"Here's a clump of self seeded something or other, it seems to have a potato in it"..🤣🤣 you give us all hope by not being worried to show a lack of perfection - thank you so much. Beautiful abundance and comfortable, colourful planting combinations, great inspiration!
I love them too! I saw your video a few years ago about them and I just had to have some, so I did. The only thing is, they don't spread. I have less than last year... do they rot in the soil? Do animals dig them up? I have never seen a squirrel down in my garden, but I see them up the electric cables... and we don't get rabbits here.
@@carolinaop5641 mine have spread and multiplied like crazy. I would say if you are not seeing critter holes, then it is the zone you live in and the soil type. I am in Zone 6a NE Ohio May 17th last frost date. We have seriously yellow clay soil that I have amended with leaf mould, sand and little tiny tumbled river rock. Hopefully that helps
@JanRonandArthur that's interesting. No, I haven't seen any holes. They just don't spread. And some have dissappeared. I live in England, UK. Close to Alexandra. I wonder who's taking mine... 🤔
I'm in NC and can't seem to grow them successfully at all. Planted 10 a few years ago, got 5 blooms the first yr and nothing except a few leaves since. We have clay soil as well. So disappointing as nothing punctuates a border like alliums!
You have no idea how grateful I am for you and the knowledge you share. Each video is a mini horticultural class--once again I learned so much. Thank you kindly from a Belgian in Chicago.
@@aiai-j7iYou can cut off the stem though once they’ve developed the seeds and waft it around your garden or collect the seeds in a paper bag and sprinkle them where you want new foxgloves to appear. Careful though, you could end up with foxgloves everywhere!!! Remember, they are biannual so they may only produce leaves the first year they grow and flower in the second year.
Lovely tour!!!! I love just touring your garden throughout the year to appreciate the seasonality. I really liked that you included pictures of the same space in other seasons
You've become my favourite gardening channel on TH-cam, Alexandra. You provide both inspiration and information!! I watch and re-watch your videos to savour every episode. Thanks for sharing your spring garden - it's absolutely plumpcious 😉
“Plumpcious” - I will definitely remember that word. Your garden is just so beautiful. I so envy you that enclosed space. I garden in zone 6 and border woods. Everything is just devoured by the deer.
THis was one of the mosr helpful gardening videos I've ever seen. I love the idea of being "lazy" (you are NOT!) and letting the plants do the work by being in the right place. Heading over to your site for more wisdom!
Dare I point out the obvious answer about the water problem 🤔 ? Get another hose. Those new metal ones are light & tough. Hide it near the problem boarder in a beautiful pot then attach it to your normal when needed. I've a long lot with 2 hose bibs in the middle of the lot, unfortunately longer hoses that reach the ends are a pain to drag around when not needed so my solution is quick connections and leaving small hoses at the ends for easy watering access. Great video, I love seeing how you're space changes over time. 😍
Thank you! This may sound silly, but I can't bear the thought of having to change the connector every time. There's also an extra irritation because the garden is L-shaped so I have to get the hose round 3 corners, with all the untangling and de-snagging that that involves. What I should have done is put a tap in the middle of the garden near the veg beds when we had the garden landscaped. But if there are quick connectors, that may well be solved, so I'll have another look at it.
Quick connectors are a time and frustration saver! Couldn’t garden happily without them. I just got a metal hose and they really are light-weight and much easier to drag around. Expanding hoses are also a great help. Regardless of what equipment you get to solve watering issues, make sure to only buy products with genuine brass fixtures; the others are pure garbage!
My 100 feet by 30 feet garden in Yorkshire was pretty much our boy’s playground during their childhood but I’ve been taking your sound advice over the last few years and now we have a really pretty garden. Thank you for inspiring me to become a gardener.
Gracious!!!! Your garden is looking absolutely delicious! I appreciate you showing us the revamped area you took a risk with. The colors are smashingly harmonious and gives me courage to consider revamping one of my beds. Thank you for letting us peek at it! Plumptious is a great term!
Even though I’m in zone 3 and it’s vastly different, I still learn from your videos. My assessment time is usually at the end of July when, finally everything that has made it through our winters has emerged. I have to remember to take photos then so the following spring I can assess what I need to plant and where.
Very pretty border. I use the very lightweight hoses expanding cloth hoses that shrink to nothing when drained. I’m on my fourth year with some of them and no holes. I thought they might be too flimsy before I tried them,but I just love them so much. No kinking or rolling them up.
I agree with the last comment, your videos are great; so practical and full of great tips and inspiration. Easily my favourite you-tube gardener. Thanks from a grateful gardener close to RHS Wisley, :)
Thank you for this. I love the idea of having a firework plant for every season. Would be super to have some autumn and winter "fireworks" too. Great video as always.
Your dry border is just looking stunning. Rain does make all the difference getting plants going and so much easier. I’m zone 6b in the US. Love your channel.
I adore that Kiwi Vine with the pink leaves! This is definitely a time of year to evaluate, prune, and adjust. We had so much rain in California after six years of drought, so everything is growing like crazy. This means flopping over, smothering other plants, blocking walkways, and keeping out the sun. Now that the rain has basically ended for the year, I have to watch my plants as the weather warms up. Even a mild day will cause some young sprouts and buds to droop a bit. I definitely need to plant borage. Certain plants I allow to 'run wild' so they'll keep the weeds down.
