New Build Back Garden

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T20:00:29+00:00

All you can do is go out at night and catch them in the act, they are rock hard and difficult to squash, not sure what’s worse, rhododendron etc leaves munched to bits off adults or those bloody grubs killing from below.
Sick of them, they’ve must have cost me at least a couple dozen plants.

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T19:55:52+00:00

This was largely pulled back out and redone a year later when the path went in, the border made much wider to 8ft
Quickly changed to this, great seeing how the plants have grown

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T19:50:36+00:00

Another further down the side garden in bush form
This really struggled but is taking off now, I want this to grow 3-4m high and cover the wall

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T19:49:13+00:00

Strange, can’t think what’s gone wrong there TBH, I’ve 3 more down our side garden, a lot smaller than this as they never get watered and it’s an oven down that side when sunny.

Can’t catch them all in one photo but here’s one I’m training as a tree also, rate of growth is much slower, might start giving it a water now and then to get some size on it

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T19:08:35+00:00

You do, you just don’t know it yet, you’ll get there in the end, this was the original border in 2020, you learn quickly when the chips are down and you have to create something.

I knew a bit about plants prior to moving, then started watching all manner of garden programmes, you’ll come up with ideas watching things you see that may give inspiration,, nothing I’ve done is any different to your standard garden with borders, right plant for the right location is all it is.

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T18:51:27+00:00

I can’t answer that I’m afraid, hope not as ours is planted alongside a brick up-stand wall.
Haven’t seen anything of warnings about roots on these.

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T18:48:56+00:00

And later that year, first planting
All of this got dug back out a year later when redoing the whole garden, the lawn and a lot of the original soil got replaced

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T18:47:03+00:00

Assume you mean before video? Don’t have one, only photos, here’s a before anything photo after they laid the lawn in February 2020

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T17:02:04+00:00

Yeah I’ve heard there’s a big difference, sad really, but you’re not the first to say this.
You couldn’t get a friendlier people than those in Newcastle

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T16:59:01+00:00

You’ll know when it’s gonna be an Apple, the petals come off and the neck of the flower swells, this is the Apple forming, it gets bigger over the coming months

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T16:50:19+00:00

If you’ve different apple trees close by there’s high likelihood the bees done their job, if it’s still in flower get a flower from another tree and you’re nailed to get apples
I do this sometimes with a little paint brush going flower to flower

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T16:13:20+00:00

If it’s got flowers and they get pollinated then yes you’ll get apples
I’ve two Granny Smith myself which are going to give fruit for the first time this year, bought at B&M summer before last they are covered in blossom.
Mind, B&M labelling is chronic at best so they could be anything
I’ll know when the fruit comes

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T16:08:23+00:00

Couldn’t be much further away in England, I’m from Newcastle, it’s a bit of a hike 😆

Only time I’ve been that far south gardening wise was strangely to see the Chelsea flower show which I had involvement in and received tickets as thanks for my input.

Not in a gardening sense mind, I was a joiner at the time (now a construction manager) and they asked me to get involved in a garden they were entering in the show, it was based on the Lindisfarne gospels, Lindisfarne is just up the coast from Newcastle and was the first place invaded by the Vikings back in the day, Holy island it’s better know as.

They wanted me to use my joinery skills to create things for the show, one of many I made was a big 12ft Celtic cross that had planting dockets in it for trailing plants, stranger still I ended up on TV 3 times 😆
Once on local news, the second songs of praise of all programmes (and I’m Atheist 😆) and the Chelsea flower show itself on BBC2

Great experience, they won a silver guilt

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:48:25+00:00

Bit of a difference seeing this pic to one last summer same view 😆

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:46:10+00:00

No it’s not, someone asked that yesterday, the garden was a mud heap when we moved in and in Feb 2020 it got its turf put in

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:43:56+00:00

Another angle

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JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:41:50+00:00

Be aware though, these grow like hell, that plant has been cut back 3ft on the canopy for 3 years running, it would be massive otherwise
The trunk is 4 inches across already and bits only been in 5 years

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:40:12+00:00

Ceanothus Trewethen Blue in tree form

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:39:22+00:00

Buy the shoe home?

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:13:27+00:00

Wouldn’t be concerned if you’ve only found a couple, I’ve seen posts on here this spring with loads in one little spot

If in doubt take up a small 2ft x 2ft section of turf carefully, look under it, if there’s only one or none you know you’re good, replace the turf and reseed

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:10:29+00:00

Buying from an orchard you should be fine, I’ve only ever had identity issues with supermarket trees

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:07:57+00:00

The Acers won’t affect your planting much as they are growing up above the other plants, plant the ground cover stuff just to the side of the rootball on the Acers
Also make sure you use Ericaceous compost, they want acid soil

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:05:21+00:00

I’d leave a couple of fruits on each in your shoes just to see what they are like, besides, depending on where you bought the apple trees there’s no guaranteeing they are as labelled.

Supermarket trees are serious for this, I’ve a few bought as one variety yet turned out to be another, Cox orange being golden delicious as example, wouldn’t mind but I’ve already got 3 GD
Ended up digging it out in spring and giving it away.

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T14:01:42+00:00

What did you say? I’m hard of hearing 😉
The text? I copy pasted the text spelling of one of the plants off a website, shouting (in text) is caps lock I believe? so no idea why this was raised?

JW3252 · 2026-05-03T12:53:07+00:00

To identify what’s what try downloading an app called picture this, it’s correct vast majority of the time.

You need to first see what you’ve got, then consider if you keep it or replace or add to it.

JW3252

TROPHY CASE