Does anyone know anything about gardening?

No idea where this came from but it's fucking great. Tall, elegant and some sort of fake wasp likes the nector.

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That's a thalictrum, lovely plants

Fake wasp made me lol. Got loads of insects, butterflies, moths etc at the moment. Our Thalictrum went bonkers in spring but then died back already, hoping it comes back better next year, I planted another one next to it because slugs didn’t touch it.

Thalictrums are fantastic for not getting slugged, and (at least some of them)for appearing really early in the spring and helping to fill gaps.

Range of different sizes and flowering times too. Thalictrum Elin is a spring/summer plant, Thalictrum Delavayi a late summer/autumn one

Also happy in severe clay soil and still flowers well in deep shade, so a bit of a miracle plant if you have a small shady sluggy clay garden (most UK city gardens)

severe clay soil and still flowers well in deep shade

👋

If you have a phone with an image search function, the fake wasp can be IDd to a species possible if you enjoy taking snaps and checking them :)

We have at least 10 pretend-wasps in the garden, and logging species helps all sorts of groups checking biodiversity data. I love the fake wasps, most of them are hoverflies and kinda goofy.

Finally getting around to tranforming my garden.. 2019 first attempt to clear decades of neglect

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cladding /roof will be complete soon as the centre piece of the garden.. (from the shed thread)

all the plants will go into 8no. large plastic mixing buckets for the time being, just so that I have some flexibility to work around, due to arrive next month..

4no. Fargesia (bamboo) Asian Wonder
2no. Fargesia (bamboo) Black Pearl
2no. Gingko Biloba
2no. Micanthus Zebrinus (Zebra Grass)
2no. Acer Palmatum Orange Dream

Plus loads of compost / ericaceous soil

A bit hung up on symmetry at the moment.. I will cluster these for easier watering at some point buy a ton of hostas to fill two containers to complete this very oriental themed garden..

hostas once planted will get those pesky snails into my garden in no time, lol

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Epic

It will be and it will

Awesome work. It'll. Look great.

hostas once planted will get those pesky snails into my garden in no time, lol

Serious suggestion here, I think it'd be more useful, less time consuming and rewarding to give out fivers in your local high St.

Thanks @pdlouche and @hugo7

it’s a long time coming focused on the house for years, so been a blank for a while.. hopefully I can create a tranquil zen like outdoor space during the day.. chill out with string of lights on poles, lanterns, fire pit, with music and sundowners.

In terms of planting I am hoping that the shed provides a level of shade and background for the more vulnerable plants to thrive. I’m no seasoned pro, and it’ll all need plenty of attention once established, especially the acidity and moisture levels, hygrometer probes bought

In terms of the shed, the envelope will need to be well sealed and insulated if it becomes a garden room, that with electrics, finishes gonna cost £££ so more saving required..

the wu-tang clan references just for fun aka the 37th chamber

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Looks great!

We have Hosta and slugs, they get nibbled on but not so much they are completely eaten.

If you want them looking perfectly then probably not an ideal plant...

If what you say is true, the hostas and the molluscs could be dangerous!
Looks wicked

Thanks @JWestland

I think that if I encourage slug and snail eaters into my garden I would have a natural deterrent.. was thinking bird feeders.. also the hostas don’t need to look perfect, just a great filler for the planters and contrast with the bamboo and acers.

I’ll add all the usual barriers too, but I know snails and slugs will find a way through, they always do

hahaha.. I can see a ton of gags coming now.. thank you

Adam gave a great tip on gardeners world last week, get some mesh or nylon and cover the hole in the bottom of the pot to stop slugs getting in from the bottom. His hostas are now untouched. I'm trying it with some wool I got in a veg box.

Maybe also have a look at ferns. JP has some cool exotic ones (note they tend to be smaller).

Amongst others I have one of these Golden Brilliance
https://www.jparkers.co.uk/dryopteris-golden-brilliance
which I thoroughly recommend
✅ Good size
✅ Don't die back
✅ Winter colour

Would work well with Acers Imo.

Great advice Kat.. I plan to make holes in base of each 30L tub for drainage.. I’ll add mesh liners in them all.. I suspect the plants will be in these for a while before firm up on the landscaping arrangement, project planning for next year methinks.

I can see all manner of hot colours arriving in time with black finish to shed I do love Bishop of Landaff dahlias, castor oil plants, red banana trees, red hot pokers, Crocosmia lucifer..

these are absolutely stunning, great tip.. thank you

I will need to think about climate, seasons, collecting rain water, a water feature perhaps and repurpose this old butlers sink as an outdoor ice bucket for garden dining

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Trying to think ahead to next year. Wildflower patch did ok, mainly musk mallow, but will take and reseed. Also going to plant some bulbs under for a bit of growth in spring.

We have a lot of shady beds in our garden as east facing, which are currently pretty overrun by hybrid bluebells. I’d like to replace them with a woodland mix of anemones, native bluebells, snowdrops etc as well as some shade loving plants like hemp agrimony, tiarella and hellebore - is the best and easiest way to manage to just pull up leaves as they come up or is it necessary to dig the hybrids out?

I reckon the natives will still take over, bluebells are thugs

Even vs the bigger hybrid ones?

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My lawn has always been a bit crap on account of clay soil, two dogs and a toddler. After 4 months of building work it looks like this.

What's my best bet for getting a useable lawn back? Don't mind putting some effort in. Inb4 rewilding, I want lawn.

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