Hello from New England in the US! Thank you for encouraging people to research what is invasive for their area. For example garlic mustard is highly invasive where I live. -- I evidently need to plant some Foxgloves!
Lily of the Valley is extremely invasive here in Ohio but I love and just chose to manage it. And I love Foxglove, but can’t get it to grow for the life of me.
Alexandra…. Thank You Thank You Thank You. Always had a beautiful (just under 1 acre) garden in South Africa, but after an accident that left me paralyzed my life was scattered 9 years ago, but THEN, you woke something, a garden “something” and I started changing my garden to an english garden. So, you are part of a huge transition and thanx you for the motivation. You are on one of my top 5 TH-cam Channels for inspiration and tips. I have many before videos. I’ll give it some time and then share it with you, simply for you to see what spark you influenced. Starting with my english border (with South African plants 😂) on my sidewalk next week. Very excited. So Thank You Thank You Thank You again.
A quick glance of my South African garden clips in different sections of my video. Sorry for the in-between’s thats not garden. (The before) th-cam.com/video/Hvz-IKe2I_U/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
I live in the US, more specifically, Southwestern Pennsylvania (Zone 5). Although we live in different planting zones, I find the information you share with us very interesting and extremely valuable! Thank you, Alexandra!
Ahhh, coffee and a visit to the Middle-sized garden, my favourite way to start the day. I loved the frame around the Clematis recta and the plant itself. Love this info. Thank you.
Your garden is looking lovely after rejuvenating some of the troublesome areas and the 70-30 rule is just the thing for those areas! what a great tip. I love that you show your problem areas and the solutions you have found. Also the 4 season firecracker tip is also really valuable. My garden always looks good in Spring but Summer is a mid green mess! I have just introduced some camellias and they are flowering bright pink in late Autumn and are a real firecracker to the deciduous season plus evergreen. I always look forward to watching your videos when they come up. Very educational and inspiring.
Foxgloves! at last.....self seeded and most welcome in my garden. I love the Clematis recta. I have a "Mrs Robert Brydon" clematis. She sprawls around the border and is very pretty when flowering. Good video as always. Thank you.
It's looking really good. You have to watch it at least twice to take it all in. Love the wild gladiolus story, that clematis, ninebark, gorgeous irises. You're so right about what self-seeds where, having now had gardens in temperate, hot sub-tropical and coastal /Mediterranean climates, so different from yours but enjoyable and informative nevertheless. Thanks.
At around 11:50!you talk about planting something the bulbs can grow through so an area isn’t bare and patchy. I’d love to see a video where you chat about how to accomplish that without ruining the other plants.. how close do you plant them, how to do it, and if there are good pairings to consider. Just a suggestion 😀
I do love the Byzantine gladiolus. In my US Zone 5b, they didn’t come up for a second year. However, I’ll be putting more in this fall in a variety of locations with fingers crossed.
Re shady areas--I've had good results planting nasturtiums directly in the ground. They like loose soil, so if you have clay, it's best to fluff it up first, or plant them in pots. They self-sow a little bit and you can even eat the flowers and leaves. I solved my dark corner problem by replacing my shabby wood fence with black chain link. I can see and smell the roses on the other side of it now! I was worried about the lack of privacy, but I've enjoyed talking to passers-by through the new fence.
I'll try the nasturtiums, as they grow well in other parts of the garden. As for the fence, I have a 250 year old brick wall, so I'd better not do anything to it!
Enjoyed the video. I rally liked the ground cover tour and I got some ideas. I like the way you have redone your border. I also rely on some of the same plants. I also like your idea of safe plants and am going to implement more of your 70/30 formula. I like foxgloves, irises and alliums as well as ninebark . I dont get wild gladioli, unfortunately
Your garden is looking lovely Alexandra. I can recommend Eurybia Divaricata, the white wood aster, for dry shade. It grows well under trees in my garden in Cumbria. Lovely starry white flowers at the end of the summer brighten up a corner and it does spread well.
Hello Alexandra, thank you for the lovely tour. I'd first to say that as a new and nervous gardener, I am so grateful for your content and knowledge, and to take the time to share it without selling anything in return is incredibly generous. Now Id like to ask a question if I may could you tell me what the tree is in front of the snowball bush, the one with deep red bark? Thank you!
Thanks as always. I thought we all need an episode on how to garden in this crazy weather condition. Here (Belgium), like many other places, has seen one of its wettest spring. Even the winter was very wet. The dahlias and peonies that I planted a while ago are most likely rotten by now. It is just too wet to do anything. Any tips will be appreciated.
Thank you for listing the Snowball bush. We had one at home where I grew up and think of it often and wonder if it’s still there as I haven’t yet been able to bring myself emotionally to go there yet. I do know in the sand the snowball faired better and the mock orange needed water. I need to get one and maybe it’s time to go get a clip off the one I grew up with. It’s a lovely shrub. 😂When you said ‘Plumpshish’ I laughed because I grew so many plants from seed and I have to plant inside a fenced area and by next year that word I’m sure will fit perfectly as a description. Yes, some plants are invasive in certain areas and some are just aggressive. I need to remember to deadhead so certain ones don’t over seed. Love Borage and do hope what I see out there are seedlings. Never seen wild glads, very nice! We have been having mild winters and many things survived that would be annuals. It would be nice so I wouldn’t have to start them every year. Trying to grow foxgloves and not sure if I have Canterbury Bells or Foxglove as they look alike and found tags for both. They are almost ready to bloom. We are so dry here they require extra water. Soo happy to see you have shrubs mixed in tight with flowers as that’s how mine are. I have a sugar and spice viburnum and Mock Orange. Have several viburnum and really are lovely shrubs if let to grow with selective base pruning only. I shaped one once and it had horrible winter form so I took a third of the canes out and it has rebounded gloriously. Would be so nice to have a stone house and fence-some hard structure to work with. Your garden looks wonderful!
