At our 3rd October meeting Brenda (McKenzie) led an initial  session on Garden Planning. Brenda had attended external Garden Planning sessions a few years ago,

Brenda’s lovely garden

following which she planned out and achieved the garden she wanted. Some of the key messages were:

• keep it simple and be flexible
• decide what you want to use the garden for
• plan for future seasons and years
• focus on achieving what you want.

Brenda reiterated the importance of drawing your garden and existing or intended key features to scale before starting to think about plants and using garden magazines and other sources to decide what you like and want to include. Garden Planning sessions will continue. The group generally want to make sure they are getting what they want from their own gardens whilst also using ‘to scale drawings’ of one or two of the group who wish to replan, to develop discussions.

The group discussed getting the garden ready for winter including cutting down faded plants, lifting and dividing perennials, planting roses, lifting tender plants and gathering falling leaves (put in punctured bin bags, add water, seal bag and store behind the shed for about 12 months)  to produce beneficial leaf mould.  One well received alternative suggestion was that leaves can actually be left on borders and covered with compost whereupon they will rot down. (Tip of the month)

A timetable for planting the plot is to be developed .

END