LJN Blog Posts

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• PRO

  Phil Voice January 29, 2009 at 11:38am

  Hi Niall
  
  I hope you don't mind, I have turned your link into a live URL - http://www.barenbrug.co.uk/landscape.asp
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  dgeorgea January 29, 2009 at 2:49pm

  Hi Niall, thanks for the reply, and link.
  
  The area I am thinking of can be seen here.
  
  As we have a rat and mice issue on the estate this area is already earmarked for a pilot project which will see the binkeeps decommissioned an paladin bins installed at the far end of this picture. The paladins will be enclosed, and we are considering options to deal with concerns about smells. One option is to include a planting boxes attached to the eclosure and plants chosen for their aromatic properties - for lack of knowledge lavender was one option mentioned. So hopefully the wild flowers will help to compliment this.
  
  The larger area can be seen here It is on one corner of the estate and is at a junction where three streets meet, so there is a fair bit of traffic. It mighte even stop the council planting new trees on the estate which we then have to take care off.
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  Kerrie John-The garden design Co January 29, 2009 at 5:24pm

  Sorry George
  Can't help myself putting my oar in!
  
  I have over the years planted Wild Flower Meadows. They are much more difficult than just sowing a packet of seed mix and require lots of attention. The soil for one has to be really infertile and the stonier the better.
  
  I am not offering you inspiration here, but personally if I were to plant the area it would be in blocks of perennials and grasses a la Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden (google images 'prairie planting) perhaps using plug plants as they are relatively inexpensive.
  
  Anyway, hope I haven't given you any ideas.
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  dgeorgea January 29, 2009 at 6:37pm

  Hi Kerrie,
  
  If you look at this photo you will see a typical feature of our grassed areas, the larger areas tend to be walled. This is because of the base tends to be rubble. So I would not expect much depth to be available to us.
  
  You're okay, you have put no ideas in my head, or inspired me in any way. Now if you you'll excuse me I'm off to google the benefits of burying two unknown swedish singers in the ground.
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  Kerrie John-The garden design Co January 29, 2009 at 7:19pm

  Phew, glad things worked out as planned. At least Mrs Oehme and van Sweden will know where to look for their famous plantmen/landscape architects. www.ovsla.com
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  dgeorgea January 29, 2009 at 9:59pm

  Oh. You is a bad bad girl.
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  Richard Loader January 29, 2009 at 10:07pm

  Have you come across Pictorial meadows?
  I have used their mixes for the last 4 years with great success. The flowers are not wild UK varieties but they do offer a much longer flowering period that UK wild flowers.
  These mixes will do better on less impoverished soils than the wild stuff.
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  dgeorgea January 29, 2009 at 10:51pm

  Hi Richard,
  
  Most of the selections seem a little limited, though I accept that only so much could be got out of such a small piece of land. Another concern is that choice of seeds has more to do with appearance, which while important I would like the area to be attractive to insects and wildlife, one reason for considering native plants, or have you found the selections good for this as well?
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  laara copley-smith February 4, 2009 at 6:59pm

  It maybe useful to check out the liverpool, national Wild flower Centre , fantastic centre .
  Lots of research on wild flowers , application etc .
  Mixes available to suit different sites , soil type etc ;
  website:
  wwwnwc.org.uk
  
  Laara
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  dgeorgea February 5, 2009 at 12:40am

  Thanks Laara.