The trouble is the L shaped garden, it really does take too long to snake the hose around 3 corners to get it to the position where I could connect it to an extension. I am really kicking myself for not installing a tap when we landscaped the garden, it would cost too much and be too disruptive to do it now.
Here in Virginia, U.S. i don't plant allelopathic plants w other plants in my garden. I usually put them in pots and containers on their own. If you're having issues w the section of the garden w garlic mustard it is likely because of the garlic mustard... research has shown that it is allelopathic, meaning that it releases chemicals (glucosinolates and their hydrolysis products) which can inhibit the growth of other plant species. Some researchers believe that these compounds can also hinder beneficial soil fungi (mycorrhizal fungi), which help tree roots take up water and nutrients. I always check to make sure a plant is not allelopathic before l add it into my garden. Black walnut, sunflowers, goldenrod, rhododendrons, some laurels, sumacs, elderberry, forsythias, some ferns, etc. are another. Best of luck, and I love your show!!!
Couldn't you put an ornamental pot or container in the difficult border that could hold an extra hose? Simply hooking it up to the other hose would make watering easier. Of course, as to creating more time, if we could figure that one out we'd be set, would we not?! 🤣 Love your channel, Alexandra.♥️
Thank you! And I've been thinking about various hose options, but they're all a bit fiddly because of the L shaped garden. Whatever I do involves untangling hoses round corners. I expect I'll get there in the end!
Some wilder seeds can take more easily from direct sowing - forgetmenots, common valerian, some poppies, clover, linaria, borage, maybe ammi or wild carrot
Enjoyed the tour. I cut my Ninebark back late last summer and didn't get many blooms this spring which was a bit disappointing. I wish borage would just show up in our garden. I tried sowing some indoors but not one of them germinated.
I've got a few self-seeders which absolutely refused to do anything much when I planted them from seed, but somehow have managed to spread around my garden, much happier now that they're in charge of where they grow.
Seems to me like it's either time for a longer hose or a plumber to put in another tap where needed with another not such a long hose. You won't regret it I'm sure dear Alexandra.
I looked into it but it's tricky, though you are absolutely right that I would never regret it! The problem is digging up an irritating amount of hard landscaping and also dealing with different levels and corners. If only I had thought about it when the garden was being landscaped...but I'm considering finding a place to store a connecting hose in the middle of the garden.
I have a Black Lace Elderberry planted with 🍑 colored Yarrow, yellow-edged variegated Hosta and var. ground elder... They all flowered at the exact same time(besides Hosta) and look lovely!!! Also have a lithodora which pops the yellow of the Hosta, Ground Elder, the Yarrow, and makes that deep purple foliage of the Elderberry almost sparkle and sing! All against a pale yellow house... 👏 Had to applaud my self! 😂 Still, does not hold a candle to what you have! I could chat for years strolling through that garden! 🏵️
Another lovely video! I love the look of the Virginia Creeper. So many people say it damages your walls, but looking at your house, I’m assuming you personally find it’s completely harmless? Foxgloves are the most fantastic things, probably my favourite flower. I’ve just realised from watching this video that the new mystery flower that has just popped up in my garden must be wild gladioli!?!? They’re not flowering yet but they look just like the unopened flower spikes in this video! Where did they come from? 😳
This new plant looks likeJ acobaea vulgaris, Syn.: Senecio jacobaea and is highly invasive where I live/Germany.I let some bloom for the Tyria jacobaeae and cut it directly down,so it can´t seed by itself
My small border gets overrun with Green Alkanet. Its flowers are so pretty but its prickly stems give my dog a rash when she mooches in the border! And because of its strong tap roots, it's hard to eradicate. The worst thing is that, as a young plant, it's almost indistinguishable from digitalis. So I often end up removing those in error too. First world problems, I know but I just wish I could eradicate the Alkanet 😂
Hi Alexandra, thank you so much for all the information. You go to great lengths to educate and inspire us all! I have bought an actinidia kolomikta end of last year and it's still in a pot, to see where is the best place. Would you say they like their roots on the dry side or more wet rather? Currently it's facing east , against a brick wall and get's sun untill around 2 in the afternoon. I would appreciate any advice you can give me!
Ours is west facing, against a brick wall and planted quite near the terrace pavers. I gather it prefers the sunny walls - west or south facing. I understand that it'll grow on an East wall but may not have such spectacular colour.
brilliant video thanks so much Alexandra! There's so much in here Im going to have to re-watch a few times with a notebook 😅. when you say you thin the euphorbia out, do you cut it back or literally pull it out from the roots? I understand it leaks nasty sap if you cut it. But like you I dont really want to leave big gaps in the border. thanks again 🙂
I sometimes pull it up by the roots, but the big Euphorbia wulfenii often has new stems sprouting from the base, so we've just cut the big old stems out, leaving the smaller, younger stems. And be super careful with the sap, make sure you don't touch your eyes!
