Let me talk to you about my plans…

As you look at it from the main path, the left side of the allotment is a bit neglected, this is the side that is home to the pond and ‘rose garden’, it looked like this in 2022

It does not look like that anymore. The plan for that side of the plot is still good, but from the rosemary up to the back of the plot its a mess, so much grass. The raspberries have invaded the little iris patch and one of the roses has gone insane. There is grass everywhere and it needs work.

We won’t talk about how I meant to get to it in summer, that didn’t happen. So it needs some attention, I’ve done a lot of work this year to give the plot more perennials (strawberries, dahlias, lingonberries, the asparagus patch) and some of that work will continue, I would like a perennial leek bed established but we’ll see if I can get to that! However, I think my plan for the left hand side of the plot will work, if I can get it sorted. Let me tell you about the plan.

First the iris patch. I need to dig it all out, weed the grass and the raspberries out and replant any of the remaining irises that have survived. I’ve also got a bunch of dutch iris bulbs to plant there and because I’d like to have some to cut for mum in the spring.

I also need to sort out the raspberries, get the tables down and generally tidy the main path there.

Then the roses and the lavender. cut things back, weed, mulch – you know the drill. I think I’m going to take up rose at the front of the bed by the alpine strawberries because as the photo shows, it’s overwhelming everything. I have loads of alliums to plant around the remaining roses, and I’d like another yellow rose because they are my favourite! I bought two climbing roses this year, and I need to plant them, I’m thinking that at one end of this area, I’ll put an arch in and let them climb up it. There is already lavender in the bed that I shall trim. I’ve taken cuttings lavender so if I need to replace any in the spring, I’ll have them. As I clear up towards the pond, I’ll see what has survived the grass. There was oregano, knautia, verbena, hyacinth, bluebells and various thymes.

Above is what was intended to be the second bed for winter squash and it hasn’t been grown on since 2024 and it’s completely overgrown. This year I cut it all down and covered it. My plan is that this is going to be another fruit area. I have a bunch of trees in pots now and some more to come (when they all arrive, I’ll have 4 cherries, 3 apricots, 1 peach, 2 figs and what I think is pear tree.) I also have a bay tree two bitter oranges that are supposed to be hardy, I also have a lemon tree but that is not hardy so will be moved in and out of the house. Yes, yes I am a plant slut…

My plan is that I’m going to take the bed out because it’s ropey (of course it is, I built it!), dig it over and bury the pots (all 10 of them), so the trees will be removable but look like they are in the ground, the hope is that burying them will keep the need to water them down and it’ll look good. I was also given some grape vines and I have two kiwi bushes, they’ll go into this area too. On the ground, I’ll plant herbs and flowers. In my head I’m calling this the ‘mini orchard’ which is pretentious but there you go.

Then finally the back bed, which had a peony, lovage, lavender and two of the roses. Behind it is the boysenberry, which has more or less taken over and is invading the polytunnel!

So the plan is to cut the boysenberry right back, so that I can better control the regrowth. then to see what’s still alive in the front. I don’t have a planting plan for that so we’ll see.

This is the plan, I have to do as much of it as I can before the garden waste bin collection stops for the winter in the last week of November so seven Sundays. It’s big. And there is other work that needs doing, the polytunnel needs a new cover. Beds need to be cleared and sorted (I’m down to my last 4 bags of compost from the massive delivery in spring), there is always something to do so it’s going to be a busy winter!