The bulk of the growing season is mostly over so now is the time to be looking forward and planning for new structures, new projects and maybe a bit of a makeover. Today I’m sharing a few plans I’ve got lined up for the garden in the future. I could do with some of your advice!
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Music Epidemic Sound
00:00 Introduction
02:04 Greenhouse problems
07:18 Polytunnel surprise
11:08 Disguising the compost area
13:49 Polytunnel improvements
15:47 What do I do with this?
20:22 How you can help
21:28 Stove update
21 Comments
Hiya Jane. In your shaded area, I would expand the chicken run to give them even more space. Mine don’t touch my spring flowers. I would also pop in a couple of raised beds for things that don’t mind the shade too much, like lettuce. Maybe even pop in some shrubs that thrive in shade such as Skimmia, Mahonia (very jaggy though) or sweet box. You could even create a feature with hedging, making shapes or a mini labarynth. 😆
In the open space, what about a parterre made with rosemary plants or lavender with a patio fruit tree in the middle of each section and some underplanting of spring bulbs.
Hi Jane
I just love your shed it looks so cosy especially with the fire.
Some great ideas in the comments. I haven't added any as too busy thinking of ideas for our own allotments 😂
Fab video though and looking forward to seeing those ideas in practice.
Have a great week ❤ x
I would move everything you're storing (plants from Malvern and dahlias etc into grapevine greenhouse
You need a polytunnel
JANE, you have ventilation, your fine, as yet you're still waiting for that elusive piece of glass from DANNY 😁😅😂🤣
I'd leave the grapevine and use underneath for storage for everything in the propagating greenhouse and do up the other one as a dedicated potting greenhouse .I grow most of my veg in my outside cold frame .It holds 8 full size seed trays .Leave that area as a wild life area ,put a bug hotel in there ..Those tee roots and bulbs will make growing in the ground too hard .
Ooooh I love a good project! I would move the engine room greenhouse to the most central spot for the rest of your plot (if it isn't already), close to the beds etc- even sacrifice a bed to do so. If it's beyond saving then get rid of it and turn the double greenhouse into the engine room. Grapevine, when I am torn about a plant, I always think, if someone offered to take it off my hands and look after it, would I take it out in a heartbeat? If it were me I would take it out- it's taking up some of the most valuable space on your plot, for grapes that are second best (pips). Compost bin- I'd paint it black and then use the area for pots of dahlias, or a comfrey patch, fan train something like a jostaberry (or other fruit, not sure what direction it faces), or build staging for pots of herbs/flowers etc, or maybe the centre post could be extended into a frame to hang baskets for trailing tomatoes, flowers or strawberries, or a bed of Jerusalem artichokes/sunflowers, or angle a frame away from the bin to grow beans. The area under the apple is fab and totally lends itself into a spring and woodland garden. I would completely clear out the area where the old compost bins are and build an all singing all dancing storage area for everything that you want to keep, but isn't used/used less often, so it's all organised, put in a proper dead hedge with stakes, giving an almost wattle fence feel and then pad out the area with some small shrubs, ferns and hellebores that will cover all seasons and pop in another small seating/table area, or create some habitat teepees for structure. Blimey…if only I could turn so much attention to my own garden, so much easier to do someone else's!! Your plot always looks so lovely, even when you say it doesn't, so whatever you do, I'm sure it will be marvellous! Good luck with it Jane. 😃
I'd change the greenhouse glass for twinwall polycarbonate. You will be amazed at just how much warmer it will be inside.
loved your video jane ive never had polytunnel on plot had a greenhouse a few years ago but not now you can get trellis with plastic ivy on it which would be ok on your compost bins lt lasts quite a few years from home bargins
The shandy spot under the apple tree looks ripe for a dappled shade woodland garden, the sunken tub could be modified as another water feature/pond.
Fourth thing regarding the camping stove… Please have a smallish fire extinguisher handy. Could solve an awful lot of problems. ❤
So many decisions to make! I have decision fatigue sometimes too, especially when various options present themselves.
I’d definitely leave the grapevine, it’s just so amazing.
I guess repair the other greenhouse would be the top job.
I have slight raised beds in my polytunnel but they aren’t overly deep. They just serve to help keep the soil where it should be and out of the paths
Great advice regarding the stove too
I’ve got one of those wooden structures, I call it my cold frame on stilts. So far the slugs haven’t climbed in , I use it for seedlings and roottrainers, very useful.
That cold frame you acquired is marvy, inside the greenhouse or outside. I have overwintered in mine, but inside the greenhouse it's even better to add 1 to 2 zones lower than you are in, of planting capability.
I've seen a lot of channels put greenhouses on block or sleepers to raise it up. A bit of work, but a cheap solution to get more height??? Bethan is working on a base for her's. JB did sleeper's for his.
My compost bin hides behind a trellis of sweet autumn clematis.
Carbonmonoxide is heavier than oxigen. In the Netherlands we put the sensor close to the floor.
the greenhouses are cluttered and they look messy which can actually make you lose the will to live a little bit at least it does because you look at it and it doesn’t spark joy when you look at it. if you were to move one of the greenhouses slightly further away from the other one have them repaired by trying to find some free glass wash them down clean them and tidy them. Would they work any better? I would also get rid of the grape plant. I know it is a great producer but you don’t even like the grapes with Pips in them. Get a New grape plant without pips and get rid of this one. How far back would you cut it back without killing it is another question. Does it have to just trim the way you’ve trimmed it or could you cut it right back and let it produce new shoots next year? I have no idea about growing grapes so I’m just asking because I’m curious as well. also involves having a space that starts Joy and it is obvious that those two green houses is wonderful as they have to have as a resource. They are a little bit energy draining because of the amount of work they need to get them to be over a standard that would spark joy.
Yep agree with Tony at simplify gardens raise the greenhouses up. Brace two railway sleepers together and sit it on top. You can barely stand up in there. Great space though. Ey Jane? What a great find the new addition was.. keep those beady eyes open our Jane!! I’m same with seeds by the way 😊😊 oh and the area next to the chickens… I would either make into a relaxing seating area amongst the spring bulbs for now and then take up all the bulbs relocate to another area and do a Charles dowding no dig project there with cardboard and compost etc.
Good video
So much space is great when it works 😀… I'd definitely keep the grapevine and use that greenhouse for storage freeing up the other for growing.. The shady area would be fab for a woodland wonderland with a few wee secret fairy gardens. It's definitely a nice problem to have. 😘
In my greenhouse I use large pots to grow all the cucumbers tomatoes capsicums and watermelons. It works for me because you can tip the large pots out and refill them by using the wheelbarrow and don’t need to use so much physical strength to manage it all.