In your recall of owners of your house in past.Deep thought of mine.We really are just caretakers of house and gardens . We build but will it remain after we shuffel of this mortal coil .One always likes to think so.
Your Kiwi vine is fabulous. I have one that I purchased in 2017. I'm still waiting for the leaves to turn white and pink. I'm wondering if there is a trick to it or I just need to be more patient.
Are you not concerned about the foxgloves and your animals? I would love to have some but I’m too worried that my cats and dogs might get poisoned. All I can do is look on enviously at other peoples gardens. Thanks for such a lovely video!
I went into some detail on this when we got a new puppy. We'd never had any problems with our previous dogs, but I was concerned as around 20% of any garden is toxic to humans and pets if they eat it. Which means it's not really practical to remove poisonous plants from the garden, probably better to keep a close eye on puppies and children and teach them not to nibble plants.Oddly enough, although the puppy eats everything, including pieces of terracotta (eek!), he doesn't eat the poisonous plants. Here's the full video: th-cam.com/video/47gr6QFYixQ/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for another wonderful video. Greetings from Bavaria. Can you mention what kind of soil you have? We have very „chalky“ soil in southeastern Bavaria.
I love clematis recta. I’ve ordered seed from a couple of places never had a single one germinate! 😮 I stored it in the fridge, added moisture nothing. Does anybody have any tips on how to get it to germinate😏🌸
Hi , can I ask your opinion on a good lawn mower for a small garden please ? I have a new flymo hover but have been told they’re damaging for grass so I don’t use it . Any advice or views on flymo please 🙏 , thank you .
Please could you do a video on what to plant in a north facing garden, especially climbers . My jasmine never flowers and passionflower has died . Would love climbing roses but don’t know if there are any varieties that don’t need a sunny location, thank you 🙏
Generally roses need 6 or more hours of sun to do well. Climbing Roses that may do better with less light include single flowering varieties, New Dawn, and Zepherine Drouhin.
@@LinusCello75 thank you for your advice. I do have 3 climbing roses in the east and west part of the garden but only planted last year so not sure how they’ll grow .
I do have one video that addresses north facing gardens, and also any of the shade videos may help too: th-cam.com/video/-u6XUMJc6ME/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/57egyQvlNhY/w-d-xo.html. I'm hoping to do another rose video soon, so I will cover that then, and I believe Madame Alfred Carriere is a good shade climber.
I totally agree regarding Madame Alfred Carrière. Apparently there is one at Sissinghurst planted by Vita Sackville West on a north facing wall which is flowering like mad every summer…@@TheMiddlesizedGarden
"Here's a clump of self seeded something or other, it seems to have a potato in it"..🤣🤣 you give us all hope by not being worried to show a lack of perfection - thank you so much. Beautiful abundance and comfortable, colourful planting combinations, great inspiration!
Thank you!
Oohhh I could never pull an allium out without replanting them somewhere. 🤣 I just adore them.
Same here!
I love them too!
I saw your video a few years ago about them and I just had to have some, so I did.
The only thing is, they don't spread. I have less than last year... do they rot in the soil? Do animals dig them up? I have never seen a squirrel down in my garden, but I see them up the electric cables... and we don't get rabbits here.
@@carolinaop5641 mine have spread and multiplied like crazy. I would say if you are not seeing critter holes, then it is the zone you live in and the soil type. I am in Zone 6a NE Ohio May 17th last frost date. We have seriously yellow clay soil that I have amended with leaf mould, sand and little tiny tumbled river rock. Hopefully that helps
@JanRonandArthur that's interesting.
No, I haven't seen any holes.
They just don't spread. And some have dissappeared.
I live in England, UK. Close to Alexandra. I wonder who's taking mine... 🤔
I'm in NC and can't seem to grow them successfully at all. Planted 10 a few years ago, got 5 blooms the first yr and nothing except a few leaves since. We have clay soil as well. So disappointing as nothing punctuates a border like alliums!
You have no idea how grateful I am for you and the knowledge you share. Each video is a mini horticultural class--once again I learned so much. Thank you kindly from a Belgian in Chicago.
I found the identification and information about self-seeders especially interesting.
Thank you!
Me too! I just planted a foxglove and now I know not to cut off the spent flowers 😊.
@@aiai-j7iYou can cut off the stem though once they’ve developed the seeds and waft it around your garden or collect the seeds in a paper bag and sprinkle them where you want new foxgloves to appear. Careful though, you could end up with foxgloves everywhere!!! Remember, they are biannual so they may only produce leaves the first year they grow and flower in the second year.
Lovely tour!!!! I love just touring your garden throughout the year to appreciate the seasonality. I really liked that you included pictures of the same space in other seasons
Thank you! that was a very sad summer border, but I thought people should see how bad it could get!
I love your lesson about “firework plants” in every border for every season! 💥
"Self seeding something or other" is my specialty!
You've become my favourite gardening channel on TH-cam, Alexandra. You provide both inspiration and information!! I watch and re-watch your videos to savour every episode. Thanks for sharing your spring garden - it's absolutely plumpcious 😉
Those wild glodioli are absolutely stunning 🌸👩🏻🎨
“Plumpcious” - I will definitely remember that word.
Your garden is just so beautiful. I so envy you that enclosed space. I garden in zone 6 and border woods. Everything is just devoured by the deer.
