When will this winter ever be over?

11 years ago

Can't wait for the better weather to come so I can get my dahlias going again. Loads of jobs to do out there though. Look at the state of my back garden. Any tips or advice welcome. I want it to be jaw dropping this year :)

Featured Answer

cicivacation

11 years ago

Wonderful potential in your back garden, Paul! Thanks for sharing. It's always fun to be given a tour of someone else's work-in-progress. Looks like you have a good handle of what changes need to be made, and a solid vision of what it can become. Love the hardscapes that you have to work with... Winding paths and dramatic steps leading deeper into your garden.

I am wondering how you plan on keeping the symmetry of the landscape with the dahlias. I'm assuming you plant in rows, if you're putting up a poly tunnel. Do you have images/video of last year's plants? Are you planning on planting in the back space against the fence, or is it too shaded for dahlias?

Instead of moving the soil from the slightly-raised bed to the center, I'd be tempted to accentuate the height with more amendments, and raise the edging to keep the soil from spilling out onto the path. I like the height separation between the different parts of your garden. Moving the soil might be easier in the long run, though.

Cheers!

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Comments (7)

Paul Reeder
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the feedback Cici :) I had never thought of making a feature of differing heights so that is real food for thought.

Last year's dahlias are on my facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.662556550520851.1073741827.662527983857041&type=3

I have started the back fence now and have some rhododendrons in there soon to be followed by hostas etc as it is quite shaded. The fence gets the light and I will be trailing some sweet peas up there. I fully expect I will sneak in some dahlias too at some point.

Cheers
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Paul Reeder
Original Author
11 years ago
Facebook link again
cicivacation
11 years ago
Looks like you do a good job putting small open-centered bedding dahlias in the front and middle, with tall ones to the side. Very nice. You've got a good eye for design.

Your regular dahlias don't look very full...Do you 'stop' the plants at the second or third leave set when they are young, or just plant and let them go? If you DO stop them, perhaps the tree canopy is filtering too much light...
Paul Reeder
Original Author
11 years ago
Nope, I didn't stop them Cici. 2013 was a bit chaotic and I didn't label anything, so in 2014 I just laid them all out in a grid so that I could identify them and keep them growing on. This ear will be a bit different and I will be stopping and disbudding all over the place.

The small ones are at the front because my local garden centre had a few sacks of "mystery" tubers going for £1.50, (for about ten big tubers). hen they grew they happened to be dwarf varieties, but I'll take the credit for good design while there's any going :)
cicivacation
11 years ago
Ha ha, you do that! ;-)
Paul Reeder
Original Author
11 years ago
My March Update. Getting this place under control and ready for Spring which has nearly sprung.