Jo's Secret Garden
The New Look
I have finally seen sense and taken the advice given by Beth Chatto in her book, The Dry Garden. With a garden the size of ours, we shouldn't even be attempting to cultivate a lawn.
And so the dry patch of dirt which was never home to more than a few blades of grass, is going to become a patio.
We also decided to condemn the tree. The pitto sporum is no more. Click here to see the photos. I'm now looking forward to being able to see the magnolia tree in blossom from my desk and hoping that our cherry tree won't wilt next summer.
I think I've finally learnt not to be too ambitious with my vegetable growing either. I managed to produce some huge butternut squash and aubergine plants this year. We even had fruit on the latter. But by the time it started to ripen, the first frosts had arrived. I'll have to wait until I have a greenhouse.
The tomatoes, rocket and spinach flourished again though so those will remain staples of my pot-based plot. I may well even branch into some flowers too...
Inside the house, my plants continue to thrive. Both orchids are about to flower for the second time this year - the first time in winter. I have an amaryllis which has grown by a foot in a month! And my spider plants are procreating like there's no tomorrow.
I just have to transfer my greenfingers to outside now...