The Creation of the nursery entrance

One of the first things we worked on doing was improving the nursery entrance to encourage people to come up and visit the nursery. It has certainly worked, the tidy borders, tables full of flowering plants at the top, weeded track and signs all encourage people to visit. 

As you can see from the photos there has been quite an improvement since we took over just five weeks ago! 

How the stream, entrance and track looked back at the beginning of June 2015

There were more weeds than plants, yes there are plants in the border across the stream. The willows hung over the track hiding the top of the track and sales area and the track was green with weeds. The first thing I did was spend several days, with the help of my friend Fiona clearing the big bed between the track and stream. We were quite amazed how many plants there actually were once it was done. 

Part of the way through weeding the big bed

Because the gardens have to be easily maintained by myself and because the ground is very clay and unworkable we decided to put bark down to suppress the weeds (see my previous bark blog here) The bark also makes the border and entrance look tidy and cared for. In order to stop the bark disappearing down the bank into the stream we put in back boards to retain it. 

The back boards in place to retain the bark, you can see how well the plants
are coming on now they have space and light

The bark in place, it is quite chunky but so are the plants, I love the smell of new bark. The track has also been
weeded and is no longer green

We spent some money on a bridge because we wanted to the entrance to have impact and draw people up into the nursery, and hey who wouldn't want their own Monet bridge? It works and visitors, customers and the staff at Whitmuir are really positive about what we have done and are doing. The bridge adds something to the place, something quirky. 

The bridge when it was installed three weeks ago

Once the bridge was in I cleared the bankings of weeds, leaving as much of the root structure in to maintain the banking. I then planted lots of large leaved, shade loving, damp loving plants to give a lush waterside look. Although small at the moment they will grow and the leaves will all intermingle as they grow together.

First banking cleared and planted

I can't wait until the Astilboides tabularis has its big dinner plate sized leaves
and fills a lot of this space

Looking up to the nursery across the bridge

Placing plants  on the car park side of the stream

Welcome to Quercus Garden Plants

This side of the bridge completed, now all I need to do is do beyond the bridge

Where I am standing taking the above photograph, the stream disappears into a big pipe under the road. In front of the pipe I have planted a gunnera on both sides. My idea, I hope (if the Gunnera survives) is that the water will disapear behind a curtain of huge Gunnera leaves and they are also big enough to screen the ugle concrete pipe.

The completed project

Ready for the official opening

I have been weeding beyond the bridge and planting up arond the sign, This area only extends about 6 feet as I want it to gradually blen into the natural surrounding beyond.

Planting List

Perennials

Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing'
Aruncus dioicus
Astilboides tabularis
Astrantia major
Epimedium pinnatum ssp. Colchicum
Geranium 'Orion'
Geranium Sirak
Gunnera manicata
Hosta 'Blue Angel'
Hosta 'Frances Williams'
Iris siberica 'Persimmon'
Ligularia przewalskii
Lythrum 'Blush'
Lythrum 'Rosy Gem'
Maianthemum  racemosa
Persicaria bistorta 'Superba'
Primula chungensis
Primula florindii
Primula pulverulenta
Pulmonaria rubra 'Ann'
Sanguisorba officinalis
Tellima grandiflora
Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination'

Grasses
Luzula 'Hohe Tatra'
Miscanthus 'Gracillimus'
Miscanthus 'Malepartus'
Miscanthus 'Morning Light'
Molinia 'Windspiel'

Ferns
Asplenium scolopendrium Undulatum
Onoclea sensibilis
Osmunda regalis
Polystichium aculiatum

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www.quercusgardenplants.co.uk