Wildlife border

[kshotton45]

I thought I’d share with you, two of my borders.
The first is for wildlife. It was planted about 8 years ago and is mainly evergreen to give all year round cover. It is made up of Holly, Rhodos,Laurel,Ivy,Mock Orange, Lilac and as you can see, at this time of the year – Hostas ( well, slugs are wildlife !!).
Deep inside are two homes for Hedgehogs, a well fermented log pile for fungi and creepies and a couple of nest boxes. The Blackbirds love it. Anything that wants to grow in there can!
I put spent Hyacinths and other bulbs in. In all honesty, it’s a nice looking border – and I give it no maintenance whatsoever ! It’s at its prettiest in May when the Rhododendrons bloom – no two are the same and they flower from the start of May to halfway into June.




The second border is just opposite to it and is one I created to be ‘variable’ . It was dug out, covered with black matting and topped off with blue slate. Seven 12 inch pots were then buried. These are permanently in. They carry seven other pots so that they can be interchanged.
I have 28 pots in all. The changes are – Cyclamen, Primrose, Pansy and as can be seen in the photo, Cacti through the summer.
The rims of all pots have been undercoated and painted to match the slate. The idea came when I was planning a maintenance free garden and I saw my Cacti as maintenance free plants – but only in the summer. The rest of the idea evolved as I pondered on what to do with the border for the rest of the year.




Keith.

[Kayleigh]

I like your garden. I have a garden with lots of cover on the members gardens thread. I like the idea of pots you can change threw ought the year. I also like the palm tree next to your green house.

[kshotton45]

The palm is Tracycarpus Fortunii. It's often called the Windmill palm or the Chusan Palm. It originates in the mountains of China and can stand up to 18 degrees of frost !
I have a nesting box fastened to it and this year I had a family of Blue Tits use it. In the past it's been home to 2 lots of Wrens and a Thrush.

Keith

[kshotton45]

Ooops !! the palm tree has been home to Wrens and a Thrush - not the nest box !!!!

Keith.

[kshotton45]

Here's the palm from the other side. You can just see the border, it was taken earlier in the year when there were Primroses (Auriculas) in the pots.

Keith.

[Kayleigh]

just got to have one of those palms. What soil is it on. We have a raised bed with nothing in just crying out for something like that.

[jennyb]

What a lovely garden. I really like the maintenance-free flower bed. It is a great idea to ring the changes at different times of the year.

I noticed your solar lights. Do they work well? I have never tried them.

Jenny

[kshotton45]

The Palm is growing in ordinary garden soil. Do a Google for 'The Palm Centre' and you will find out where you can order by post. When it came 9 years ago, it had a 'trunk' of about 10 inches with 3 ft fronds ! It grows at about 8 - 9 inches per year. (it cost £90 delivered, at the time ).
The solar lights work fine. They have a nice effect at night, they last for about 8 hours in the summer. In the winter they're on for about 2 - 3 hours as there's not enough light to charge them when it gets dark early.
Glad you liked the borders. I've worked hard on them.

Keith.

[kshotton45]

Here's a couple of photos -

The first is the Palm taken in 2003. If you look to the centre of the palm you can make out the 'flowers'. they are the lighter coloured 'sprays' (they're like small green berries - buds really). I've never seen the final result as the birds love them ! This year we had 6 sprays.



This photo of the border was taken this year. I had just finished it ! It has the Primroses in. At the end of the year I shall put the small Cyclamen in - this should see me through the winter with a show of flowers, then the cycle starts again with Primroses.



Can't answer any more queries as I'm off the bed. Up early tomorrow for 4 days holiday, Slimbridge, Monmouth, Birds of Prey centre (Newent), Birdland (Cotswolds), Cotswold Falconry ( Morton in Marsh, Batsford Park ) . What more can you want from a short break ?!!
Then back to the sunny west midlands and work Grrrrrrrrrrr !!!

Keith.

[agrumpycow]

One of my neighbours has a palm like that in the front garden. I kinda remember the flowers being a lightly larger, yellower and whispier version of your first photo, when not had by the birds as you say. Their plant is only 5-6ft tall, though. I didn't realise they grow as large as that and I'm now a bit worried as it would cut out a lot of the light in my lounge . How long did it take to get to that size?