I have that problem too. I'm in the habit of sharing, and planting lots of extra stuff to feed the deer! Even a six-foot fence doesn't keep them out!
THis was one of the mosr helpful gardening videos I've ever seen. I love the idea of being "lazy" (you are NOT!) and letting the plants do the work by being in the right place. Heading over to your site for more wisdom!
Thank you!
Your garden is FULL of such a WIDE range of plants. GORGEOUS!
Plumptious! Nice word
Dare I point out the obvious answer about the water problem 🤔 ? Get another hose. Those new metal ones are light & tough. Hide it near the problem boarder in a beautiful pot then attach it to your normal when needed. I've a long lot with 2 hose bibs in the middle of the lot, unfortunately longer hoses that reach the ends are a pain to drag around when not needed so my solution is quick connections and leaving small hoses at the ends for easy watering access.
Great video, I love seeing how you're space changes over time. 😍
Thank you! This may sound silly, but I can't bear the thought of having to change the connector every time. There's also an extra irritation because the garden is L-shaped so I have to get the hose round 3 corners, with all the untangling and de-snagging that that involves. What I should have done is put a tap in the middle of the garden near the veg beds when we had the garden landscaped. But if there are quick connectors, that may well be solved, so I'll have another look at it.
Consider getting a second hose, one for each spigot. Or, a retractable hose. I need to do the same for my back garden.
Quick connectors are a time and frustration saver! Couldn’t garden happily without them. I just got a metal hose and they really are light-weight and much easier to drag around. Expanding hoses are also a great help. Regardless of what equipment you get to solve watering issues, make sure to only buy products with genuine brass fixtures; the others are pure garbage!
My 100 feet by 30 feet garden in Yorkshire was pretty much our boy’s playground during their childhood but I’ve been taking your sound advice over the last few years and now we have a really pretty garden. Thank you for inspiring me to become a gardener.
Thank you!
Gracious!!!! Your garden is looking absolutely delicious! I appreciate you showing us the revamped area you took a risk with. The colors are smashingly harmonious and gives me courage to consider revamping one of my beds. Thank you for letting us peek at it! Plumptious is a great term!
Even though I’m in zone 3 and it’s vastly different, I still learn from your videos. My assessment time is usually at the end of July when, finally everything that has made it through our winters has emerged. I have to remember to take photos then so the following spring I can assess what I need to plant and where.
That Kiwi climber is brilliant😍and also the Aliums👍🏻
Very pretty border. I use the very lightweight hoses expanding cloth hoses that shrink to nothing when drained. I’m on my fourth year with some of them and no holes. I thought they might be too flimsy before I tried them,but I just love them so much. No kinking or rolling them up.
I like a lot your videos. Practical, clear and relevant information, and beautiful at the same time.
Thank you!
I agree with the last comment, your videos are great; so practical and full of great tips and inspiration. Easily my favourite you-tube gardener. Thanks from a grateful gardener close to RHS Wisley, :)
Thank you for this. I love the idea of having a firework plant for every season. Would be super to have some autumn and winter "fireworks" too. Great video as always.
Another wonderful video, Alexandra. Thank you for explaining the ins and outs.
Plumpcious. I love that! ❤
Great video! I like these longer ones. I enjoyed how you went into your garden and explained some of your thought process about your plans.
Your dry border is just looking stunning. Rain does make all the difference getting plants going and so much easier. I’m zone 6b in the US. Love your channel.
I adore that Kiwi Vine with the pink leaves! This is definitely a time of year to evaluate, prune, and adjust. We had so much rain in California after six years of drought, so everything is growing like crazy. This means flopping over, smothering other plants, blocking walkways, and keeping out the sun. Now that the rain has basically ended for the year, I have to watch my plants as the weather warms up. Even a mild day will cause some young sprouts and buds to droop a bit. I definitely need to plant borage. Certain plants I allow to 'run wild' so they'll keep the weeds down.
I'm seeing the same trend in my CA garden.❤
The Pass The Wine iris is beautiful! As is the kiwi vine!
Thank you!
Hello from New England in the US! Thank you for encouraging people to research what is invasive for their area. For example garlic mustard is highly invasive where I live. -- I evidently need to plant some Foxgloves!
Lily of the Valley is extremely invasive here in Ohio but I love and just chose to manage it. And I love Foxglove, but can’t get it to grow for the life of me.
@@JanRonandArthur How lucky for you that it's invasive. They sell it for £15 a bunch at my green grocers! They smell devine too
Yes, try foxgloves. They are good in many USA gardens too.
Alexandra…. Thank You Thank You Thank You. Always had a beautiful (just under 1 acre) garden in South Africa, but after an accident that left me paralyzed my life was scattered 9 years ago, but THEN, you woke something, a garden “something” and I started changing my garden to an english garden. So, you are part of a huge transition and thanx you for the motivation. You are on one of my top 5 TH-cam Channels for inspiration and tips. I have many before videos. I’ll give it some time and then share it with you, simply for you to see what spark you influenced. Starting with my english border (with South African plants 😂) on my sidewalk next week. Very excited. So Thank You Thank You Thank You again.
A quick glance of my South African garden clips in different sections of my video. Sorry for the in-between’s thats not garden. (The before)
th-cam.com/video/Hvz-IKe2I_U/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
Thank you so much, that's lovely to hear and best wishes for your health.
Thank you for talking about dry shade. More please! 🙏🏽
Aww the puppy grew up! Gorgeous dog.
