Front Gardening

My fourteen year old did something really good today - he dug out a border in the front garden, lifting turf and improving the clay soil with horticultural grit and compost. And I did the easy bit of choosing plants that would suit the dry arid conditions that we get in the south facing front of the house.

So, I may do a little gardening update from time to time. The idea behind the border is that when we bought the house it has a grass front garden which dies every summer because it is so hot in the front, and trying to mow the grass around two bay windows is really not much fun! So we are squaring it off, so there is a straight piece of grass across and some planting next to the house. In time, we may gravel over the lawn, but we'll see.

It doesn't look very exciting so far and it was a little too damp to mow the grass today. Once established these plants should be able to exist without us watering them too much. 

So this is what I have planted:

• Golden thyme
• Rosemary
• A couple of Stachys byzantina (Lambs Ears)
• Alliums - Cristophii and Pinball Wizard
• Some Dianthus

I also transplanted in a few pieces of sedum and a kind of houseleek. Most of these plants, maybe with the exception of the allium should be fine in dry hot sites. I can't wait to get hold of some lavender for the other parts of the front garden.

Love Mrs Jones x