There has been no rain for the past two weeks and a hot dry wind is blowing: the ground is now just about dry enough to start planting the area between the pond and the woods. The idea here is to use large shrubs and small trees that are either native wild plants or variants on them so as to improve their chance of survival as well as make a gradual transition from garden to woodland. There are also some of the same smaller plants that we have already used on the terraces to give a bit of balance and colour.
The vivaista's team came and planted about 200 shrubs in one day: the ground is awful heavy clay so each shrub had to be given its own hole full of compost. It would have been much better if we could have planted much earlier in the year but instead I will have to do copious watering - I refuse to have a drip system as I think it discourages the plants from putting down proper roots and it creates a 'dependency culture'. Let's see.
The shrubs include a rather tall exuberant cotoneaster in groups to give structure. Native type shrubs include Sambucus nigra (bronze leaved elderflower); Cornus sanguinea & mas; Euonymus europeaeus & alatus; Quercus ilex (holm oak) and Arbutus. Garden shrubs include Philadelphus 'Minnesota snowflake'; Spirea; Viburnum opulus; Eleanus.
I do hope that it rains soon.
Y
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