The Old Vicarage B&B, Little Ouse

Not the ideal time of year to plant a new border, but plants usually do better in the ground. The new border is one of the wild borders that has now been dug out that allows you to walk around the garden using differing paths. Each year I try and dig out and plant up another one. This one is to the right of the summerhouse.

All planted up. The plants are all grown either in the garden or ones that were bought two or three years ago as small plants and grown on. The scheme is eclectic at the moment. It was just a case of getting a rough plating pattern and getting them in the ground. I will start to move things when the weather gets a bit wetter to their final positions in the garden.

No additional plants were purchased for this border. The sole purpose was to get the plants out of the pots to stop them stressing with the heat.

I am in the garden for several hours. I nearly always take a wheelbarrow loaded with all the tools that I need for the day.

Most of the conifers I use as winter pots for two or three years growing them on, before putting in the garden.

The rhododendrons and the conifer all provided colour in the winter and spring in pots on the patios. They are large enough now to go in the garden. I’ll need to purchase some new smaller ones to pot into the containers for this winter.

I used the last of the geraniums, irises, ajuba rhododendrons conifers, buddleia, several bushes and lots of perennial bedding to fill the gaps.

I have made the border half the width of the original wild border. Mainly due to the fact that the paths only allowed one person to walk comfortably. I wanted two abreast.

I place the pots into their planting holes and water the pots with a full watering can of water about ten minutes before planting. This has the added purpose of getting water in the hole to help draw the roots down. The water just sits on the top of the soil if you water with a rose on the watering can, the ground is that dry!

Digging out the borders. These borders have lots of deep rooted perennial weeds, such as nettles. I have used some no-dig in the past. Strange there is a whole industry on this now! I only use this when I have the time and mainly on grass borders. Fo a fast result, nothing beats a spade and it is cheaper than going to the gym.

The fir tree was bought as a rootball last September and planted. I have been watering weekly with at least two watering cans. I thought it wouldn’t make it with the heat we have had, but it seems to be struggling through.

Placing plants as I dig to get a rough idea of what it will look like.