Country Gardens

As we approach the long and winding road to Christine’s Victorian home we are surrounded by trees, a rockery, lush lawns and a variety of flowering shrubs. Trees are a delight in the garden and the larger the space you have the more you can enjoy them. As you can see from the picture below Christine has ample space to accommodate a wide range of mature trees. Remember the rule is never to buy a tree until you have checked on the height it is likely to reach in about ten years time.

When you choose a tree and pick the planting site bear in mind the mature height. Never plant it too close to the house for the roots may threaten the foundations. Also remember to leave enough room between trees to prevent the need for constant pruning when they are fully-grown.
For additional interest at the foot of the drive Christine placed a sign depicting the name of her farm and included the address to blend the numbers and graphics into a rather tasteful point of interest. Then she realized that the base required more than just grass. This area is extremely dry and quite a distance from her house.

A couple of years ago she built up the area with soil and added stones she found from surrounding fields to build an interesting rockery. The slope leading toward the road lends itself to a rock garden and the plants have flourished over the past two years. The backdrop of trees adds another dimension to this focal point and the overall look is impressive when visitors approach.

The rock garden is filled with perennials and peppered with annuals. Christine has a few small flowering shrubs for texture. This particular garden was not expensive. Chris used some cuttings from other beds, the stones were free and the most extensive involvement was the labour to create the site.