I live in the US, more specifically, Southwestern Pennsylvania (Zone 5). Although we live in different planting zones, I find the information you share with us very interesting and extremely valuable! Thank you, Alexandra!
All the best gardens have a “self-seeded something or other, with a potato” 😂 Yours is looking lovely and thanks as ever for the top tips. 🙌🙏
Ahhh, coffee and a visit to the Middle-sized garden, my favourite way to start the day. I loved the frame around the Clematis recta and the plant itself. Love this info. Thank you.
Good morning from U.S. love your channel. Wonderful useful information here. I like listening before I go to the garden in the morning.
Thank you!
Greetings from S Florida. Very impressive. It must be very relaxing to sit outside in the early morning with breakfast and just soak it all in.
It is - I did just that this morning. Thank you!
Your garden is looking lovely after rejuvenating some of the troublesome areas and the 70-30 rule is just the thing for those areas! what a great tip. I love that you show your problem areas and the solutions you have found. Also the 4 season firecracker tip is also really valuable. My garden always looks good in Spring but Summer is a mid green mess! I have just introduced some camellias and they are flowering bright pink in late Autumn and are a real firecracker to the deciduous season plus evergreen. I always look forward to watching your videos when they come up. Very educational and inspiring.
Foxgloves! at last.....self seeded and most welcome in my garden. I love the Clematis recta. I have a "Mrs Robert Brydon" clematis. She sprawls around the border and is very pretty when flowering. Good video as always. Thank you.
I must look at Mrs Robert...she sounds lovely, and thank you
It's looking really good. You have to watch it at least twice to take it all in. Love the wild gladiolus story, that clematis, ninebark, gorgeous irises. You're so right about what self-seeds where, having now had gardens in temperate, hot sub-tropical and coastal /Mediterranean climates, so different from yours but enjoyable and informative nevertheless. Thanks.
I love the 70%/30% rule. Such valuable information Alexandra! Thank you!
At around 11:50!you talk about planting something the bulbs can grow through so an area isn’t bare and patchy. I’d love to see a video where you chat about how to accomplish that without ruining the other plants.. how close do you plant them, how to do it, and if there are good pairings to consider. Just a suggestion 😀
I'm thinking about that as I'd find it very useful too. Will have to work out who is best to ask.
🇬🇧 I love Valerian, so do the butterflies 🦋.
I do love the Byzantine gladiolus. In my US Zone 5b, they didn’t come up for a second year. However, I’ll be putting more in this fall in a variety of locations with fingers crossed.
Plumpscious is a good word
Love that you are using info from your guest interviews
I learn so much from my guest interviewees!
Be very careful with the garlic mustard! It's very invasive here in southeastern New York. It looks beautiful in your border, though, Alexandra 💚
In Canada too. It’s pushing out natives throughout forests. Very bad 😢
I fell in love with the Actinidia in the Kew Gardens walled garden, and yours is just as stunning!
This is such a wonderful video. My favourite videos are the ones of your own garden. I am so delighted to see how it is going. Thank you so much.
Re shady areas--I've had good results planting nasturtiums directly in the ground. They like loose soil, so if you have clay, it's best to fluff it up first, or plant them in pots. They self-sow a little bit and you can even eat the flowers and leaves.
I solved my dark corner problem by replacing my shabby wood fence with black chain link. I can see and smell the roses on the other side of it now! I was worried about the lack of privacy, but I've enjoyed talking to passers-by through the new fence.
I'll try the nasturtiums, as they grow well in other parts of the garden. As for the fence, I have a 250 year old brick wall, so I'd better not do anything to it!
Love your garden its beautiful thank you for the tour
You are so welcome
Enjoyed the video. I rally liked the ground cover tour and I got some ideas. I like the way you have redone your border. I also rely on some of the same plants. I also like your idea of safe plants and am going to implement more of your 70/30 formula. I like foxgloves, irises and alliums as well as ninebark . I dont get wild gladioli, unfortunately
Your garden is looking lovely Alexandra. I can recommend Eurybia Divaricata, the white wood aster, for dry shade. It grows well under trees in my garden in Cumbria. Lovely starry white flowers at the end of the summer brighten up a corner and it does spread well.
Thank you
Very much enjoyed and echo all the other comments from viewers. Thank you, great job!
Excellent video.
I love your videos! They are thorough, informational, and the plants are beautiful!
Thank you so much!
Wonderful to watch you. Your enthusiasm is contagious.
Thank you!
Next video HAS to be planting to mask or just follow bulb foliage. My tulips were spectacular but, in so many ways, they are a tough act to follow.
Appreciated the information and enjoyed spending time in your lovely garden.
Love your garden and the new border is looking great!
Wow... Very beautiful flower 🌹❤️❤️🎉🥀♥️🏵️💓
Gosh, pull that garlic mustard fast 😮
Hello Alexandra, thank you for the lovely tour. I'd first to say that as a new and nervous gardener, I am so grateful for your content and knowledge, and to take the time to share it without selling anything in return is incredibly generous. Now Id like to ask a question if I may could you tell me what the tree is in front of the snowball bush, the one with deep red bark? Thank you!
That is Prunus Snow Goose, a very useful upright ornamental cherry
I have just spent 6 hours getting rid of Borage in my sons garden, which is only 3 meters by 10 meters. It had totally taken over!😮
Excellent Video, loved seeing your boarder. Thank you.
