Maple Bed

I have tried to change the aspect of the garden, so you can't see everything at once.  From the gravel area, from the hot tub the path winds up to the Vegetable Garden, the new maple bed then comes between this and the rest of the garden.  Maples have been growing in tubs for many years previously now in the ground.

The plan with this bed is to use grasses for backdrop to the garden side of planting but also to be the edge, to the grasses side, so the theory being, as you walk through from hot tub to vegetable gardens the path is lined with billowing and swaying grasses. I love their movement, sound and the way the sun catches them.

The inspiration for the maple bed and the rest of the garden that will surround the new patio table & chairs, follows a visit to Great Dixter last summer, I loved the fullness of the beds and the array of colour and texture.  I bought a few books (as you do) including one by Sarah Raven who also uses planting and colour in the same way as Christopher Lloyd did.  I think this planting style will involve a lot of work but I am hoping in the fullness of time it will look spectacular. Not putting too much pressure on myself !

How its looking so far:

Summer 2012

Summer 2012

 

Summer 2013

Last weekend I lifted all the granite sets from the edges, took the small grasses out of the maple bed and moved them over to the grasses bed.  I planted some new taller grasses as edging to this path.

I saw this fabulous hydranger on holiday in France, such big flower heads, just had to add some to my garden, so my Dad bought me two small plants that I planted either side of the massive Spanish Oat grass.

Spanish Oates in the July evening sun 2013

I await a delivery of new plants for both beds and two beds at the front of the house for RHS...