Yesterday I was pondering on a possible focal point for my next blog entry when my mind wandered off to the fact that in September I will have been working on 'Bosvathick's open garden project' for 2 years. Time must indeed have wings!
However when I really start to think about all the new areas we have developed and the vast amount of plants we planted I realise that we have done tons of work in relatively a very short period and am actually quite proud of our achievements. It was team work that made it happen of course, but today I feel like giving myself quite a bit of credit too.
I have no formal training in gardening and so it was and still is hit and miss at times. For instance we are having a continuous battle with the rabbit species and have lost quite a few of our earlier planted perennials, many of which turn out to be on the rabbit's favourite meal list. Then again it turns out there isn't much the hungry rabbit doesn't like, so I guess we'd better pray for some more birds of prey.
Anyway, back to my point. I started to wonder how many shrubs and other plants we have put into this garden in the last 2 years and then, when today 2 lovely lady visitors were sharing their delight in finding such a lovely gem of a garden and were wondering about the amount of planting we have done, I made up my mind to do 'the numbers' for this blog. I hope you will enjoy these fun facts.
31 apple trees
3 Cherry Blossoms
2 Magnolias
4 Rhododendrons
26 Azaleas
26 Camellias
36 Roses (bush and climbing)
43 shrubs of all sorts
657 perennial plants (with an unnumbered amount of casualties due to the small mammals that belong to the Leporidea family of the order of Lagomorpha, (read: rabbits), some were lost to slugs and snails too)
125 Yew plug plants, to create our new focal point around the fountain pond (see photo)
198 begonia plugs (of which there are no survivors, they were all devoured by ducks)
many many annuals for our pot displays all around the main house,
and finally:
2415 bulbs, give or take a few.
All these were planted among the already amazing mature specimens of shrubs and trees, so you don't have to wait 10 years to see something exciting in our garden.
However when I really start to think about all the new areas we have developed and the vast amount of plants we planted I realise that we have done tons of work in relatively a very short period and am actually quite proud of our achievements. It was team work that made it happen of course, but today I feel like giving myself quite a bit of credit too.
I have no formal training in gardening and so it was and still is hit and miss at times. For instance we are having a continuous battle with the rabbit species and have lost quite a few of our earlier planted perennials, many of which turn out to be on the rabbit's favourite meal list. Then again it turns out there isn't much the hungry rabbit doesn't like, so I guess we'd better pray for some more birds of prey.
Anyway, back to my point. I started to wonder how many shrubs and other plants we have put into this garden in the last 2 years and then, when today 2 lovely lady visitors were sharing their delight in finding such a lovely gem of a garden and were wondering about the amount of planting we have done, I made up my mind to do 'the numbers' for this blog. I hope you will enjoy these fun facts.
31 apple trees
3 Cherry Blossoms
2 Magnolias
4 Rhododendrons
26 Azaleas
26 Camellias
36 Roses (bush and climbing)
43 shrubs of all sorts
657 perennial plants (with an unnumbered amount of casualties due to the small mammals that belong to the Leporidea family of the order of Lagomorpha, (read: rabbits), some were lost to slugs and snails too)
125 Yew plug plants, to create our new focal point around the fountain pond (see photo)
198 begonia plugs (of which there are no survivors, they were all devoured by ducks)
many many annuals for our pot displays all around the main house,
and finally:
2415 bulbs, give or take a few.
All these were planted among the already amazing mature specimens of shrubs and trees, so you don't have to wait 10 years to see something exciting in our garden.