For the past couple of weeks i have been doing the odd spot of rearranging in my garden, moving shrubs that didn’t really do well last season in there allocated spot to new locations and totally eliminating the ones that just didn’t make the grade or perform quite as well as they maybe should have done, as space is at a premium in my plot i i don’t like to fill it full of the same types of plants and like to broaden my horizons with what i add to my collection and if after a couple of seasons a certain plant does not respond to my green fingers its removed and the space is offered to another tenant, but i don’t throw the plants out as i like to offer them to friends and neighbours just to help them out and also to give the plants a life line in a new plot!
 
I am also starting to purchase larger specimens of shrubs for my garden as with these you can create an instant effect and add good architecture to a design, they are a little bit more expensive but with a tight grip on my credit card i stop myself getting too carried away!
At home i have two beautiful golden retrievers whom are complete gems in the house but when allowed out into the garden seem to inherit genes similar of a wild mountain goat! and of coarse my smaller plants just don’t stand a chance so larger specimens can stand up to there jumping around and games of hide and seek.
 
I have always been a fan of water in the garden, the sound of running water just makes things feel tropical and tranquil so finally got my own way to have a pond in my garden!
Rather than the hole in the ground type we opted for a raised pond and built it on the edge of the pergola besides my patio doors, it was constructed out of decking boards and measures around three metres by four metres and has a butyl (PVC) liner and looks really good now its fully completed and a home to our rather large breeding goldfish.
I’m a keen fish keeper and have tropical fish as a hobby so felt it was a natural progression to move my hobby outside and combine it with my love of gardening, i now spend hours outside just watching the fish!
 
Eventually i want to add some water plants to the pond which wont only look nice but will also help create an eco environment in my garden and attract insects that will benefit the plants and fish alike i also keep wood off-cuts from my pruned trees and place them in tidy piles under my more bushier shrubs which create ideal homes for insects such as lady birds which really appreciate a nice snug home when the weather gets bad.
 
My kitchen window is alive with seedlings at the moment and my sweet peas are growing well, as i have mentioned before i intend to grow most of my own plants from seed this year so things are getting off to a great start and of coarse i will end up growing far to many plants for my garden so my neighbours will benefit from a few freebies.
A few of my original plants came from friends and well wishers when i first moved into my home so its always good to give something back and also looks more appealing and inviting when a surrounding area is adorned with plants and flowers.
 
So if you are at a loose end or just seem to have gardeners block why not take a “leaf” out of my book this weekend and “just add water”