h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The lobelias were probably quite a good buy, then, if I'm going to make that border into a nice flower bed

And yes, it can be yours, seeing as no-one else has suggested anything for it that I can actually do. Because it borders the hotel garden, my aunt has always been keen on it being fairly ornamental.

I have to say, though, that the beans were a very good idea. I've had quite clear instructions from the bloke at the garden centre, so I', going to make a frame and plant them against that wall as B suggested.

Perennials are always a good thing too, as they will come up every year.

I hope you have good success with the beans, they are what i would call an easy veg...almost foolproof.

Foolproof? I'll be the test of that

I'll tell you about the cactus incident sometime... that should tickle you!

If you can grow and harvest beans, then you will officially be a gardener.

Please don't tell me you managed to kill a cactus?
You will be the third person i've known if thats the case.

Love the greenhouse! I've got one of those. Mine blew over one year as I started planting things out and it got emptier! I've also had to get two new covers for it because they do get brittle. Haven't got around to putting the second one on so at the moment it's just being used for storage!

I haven't sowed any of the seeds I bought myself a month ago. Must get around to that...

I can't keep cacti alive either.

Phew!

I did the early shift today and, as it was a nice afternoon, I decided that we'd get on and do some work. And work we did.

The right-hand half of the patio has gone. We took up all the slabs, laid a new path to the rabbit hutch and shed and moved the compost bin over. I really like the idea of having herbs, tomatoes and chillies outside the kitchen window, so the path divides the area into part lawn and part foody garden.

You can see the new bit here; the last five photos:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/skankyrich/LaineySGarden02

What do you think?

I'm pooped now. I'm going to have a shower with a nice cup of tea, then we're off for a pint and will return with a well-deserved curry.

Oh, and B - the rotary has gone

Wow, you've been very busy.

You sure have. Oh, to be young again Reckon you've earned your pint and curry. Keep it up. I don't suppose you will get the white stuff forecast for the rest of us so maybe you can do a bit more at the weekend!

Websailor

Gosh, what fascinating stuff, I am impressed. I of course haven't got a clue what any of you are wittering on about, as I know of only one thing to do in a garden, and that's to throw a bucket of Pathclear at it when the green stuff reaches an unacceptably high level. Then repeat every six months.

Sacrilege

How are the slugs these days my friend? They will be appearing soon I guess and will no doubt get rid of some of your green stuff for you

Websailor

You have done well The preparation is coming along nicely.

So what do I do about the rest of the garden, then?

I'm quite jealous of GreyDesk, in a way. I had another long day at work today, and I'm still tired after yesterday's exertions. If I could have been happy with the Pathclear method, I'd have been spared a lot of pain. After all, you can buy chillies and tomatoes at the greengrocer, right?

Bottler!

Which bits do you still have left to do?

B

I still have the length of the trellis to sort out, as well as the bit in front of where the beans are going to go. I'll have some space in the bed to the right of the path, too. I think it would be nice to frame the kitchen window and patio doors in some way, but I'm not entirely sure how.

Something dead simple that can look good either side of a door:

Get two big pots. Fill 'em with compost.

Ok, it might not be the most ornamental!

Sorry, bit premature there.

Bend chicken wire into a nice shape like a pyramid, and grow ivy up it.

And if you want, you can put bulbs or something in around the pyramid.

You could grow a couple of Clematis up the trellis, Clematis 'Texensis' will flower all summer and have fluffy seed heads, like old-mans'beard in the Autumn. That variety comes in shades of lilac, purple or pink. Some Foxgloves and Delphiniams in the border along the trellis. With some Penstemons inbetween, will give you colour all summer.

One word (or possibly two, depending on whether I'm spelling it correctly) - Wallflowers!