On the 2nd September 2022, we started off with a relatively empty garden space , apart from two newly constructed raised beds which had been filled with topsoil ,and containers full of plants from Martin and Judy’s previous home . By the end of the first gardening day, all the containers had been emptied into the garden, we watered them in, and wished them good luck in their new garden.

And by the 19th August 2023, this is what the previously empty space has turned into.

September 2nd 2022
August 19th 2023

When we started gardening in September 2022 we had no idea, what seeds the top soil would contain. It has been fascinating watching seeds germinate and then grow into a flowering plant. To date I know my favourite chance seedlings have been white campion and Weld ( Reseda luteola) images below.

White campion
Rosa Queen of Sweden and Weld

By making a decision not to weed out the top soil seedlings this enabled my planting design knowledge to really improve. I would never have known how beautiful the following unplanned combinations of plants would be , if they had been hoed out as seedlings. I will definitely be taking these forward to future gardening projects. The below images are also good examples.

Allium sphaerocephalon was planted as a bulb, the feverfew was a seed in the top soil .
Both Cerinthe major Purpurascens and Sun spurge were seeds in the top soil.

On my most recent visit, Judy and I were discussing the gardens progress during its first year.

We did laugh, as it really did sound somewhat grand when I said ” Do you know Judy, we have now completed phase one of your garden , and we are now heading into phase two ”

To which Judy replied “What on earth do you mean by this Sally ? ”

So what did I actually mean by this ?

Well … what I mean is , so far we have pretty much left all the top soil seedlings in the planting mix to see what they become ( apart from pernicious plants that is – such as ground elder, docks, brambles) and this is phase one.

What I am finding now, is that some seedlings which were left to grow ( due to being unable to identify them initially ) have now grown so rapidly , that they are at the point where I consider them also to be pernicious. If I do nothing, they really will swamp out smaller plants, so they need to be removed from the garden. And this is phase two. It really is as simple as that !

The prime contender at the moment is Black medick – a particularly vigorous ground cover plant , so it will be removed wholesale in certain parts of the garden, as it really is beginning to swamp out new seedlings of plants we want to see . Black medic is a member of the pea family , so I will replant in its space cultivated forms of clover , which is also a member of the pea family. Once I have decided which clover to plant , I will include an update on my next blog.

We will though ( for the time being ) leave Black Medic in places where we just want ground cover.

Images below show how good Black medic is at growing away .

The spaces in between these plants, was previously full of Black Medic.

And to finish off this blog, here are just a couple more images of how the garden looks at the beginning of September.

Agapanthus and Ribwort plantain seed heads
Sunflowers and Weld
Meadow Goats beard – a good nectar rich plant for insects, and the seeds are a good food source for birds – particularly goldfinches and sparrows.
Evening primrose seedlings
Rudbeckia Prarie Glow ( from seed )

I will be back at Martin and Judy’s in about a months time. We will be undertaking some new planting ideas, and clearance of pernicious weeds…