Welcome to my blog!

Here, I journal the transformation of our tiny London backyard into a dream garden. I hope you will like it!

A dream garden, for me, is an outdoor space filled with rich colours and seductive scents, offering beautiful flowers, interesting textures and tasty morsels for our delectation. Also a source of nourishment for the local wildlife - birds, butterflies and bees. A space to enjoy with my SO, friends, family, and, of course, our cats. Somewhere to sit and have coffee, or even a meal, and a tiny patch of grass to lie on in the fleeting sunshine of the English summer. And, we're almost there...

Unless stated otherwise, all photos are by me (or my SO) and are clickable.

Thursday, 27 January 2011

Entrance Plans, Please Help!

No, I haven't actually scanned my drawings of the front garden. But I can tell you all about it!

What we have in a small rectangular plot is a fairly well stocked side border: 3 red roses, a variegated shrub and some bulbs. I will be adding a rosemary shrub at the gate, and some sweet smelling white alyssum to soften the path edge.

Around the front door, we already have a hanging basket (still with the winter pansies, which are in flower again, see this post), and I want to put an attractive container on the other side. It will hold the olive tree sapling, surrounded by bee-beloved (see what I did there!;)) thyme and with orange nasturtiums tumbling over the edge. The nasturtium seeds are again from France, from my lovely Belle-Mère's Mediterranean balcony.

There is a narrow border alongside the street (low) wall fence, which only has weeds in it. I want to plant a lavender hedge, punctuated by tall globes of purple alliums. Similar to the third picture in this post, from the previous garden.

Finally, there is a small square bed near the dining room bay window, which used to have a spreading grey-leaved plant that was either senecio greyii or brachyglottis. Either way, I didn't like it, and it died last winter (no connection!). I want to plant a scented English rose there, and surround it with an evergreen herb - probably thyme again. The only problem is, I can't decide which rose to go for!

I think I want a pale pink or blush variety, like Wildeve, A Shropshire Lad or William Morris. But then, I see the brighter Strawberry Hill, which even won a Grand Prix for fragrance... Ah, I wish we had a huge garden with space for as many rose bushes as I could wish for!

So, this is where you, my faithful readers can help: which rose is the prettiest? Please let me know what you think, in comments or email!

2 comments:

  1. My vote goes to William Morris (closely followed by Shropshire Lad)
    x x x

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  2. OOoooo I was going to say William Morris as well, although this post was a while back so you've probably already made your decision! The Strawberry Hill looks vibrant though, like it x

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