Thanks as always. I thought we all need an episode on how to garden in this crazy weather condition. Here (Belgium), like many other places, has seen one of its wettest spring. Even the winter was very wet. The dahlias and peonies that I planted a while ago are most likely rotten by now. It is just too wet to do anything. Any tips will be appreciated.
Love all your videos beautiful !
Thank you for listing the Snowball bush. We had one at home where I grew up and think of it often and wonder if it’s still there as I haven’t yet been able to bring myself emotionally to go there yet. I do know in the sand the snowball faired better and the mock orange needed water.
I need to get one and maybe it’s time to go get a clip off the one I grew up with. It’s a lovely shrub.
😂When you said ‘Plumpshish’ I laughed because I grew so many plants from seed and I have to plant inside a fenced area and by next year that word I’m sure will fit perfectly as a description.
Yes, some plants are invasive in certain areas and some are just aggressive. I need to remember to deadhead so certain ones don’t over seed. Love Borage and do hope what I see out there are seedlings. Never seen wild glads, very nice!
We have been having mild winters and many things survived that would be annuals. It would be nice so I wouldn’t have to start them every year. Trying to grow foxgloves and not sure if I have Canterbury Bells or Foxglove as they look alike and found tags for both. They are almost ready to bloom. We are so dry here they require extra water.
Soo happy to see you have shrubs mixed in tight with flowers as that’s how mine are. I have a sugar and spice viburnum and Mock Orange. Have several viburnum and really are lovely shrubs if let to grow with selective base pruning only. I shaped one once and it had horrible winter form so I took a third of the canes out and it has rebounded gloriously.
Would be so nice to have a stone house and fence-some hard structure to work with. Your garden looks wonderful!
Thank you! You have many plants similar to mine.
Plumpscious! ❤
Alexandra, it seems you need to add an extension to your hose. It will make life so much easier for you.❤
The trouble is the L shaped garden, it really does take too long to snake the hose around 3 corners to get it to the position where I could connect it to an extension. I am really kicking myself for not installing a tap when we landscaped the garden, it would cost too much and be too disruptive to do it now.
Great informational video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Here in Virginia, U.S. i don't plant allelopathic plants w other plants in my garden. I usually put them in pots and containers on their own. If you're having issues w the section of the garden w garlic mustard it is likely because of the garlic mustard... research has shown that it is allelopathic, meaning that it releases chemicals (glucosinolates and their hydrolysis products) which can inhibit the growth of other plant species. Some researchers believe that these compounds can also hinder beneficial soil fungi (mycorrhizal fungi), which help tree roots take up water and nutrients. I always check to make sure a plant is not allelopathic before l add it into my garden. Black walnut, sunflowers, goldenrod, rhododendrons, some laurels, sumacs, elderberry, forsythias, some ferns, etc. are another. Best of luck, and I love your show!!!
That's very interesting, I'm going to look into this more 😊
"Oh and a potato 🥔 " 😂😂😂
Couldn't you put an ornamental pot or container in the difficult border that could hold an extra hose? Simply hooking it up to the other hose would make watering easier. Of course, as to creating more time, if we could figure that one out we'd be set, would we not?! 🤣 Love your channel, Alexandra.♥️
Thank you! And I've been thinking about various hose options, but they're all a bit fiddly because of the L shaped garden. Whatever I do involves untangling hoses round corners. I expect I'll get there in the end!
Collapsible hoses are the bomb! If y'all have them on your side of the pond. 😁
Thank you so much!!!
Some wilder seeds can take more easily from direct sowing - forgetmenots, common valerian, some poppies, clover, linaria, borage, maybe ammi or wild carrot
Yes, they're definitely easier.
Enjoyed the tour. I cut my Ninebark back late last summer and didn't get many blooms this spring which was a bit disappointing. I wish borage would just show up in our garden. I tried sowing some indoors but not one of them germinated.
I've got a few self-seeders which absolutely refused to do anything much when I planted them from seed, but somehow have managed to spread around my garden, much happier now that they're in charge of where they grow.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Ironically I found 2 self sown plants in our kitchen garden..in the pathways, of course 🙄
Homeowners need to not pile mulch around the base of a tree! No mulch volcanoes:) As always, great info.
Thank you!
Seems to me like it's either time for a longer hose or a plumber to put in another tap where needed with another not such a long hose. You won't regret it I'm sure dear Alexandra.
I looked into it but it's tricky, though you are absolutely right that I would never regret it! The problem is digging up an irritating amount of hard landscaping and also dealing with different levels and corners. If only I had thought about it when the garden was being landscaped...but I'm considering finding a place to store a connecting hose in the middle of the garden.
Amazing
I have a Black Lace Elderberry planted with 🍑 colored Yarrow, yellow-edged variegated Hosta and var. ground elder... They all flowered at the exact same time(besides Hosta) and look lovely!!! Also have a lithodora which pops the yellow of the Hosta, Ground Elder, the Yarrow, and makes that deep purple foliage of the Elderberry almost sparkle and sing!
All against a pale yellow house... 👏 Had to applaud my self! 😂
Still, does not hold a candle to what you have! I could chat for years strolling through that garden! 🏵️
Thank you, I love Black Lace elderberry too. That combination sounds lovely.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Been eyeing the Laced Up variety.... I almost need it!!!
Another lovely video! I love the look of the Virginia Creeper. So many people say it damages your walls, but looking at your house, I’m assuming you personally find it’s completely harmless?
