully, that is the end of the maintenance in the maintenance free garden for this year! All that is necessary now, is some tidying up and sweeping up. When the weather forecast definitely does not threaten a frost, we will uncover the water feature and take off of the protective covers from the seating. THEN, we shall, hopefully, once again, be able to sit and watch as the display changes with the seasons.

At present, we have the spring showing of flowers. As these die back, the Hosta's begin to sprout. Comes the summer, we should be able to surround ourselves in luxurious foliage and listen to the sound, once again, of the water features.

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The realities Winter forces us to accept

Previously I've written about my garden and illustrated it with photographs making it look like something out of a gardening magazine. I've shown it in all its glory, in full bloom with foliage and flowers abounding. I've shown the pond adorned with rock plants and pansies hiding the edges and with the fountain in full thrust. I've also extolled the virtues of it being a 'maintenance free' garden.

Ah, but the truth has to out sometime! At present, in the middle of January, it is everything BUT, what has been previously written and illustrated. I liken my garden at present to a woman without make-up, first thing on a morning. As with the woman, so with my garden, the reality is shocking!

In other ways I would like to compare my garden with some of the National Trust houses, which, each winter, have to be 'put to bed'.

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The seats, which we spent hours and hours sitting on during the Summer, basking in the sunshine, have to be not only covered, but also have their covers held down in order to resist the wind's temptation to lift them. They are also a wonderful gathering place for even more leaves.

The water feature which provided such a central focal point all summer had to be emptied, stripped of it's trimmings and rather degradingly packed with bubble wrap, covered and surrounded with planters acting as anchor points, again to prevent the ravishes of the winter winds.

The pond had to be given a hairnet! This was initially to keep the dead leaves from blowing into the water and fouling it. However, later we were thankful for it's presence in a different way! One day we looked out and there was a huge Heron eying up our fish for its dinner! Thankfully, the netting prevented him from using the pond as a buffet lunch!

I long for the spring, when, for my garden, the earth moves, and everything begins to come back to life. For now, all I have is a barren wilderness, crying out to be tidied up, yet in a hostile environment, which makes sitting by the fireside a much more attractive proposition.

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However, the sun is out this morning; so my wife and I decided to begin clearing up the leaves. We did consider two previous options to clearing it ourselves. First, we considered hiring someone to come and do it. We decided it was too expensive. We considered just leaving them alone and letting nature take its course and disintegrate them. After all, we reasoned, they somehow disappear in the countryside. Nobody goes along sweeping them up, so why not in our garden? We decided that would take too long. Three sacks later, sore backs, and barely a clear area to prove what we had done, we decided enough was enough. At least it gets us out into the fresh air, and strangely enough, forces us to see things in the garden not seen during the summer months.

DEATH apparently stalks my garden in the middle of winter! Beneath the bare chestnut tree, (which, incidentally, is already beginning to show its sticky buds), lay skulls!

Picked clean, bleached white in the winter sunshine and frosts lay skulls of I know not what! I can only deduce that the owls have been roosting at night, and enjoying their supper there!

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Whilst death maybe beneath the chestnut tree, other plants cling to life in the most baron of environments. These Violas were found living in the rotting, frozen leaves at the base of the water feature. My wife 'rescued' them. And of course the snowdrops are beginning to demand their right to life.

Our garden can't be THAT unattractive at present, judging by the variety and frequency of the bird population visiting us. Granted the bird feeders may have something to do with this, but our strangest bird visitor over winter is this pheasant!

He's a crafty old thing. Struts around picking up the seed droppings from beneath the bird feeder, but he has proved, none the less, to being extremely alert, when it comes to resisting having his photo taken! This was taken through the patio blinds!

Yes, I long for the spring, and even better, the summer. However, as has been proved, this garden is anything BUT maintenance free. This is a blessing in a way, since it affords my wife and I, at least an excuse to get a touch of fresh air, and a hint of exercise. And of course, without our visit to the garden this morning, this article could never have been written.

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Irrigating Hanging baskets.

Some folk think I’m this small because I was out in the rain too long, and shrank!

Where as the truth is, I’m this size from trying to water hanging baskets without getting soaking wet doing so!

We have tried everything to keep the baskets irrigated, without watering ourselves!

After climbing a large set of steps at each basket and risking life and limb, balancing there, whilst at the same time, hauling a large container of water with me, we decided it was both too dangerous, AND dam hard work! Especially since, at the time, we had hanging baskets at the front and back of the house.

Then we tried a pulley system! You can actually buy this ‘addition’ which fits between wall hook and basket. When you want to water the basket, you merely pull it down to where you want it. Fine! Except of course, one has to be able to reach it from its static position in the first place.

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We tried leaving them down at OUR height, only the milkgirl and the postman both smashed into them!

Next we tried a pressure spray, but on an extension! Great! We could reach the baskets from the ground, didn’t have to climb or lift heavy containers. Except that as well as reaching the baskets, the water also reached us, since we had no option but to stand below them!

Finally we hit on the present irrigation system! I had this idea to fashion a hosepipe, which would be suspended from below the eves, with a hole in it at each basket. Attach it to the garden tap, and Bingo! Baskets get watered!

Then we visited the local B & Q store and found, to our amazement, they actually sell the ideal thing! It comes as a kit and is easily assembled. In fact we had ours up and running in less than an hour. Mind you WE didn’t do it, we called on a friend who just stood there, hooked it all up, then said “What’s your problem?”

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If we had done it, it would have necessitated multiple step moving and climbing routines. Nah! Get an average size friend! No problem!

With a few hooks into the eves, the thin hose and drippers were soon installed exactly where we wanted them! Run the hose, as one would run cable, to the tap, turn it on, and watch, in total amazement, as each and every basket is watered!

Then, flushed with success (excuse the pun), we found that by careful positioning of the floor plant containers, the water which dripped out of the bottom of the baskets, then watered the plants below! Two jobs for the price of one!

We are now seriously considering where else we can run a hose and drippers to, since, as can be seen from the photo, there are ‘outlets’ for several pipe runs. All watered in one go, at the flick of a tap!

I have to say that this years baskets are about the best we have ever had them, thanks to the now regular watering, which merely necessitates a walk to the outside tap to turn it on!

Why, oh why didn’t we do this years ago?

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