At the start of 2022 I made plans to present the garden through the different seasons. In hindsight, it is easy to say I was too ambitious. However, I did some garden walks with the camera during the spring and summer but, I didn’t find the time to edit and present it here.
However, February is the time to start thinking about the season to come. It is therefore nice to look back at last year to see what I achieved and what is still waiting to be done.
We, that is I, Rita, planted a lot of new plants and also moved some plants last season. My husband helps planting the large shrubs and trees, but planting perennials and smaller shrubs in flower beds is definitely my task. And to be honest, that is by far the most pleasurable garden task.
Garden Walks on You Tube
Want to see more of our garden? Here is a video from a few garden walks in 2022. The video shows parts of the garden in early spring and in the summer.
Flower bed around the pond
The pond has been constructed over several years and was planted about two years ago. I used the soil on site with some additional bought soil, but already I have a huge problem with weed. Moreover, I have planted too densely and some of the larger shrubs are limiting the view to the pond from the terrace.
On top of that, filamentous algae have formed in the water. So, if I find the time, I will probably reconstruct the entire dam and flower bed next year.
Despite the weed and algae problems, I am pleased with much of the planting. The irises look great, and they become more numerous every season. The heuchera is also looking good, as is the low sedum, while the Sedum Matrona has struggled and several plants have died out. I’m also pleased with the border of lady’s mantle and hosta, although the hosta grew and suffocated many of the lavenders. But that’s my own fault when I planted so densely.
I’m not looking forward to a full reconstruction. It was a formidable task to place all the stones that line the dam and I hate to disturb the plants. Yet, I know I never will be entirely satisfied with it unless I change it. The benefit is that I get to change the dam lining to one that is slightly bigger and better.
Finishing the stream and small dam
The water in the dam is circulated through an about 25 meter long hose to the top of a stream. I have constructed the stream in several rounds too. The first lining turned out to bee to thin and had leakages that reduced the level of water to the half during a couple of days. Two years ago, I bought a new and solid lining, and to my relief, the circulation works.
I have planted the borders with lady’s mantle and hostas that I had from other parts of the garden, and in 2022 I finished planting the entire edge. Today, it’s covered with daisies, phlox, ferns, rodgersia, heuchera, astilbe, and a lot more. I will probably have to thin or take out some plants, but that is a luxury.
However, no paradise is without snakes (as we say in Norway). There’s bindweed in the ground on the southern side of the stream, and I’m not sure I can get rid of it.
Flower bed on bedrock
The garden at Bliderud has several other flower borders. The largest is the 14 m long flower border that I have mentioned in this blog before. There are also smaller borders surrounding the house as well as an entirely new forest garden towards the forest in west. However, this year, we have started the reconstruction of the former rock garden behind the house. I haven’t finished the planting, but with the help of my husband and a digger, we have formed what is to be flower beds around the entire bedrock.
This year, I found the time to plant parts of the bed. Since the planting areas almost float like containers on top of the bedrock, I know the soil will be dry. Therefore, I have planted more draught tolerant plants like Juniperus squamata and Juniperus pfitzeriana. I also hope the berberis thunbergii will tolerate the conditions. Here are a few images of what I hope will grow in parts of that flower bed.
Well, this was a small chat about my garden walks in 2022. The video shows more of what it looked like and what my challenges are. I’m counting down until I can retire in October. Then I will have more time to tell you what is happening in the garden, how I handle the challenges, and how the plants are doing.
Bye bye for now, and have a great new garden season.
