Thursday 9 September 2010

Easy Does It

We've been quite busy growing the winter bedding, pruning, weeding and re-arranging the areas where we keep the shrubs, but every day I find myself just standing and staring at the big annual border I sowed in June. This is the "hot" section, with eschsoltzia, cosmos and Shirley poppies which I love to watch unfold. It was all a bit of an afterthought when it became apparent that the planned herbaceous border wasn't going to happen, so I just drew drifts with sand and sowed hardy annuals in a rainbow pattern . Easy Peasy. Now I'm thinking I like it so much it might become a regular feature.
Posted by Picasa

10 comments:

Bub said...

Oh! What a successful afterthought - you should definitely repeat it.

Barry Parker said...

Hi Isobel,

I remember seeing California Poppies for the first time as a kid, I was blown away. They are still a great favourite.

Anonymous said...

Dear Isobel, Yes, yes, yes! This is absolutely wonderful - drifts of colour which appear to 'melt' into one another to produce a startling, yet harmonious, effect. So exciting and, dare I say it, rather more C21 than a stiffly arranged, colour co-ordinated herbaceous border. I love the freedom of this. I should be most interested to know what reactions you have had - I should imagine all very positive.


Make it an annual feature - it deserves to live on. I only wish that I were able to see it in reality!

Have a very happy, and I hope restful, weekend.

Kyna said...

So beautiful!! I always attempt something like that and it never works out lol. It looks so natural, like it just appeared that way with no human intervention. Love!

Is the Wiz said...

Cheers chaps, it's good to get your feedback on this, and it looks like this big blowsy border will become a regular event. It's very economical and attracts loads of beneficial insects to keep the pests in check. But best of all, it makes me happy!

Dene Wood said...

Wow if that an afterthought just think what it would have looked like had you planned it, may have to "borrow" this for next year. well done.

Is the Wiz said...

Dear Dene, thanks and feel free. A lot of credit must go to the variety of eschsoltzia, a nice mix called Thai Silk.

The Idiot said...

I've been toying with the idea of sowing veggies in drifts, just to see what it looks like. I was thinking of something large as a central points, and then having ever decreasing bands of colour sloping away.

I think about it, but I reckon when the time comes I'll just randomly sow stuff and only realise I forgot the drift design when it's too late!

Britta said...

Dear Is the Wiz,
that border looks stunning!
I often think we should have the courage to do more out of intuition or inspiration as one normally does. We are so well programmed to think and analyse before (which is not a bad thing per se - I like to plan and organize) that sometimes a little bit of chance is a good thing - as we see in your border! Yesterday I read: "Do you know how you can make God laugh? Tell him about your plans!"

Is the Wiz said...

dear Idiot,
Gimme the beat boy, Free my soul, Wanna get lost in your rock'n'roll
And drift away
Dear Britta,
Love that saying!:-D