A little happiness in worrying times

It seems Spring is finally with us and gardens waking up .1000 daffodils showing leaf tips above the mown lawn in Pergola walk. I painted soft moss green my folly walls under it dark tiled spire of roof. Happy as it blends in to Hansa rose hedge running alongside it .In Summer Claret red roses cover its branches and scent floods the English rose garden nicely with help from many rose shrubs in borders leading up to gazebo and benches each side .Roses from Canada such as John Cabot climb over it as Pauls Himalayan moss pink scrambles up other side in league with John Davis .These roses I can trust to give their best. All else have to be cut back to base or die in zone 4 winters of exposed coastal site.We are really two miles inland but wind finds us anyway.

I coped with deer by building tall fences but now have to plant tall trees and shrubs down the last side of wilderness. I was going to plant more Victorian magic but that was forgotten with wind damage. So main borders now protected by hedging both sides of drive from main gates are enough of England for now and move on to conifer borders all along.

It was a total surprise buying conifers how many lovely trees there are. My take on Conifers was the sad attempts of the 1960s In UK . No such thing as dwarf plants and even the tiny mugo over 30 years in good soil will reach 10 feet tall.

I had a ball selecting with much help from my lovely ladies at Baltezers nursery not far from home . Skilled and happy to help. Well worth a visit as it is story of many acres to walk in to see plants in gardens all conifers . So with many trailers I came home with what is needed and started first border from end to middle of land one side. Drawn ideas of what goes next to which as staggered and gaps for expansion over time. With 30 trees some 12 feet tall others 5 feet I set of arranging blue gold six types of green into landscaping ideals . Next border most happy to carry on with more of that same. Result is staggeringly beautiful . It not only gives wind protection and privacy it gives winter green and coat of many colours all year round.

Also I found a great back drop to the flowering hedge in front of it other side of path in creams and pink fronds of Hydrangea strawberry and cream running 80 feet along English rose garden outer wall .I have my work cut out this month and next to turn over and prepare last border under plastic and car wheel .Go and spend the day in rest selecting a lot more conifers from my friends in nursery. It is not cheap but when one works out cost of timber clad fencing and painting each year .These trees are for life and centuries so need no work to have in ground .Id say nothing can give that tallest hedge such dignity and gentle softness of these conifers set as a plan across the whole border wall fence of wire and timber posts. Deer will not eat conifers once grown up. I think for the scent after rains that this hedge gives is all one wants in a garden hedge .You dont have to trim it contain it or worry over it . In less than five years a full tall bonded mass of Conifers becomes a world of its own and wall to outside world . It was my dread now my love to see it each morning . Landscaping over half acre all down one side.

Good news photos talk louder than words so have hopes my old Nikon frame can be digitized by my pal in camera work shop in town . He said can do it but new one will cost around 1000 best to work on this for say 120 euro done. It has flash it has all but is not card for internet upload or down load what ever that is it cant do as yet. Hope for next week .If sunny Ill photo a few shots for next blog .Then you can judge yourself. It is work in progress but this summer I hope to plant up all my hard work of building and hard core framing of rooms and drives . Gates and folly .It has taken many years as land was only a pasture field and deer ruined my first real attempt to grown plants or hedges .Who ever said deer will not eat Rugusa roses is barking mad. Thorn all the way down stems eaten back leave with soil .Never came back .

Well it takes the mind, dear folk, off Russia war .

God be with you all .

Copy right Kevin Parr Bt2022

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