Why I hate Landscape Juice Network

(feel free to change title)I came here because I wanted to ask advice about employing a gardener. I believed a lot more could be done with our flower beds and grass areas, but only wanted someone who we could express our ideas to, and who would make them reality.I posted about not liking our grass areas being well mowed and wishing we could do more with some of the areas. This in turn made me wonder what would be involved if we decided to plant wild flower seeds on one of the smaller areas. I even found a site with different packs according to location/type of soil.Then realised I had already made this mistake with bushes we are planning to plant on another small plot of land - gone for the easy option. So decided to look what was in the relevant pack and see if I could come up with a better option, by mixing my own. Only I have no idea what I'm reading or what it means.HELLO PEOPLE!! I wanted advice not inspiration.So off I went and discussed the idea with the estate manager who thinks the idea is great and has told me to let me know how much and he will pay for it out of petty cash. I reckon we could try it out for between £10 and £15, and if successful we have identified a larger piece of land we could expand the idea on.So there you have it, the great killer of flora now wants to create a mini pasture of wild flowers. And with all the passion I show in any project I take on which I am now committed to condemn innocent seeds to a promising life of death. Well not that bad as I won't actually be attending them.And its all your fault, yes you. I think it is time for you to redeem yourselves, so if anyone can suggest a good book about English wild flowers I can get out of the library, or website I would greatly appreciate it.

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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Comments

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
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.
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.
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.
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
dgeorgea January 29, 2009 at 9:59pm

Oh. You is a bad bad girl.
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.
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?
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
dgeorgea February 5, 2009 at 12:40am

Thanks Laara.