Azay - Lawn creation

All change, no longer a gravel garden required.

The existing plants & weeds removed from the area to create a lawn. Sand & top soil introduced then grass seed sown (in the warmest driest Spring you can imagine ;D) However can report after regular watering visits, the green stuff got growing.

Earlier coverage of this project:
http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.fr/2011/01/courtyard-garden-azay-le-rideau-new.html

le Grand-Pressigny - le cour devant une maison: re-looking et entretien

Taille rosier, ajoute des vivaces fleurie puis entretien du jardin

le Grand-Pressigny - le jardin derriere d'une maison: re-looking et entretien

Taille arbres, rosiers, entretien de pelouse, ajoute des plantes vivaces pour beaucoup des fleurs. Entretien reguliere.

Instant screen - St Nicolas de Bourgeuil

Objective: to create a seasonal screen - floral & scented to provide a place for a quiet drink & to relax in privacy in summer.

The garden is set in amidst the vines and so will allow uninterrupted views of the delightful views between late autumn and early spring.

Clematis, Honeysuckle, Sweet pea & convulvulous (morning glory) to cover the wires.

Verbena Bonariensis, Achillea ' Gold Plate' 'Cerise Queen', Hemerocalis Day Lilies, Michaelmas Daisies to provide low maintenance long flowering in hot dry summer at the base of the climbing plants.

Favier - the hour of Pivoines/Peonies :D

Plants either grown on or raised at les Limornieres - ready for their new home..

New home in need of pruning weed and soil enriching...

Previously the bed was mostly empty aside from the mature climbing plants on the south facing wall.

Now weeded, dug over and compost added we left it for a couple of weeks to allow any further seedlings to sprout. These were hoed and then planting began..

Paeonies (Lovely Louise x 6) were planted here - another 10 various colours & varieties in existing beds around the grounds.

To this bed and to the others we added - Papavers, pink and white varieties,gaura lindheimi, nepeta, sedum, iris siberica, macedonia knautia, cerinthe major, heuchera.

To ensure full floral display for a big get together in June perennial and annual plants have been added throughout the garden and we have plans to add more nearer the big day for a spectacular display.

Existing leggy perovskia plants surrounding the pool which we have pruned to ensure plentiful flowers on well shaped compact plants.

New perennial border - Mouzay

http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.com/2011/04/naturalistic-planting-hiding-fosse.html

The wooden house has a covered deck running the length of the building. We have dug a new bed to ensure the view from kitchen and from the deck (perfect early evening apero spot ;D) is one through flowers all summer long.

Plants include Echinacea purpurea, clematis (unknown blue flower alpina variety :D) hemerocalys (deep red, yellow & orange) michaelmas daisies, annual delphiniums, iris, rose, calendula and more I forget at this hour....)

More interesting photo's of the plants established and in bloom to follow when the season arrives!

Naturalistic planting - hiding fosse mound in Mouzay

Affectionately known now as the 'telly-tubby hill' this pile of soil is here to stay as it provides the filtration for the sustainable on-site waste management.

The plan is to plant it densely with perennial and annuals to provide a flower/colour filled view from the house April-October.

We cleared the weeds then shaped & levelled the land ready for Spring planting.

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5234239322293993771&postID=6295571385547978447

Returning in March after a mostly (relatively) mild & moist winter the grass and weeds had romped away. We cleared this green haze & got down to a timely planting into the warm soil just before a week of rain - perfect :D.

The mound is set in a woodland area of the extensive garden surrounding the recently built wooden house. Naturalist in style and surrounded by far reaching views of fields and woods a mown path surrounds the planted area, a mown grass path leading to a mown grass area on top (sun trap & perfect for a snooze or picnic :D) will help keep order during the growing season.

The maintenance will be as little or as much as the owner has time or inclination for with dead-heading helping to prolong the flowering season but a twice annual brushcutting being sufficient to ensure a repeat performance next year.

The plants are now in the ground (carex bronze, achillea 'fuerland' 'gold plate', verbena bonariensis, iris (purple and blue varieties) various michaelmas daisies, calendula)

We will visit periodically to ensure adequate water is ensuring the plants thrive in their first season and to pull the odd determined weed keen to out run the new plants.