Preparation for Claygate Garden Trail

On Sunday 16th June a number of houses are opening their gardens as part of the Open Gardens initiative. We're opening ours in order to raise money for The Stroke Association.

So, that leaves just over 2 months to get the garden into shape, no mean feat since I haven't touched it in 6 months.

First task was to clear away all the built up soil around where the two dead trees where in the corner:

After clearing all the brambles and dead wood - I planted:

• Prunus 'Victoria' (Victoria Plum Tree) 
• Betula 'Jacquemontii' (White Steam Birch Tree)  
• Prunus 'Kiku-Shidare Zakura' (Cheals Weeping Cheery) 

On the opposite side by the greenhouse I planted: 

• Magnolia Soulangeana (Magnolia Tree)

Both lawns with a trim, also dropped on lots of lawn feed, hopefully they'll be coming up nice and green soon!

View from the back door:

Next up is to put up trellis outside front door and on the side of the shed to get some fast growing climbers going.

Got a delivery from Suttons coming this week with a load of flowers whose names I can't pronounce, but they looked nice in the photos:

• Verbascum - Blue Pixie
• Centaurea dealbata
• Astrantia - Abbey road
• Sedum - Purple Emperor
• Echinops - Ritro
• Iberis - Masterpiece
• Dahlia - Othello
• Aster - Asteroid Mix
• Sweat Pea
• Iberis - Pink Ice

After that its a waiting game to see how it will look in 9 weeks time.