Foxgloves are the most fantastic things, probably my favourite flower.
I’ve just realised from watching this video that the new mystery flower that has just popped up in my garden must be wild gladioli!?!? They’re not flowering yet but they look just like the unopened flower spikes in this video! Where did they come from? 😳
This new plant looks likeJ acobaea vulgaris, Syn.: Senecio jacobaea and is highly invasive where I live/Germany.I let some bloom for the Tyria jacobaeae and cut it directly down,so it can´t seed by itself
My small border gets overrun with Green Alkanet. Its flowers are so pretty but its prickly stems give my dog a rash when she mooches in the border!
And because of its strong tap roots, it's hard to eradicate.
The worst thing is that, as a young plant, it's almost indistinguishable from digitalis. So I often end up removing those in error too.
First world problems, I know but I just wish I could eradicate the Alkanet 😂
I'm so cautious of self seeding since inheriting corydalis, acquelegia and primulas which are just everywhere in our new garden, including the lawn.
Hi Alexandra, thank you so much for all the information. You go to great lengths to educate and inspire us all! I have bought an actinidia kolomikta end of last year and it's still in a pot, to see where is the best place. Would you say they like their roots on the dry side or more wet rather? Currently it's facing east , against a brick wall and get's sun untill around 2 in the afternoon. I would appreciate any advice you can give me!
Ours is west facing, against a brick wall and planted quite near the terrace pavers. I gather it prefers the sunny walls - west or south facing. I understand that it'll grow on an East wall but may not have such spectacular colour.
The border looks lovely but I still find it hard not to look at longer lawns and think time for a mow. I have no lawns now and I do miss them
brilliant video thanks so much Alexandra! There's so much in here Im going to have to re-watch a few times with a notebook 😅. when you say you thin the euphorbia out, do you cut it back or literally pull it out from the roots? I understand it leaks nasty sap if you cut it. But like you I dont really want to leave big gaps in the border. thanks again 🙂
I sometimes pull it up by the roots, but the big Euphorbia wulfenii often has new stems sprouting from the base, so we've just cut the big old stems out, leaving the smaller, younger stems. And be super careful with the sap, make sure you don't touch your eyes!
I wish my Rudbeckia was better at selfseeding, I think the birds must be voracious!
In your recall of owners of your house in past.Deep thought of mine.We really are just caretakers of house and gardens . We build but will it remain after we shuffel of this mortal coil .One always likes to think so.
I like that sense of age. I know the names and a bit about everyone who has lived in our house since 1781.
Your Kiwi vine is fabulous. I have one that I purchased in 2017. I'm still waiting for the leaves to turn white and pink. I'm wondering if there is a trick to it or I just need to be more patient.
Wonderful as always. I can always get so much good info. I am still gardening at age 86 in Raleigh, NC😊
Thank you!
Good morning. Please tell me what variety is the euphorbia you have in this particular border that is self-seeding. Thanks in advance .
Are you not concerned about the foxgloves and your animals? I would love to have some but I’m too worried that my cats and dogs might get poisoned. All I can do is look on enviously at other peoples gardens. Thanks for such a lovely video!
I went into some detail on this when we got a new puppy. We'd never had any problems with our previous dogs, but I was concerned as around 20% of any garden is toxic to humans and pets if they eat it. Which means it's not really practical to remove poisonous plants from the garden, probably better to keep a close eye on puppies and children and teach them not to nibble plants.Oddly enough, although the puppy eats everything, including pieces of terracotta (eek!), he doesn't eat the poisonous plants. Here's the full video: th-cam.com/video/47gr6QFYixQ/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for another wonderful video. Greetings from Bavaria. Can you mention what kind of soil you have? We have very „chalky“ soil in southeastern Bavaria.
Such great info but please could you slow down. Thank you. NZ
Noted!
I love clematis recta. I’ve ordered seed from a couple of places never had a single one germinate! 😮 I stored it in the fridge, added moisture nothing. Does anybody have any tips on how to get it to germinate😏🌸
Can you use Lungwort for making into liquid feed as you would with borage? It has self seeded all over my garden. Thanks.
Hi , can I ask your opinion on a good lawn mower for a small garden please ? I have a new flymo hover but have been told they’re damaging for grass so I don’t use it . Any advice or views on flymo please 🙏 , thank you .
Please could you do a video on what to plant in a north facing garden, especially climbers . My jasmine never flowers and passionflower has died . Would love climbing roses but don’t know if there are any varieties that don’t need a sunny location, thank you 🙏
Generally roses need 6 or more hours of sun to do well. Climbing Roses that may do better with less light include single flowering varieties, New Dawn, and Zepherine Drouhin.
@@LinusCello75 thank you for your advice. I do have 3 climbing roses in the east and west part of the garden but only planted last year so not sure how they’ll grow .
I do have one video that addresses north facing gardens, and also any of the shade videos may help too: th-cam.com/video/-u6XUMJc6ME/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/57egyQvlNhY/w-d-xo.html. I'm hoping to do another rose video soon, so I will cover that then, and I believe Madame Alfred Carriere is a good shade climber.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden thank you , I’ll check them out
I totally agree regarding Madame Alfred Carrière. Apparently there is one at Sissinghurst planted by Vita Sackville West on a north facing wall which is flowering like mad every summer…@@TheMiddlesizedGarden