Articles
Bed 9 design
- Details
- Category: Beds and Borders
- Published on Monday, 09 March 2009 09:10
- Written by Graham
- Hits: 372
Bed 9 was dug in March 2007 as an oblong island at the north-end of the garden. During the first summer we filled it with wild flowers and sunflowers. In 2008 we repeated the wild flower approach, allowing self-seeded plants from the previous year to develop and also sowing further seed saved from the first year. An added feature was a "representation" of a disused railway truck made from some old plough wheels, timber and metal bits found around the site. This was complemented by an old railway embankment sign that we picked up for a couple of euros at a brocante. Following the summer of 2008, we collected lots of seeds from the wild flowers, and cleared the bed during the autumn. During October 2008 I planted several shrubs and perennials in a design around a transplanted smoke-bush. The four bed corners are filled with lavender, santolina, blue fescue and dianthus, all taken from divisions and propagations. Separating Bed 9 from bed 10, which has a similar planting scheme, I am developing a rock-scree / rock garden. The photograph from October 2008 shows part of the excavation and the water-butt that will be sunk into the bedrock to supply a cast-iron pump feature.
