u/JW3252

I started a Clover lawn last September going from a Leatherjacket infested mess to a full new lawn of Clover, I posted progress on this sub and it seemed to catch the imagination of some on here that like me, had had enough of grass destroyed by Leatherjackets.

A few on Reddit had asked me how it was going to which I replied the Clover had receded in winter and the grass had flourished with the Clover fixing nitrogen into the soil.

There’s been signs of life and the Clover returning recently but these last few days it’s literally took off, it’s returning quickly now and seems to get thicker by the day, wasn’t sure at all what to expect and feared it had disappeared.

The upcoming good weather in the next week should kick it on even more.

Can’t wait for the white flowers to follow soon, I’m told the smell is incredible.

Anyone got any ideas at all what this may be?

Bought in 2018 as a Hosta Fortunei Albopicta it’s most definitely not that variety

It did however have that variety growing in with it as I since removed the correct Hosta and have it growing well in several pots but this one has always had me stumped at its identity.

It’s a big Hosta (big in my collection although I know some on here have some real big Hostas) it grows to around 2ft high and 3ft wide.

Thought it might be a Devon green but it’s not quite as dark as that one and doesn’t have the shine to its leaves so that’s about ruled out.

Any idea or a list of what it could be would be more than helpful

Flowers are the standard lavender colour most Hostas get.

Shame it’s not on the blue side of green as I want a big blue Hosta, going out today to look for one actually, I need to split this one as it’s split the plastic tub it’s in with roots bulging.

A few of my Hostas, most have a way to go yet and colour up but here goes anyway

1- Fortunei Albopicta
2- Summer Breeze
3-June
4- Gypsy Rose
5-Undulata Albomarginata
6-June Fever
7-Colour Festival
8-El Nino
9- Patriot
10- Touch of Class
11-Paul’s Glory
12-First Frost
13-Autumn Frost

I’ve got others such as Whirlwind, Wide Brim, Mediovariagata but they are in the ground still coming through as eyes

Latest recruits are the two Autumn Frosts which I got this week via eBay and First Frost which was identified on here last week as an unlabelled supermarket Hosta

What started as plants for shade in my mixed borders is turning into a bit of an obsession, I can see most on here are really into their Hostas in a big way, I’ll never match that however as I’m more your mixed border type.

I’d post some photos of the mixed borders but I’ve very few with Hostas in due to slowly coming through, added one at the end, you can see there’s only two come through and even then they have far more growing to do, June Fever closest bright lime/yellow and my recently identified Undulata Almomarginata

Give it another couple of weeks we’ll be there 😉

Yesterday it rained all day here in Newcastle, this morning the sun is out and so is our cat, sunbathing against a Clematis backdrop the evergreen Clematis Avalanche.

Brilliant for privacy screening given its evergreen properties, this time of year they come into their own.

Highly recommended for those looking for privacy screening plants instead of using big hard to control high maintenance conifers.

I’ve had this Hosta longer than I care to remember, definitely the oldest plant in my garden, I acquired a section of it many years ago and it’s must have been split umpteen times.

I’ve never known its identity however, started looking online this morning and have come up with a name that looks very like it, but would like to see if any of you knowledgable lot on here can help ID it?

The leaves are pretty soft compared to all my other Hostas if that’s any help.

It’s also always my first variety to leaf up.

Flowers the usual lilac colour you get with most Hostas

It grows around 14-16 inches high but gets wide around 2.5 to 3ft if not divided up for a few years.

I posted our side garden earlier in the week after paying one my rare visits around there (it’s located other side of the wall on this video to the right)
South facing baked ground the plants are generally left to fend for themselves, the point of that video was largely to show what can be done at minimal budget if planning ahead by propagating plants.

I’ve had a few asking via DMs to post the back garden, this I do water and care for and I’ve spent on plants albeit mostly small starter shrubs for £3, also got some cracking bargains in 2020 when starting this garden via garden centres selling off plants at ridiculous low prices when Covid kicked in.

Example- the Wisteria on the right of the swing seat was £10 reduced from £50, couldn’t get it in my trolley fast enough 😆 the smell from this ATM is incredible. I’ve grown an evergreen Avalanche clematis in with it from cuttings off my main plants out of shot in this video, both are fighting a losing battle versus 2 rambling roses which TBH are thugs but look superb in flower, one is dark pink the other yellowish/cream both are scented.

I started a clover lawn in September after leatherjacket Armageddon in my grass lawn, which I posted on here, very pleased with the lawn, very green and the clover is coming through strong now, was concerned after it all receded in winter but it’s coming back by the day, looking forward to a lawn of white clover flowers.

Everything in the back is just budding up now, in 2 weeks or so there will be a riot of colour in the back, even the Hostas are coming in fast now.

This is like the calm before the colour storm.

Can anyone put a name to this one?

It’s next to a June Hosta, I bought this recently at a supermarket but they are just labelled as Perennial Hosta.

Hoping someone can put a name to this Hosta?

I rarely get around the side of the house to a strip of garden we own albeit on the other side of our back garden wall which has a load of Clematis Montana on it and an evergreen Avalanche clematis.

I’ve two shrubs taken from cuttings around 3 years ago now 2ft tall (Exochorda the bride) that need putting in the ground as they keep drying out, it’s only the second time I’ve been around there this spring, first time to do a big post winter prune and clean up a few weeks back, the soil is baked dry, its south facing and with the gable end and garden wall facing onto the plants you can imagine it gets hot, hence I’ve only planted tried and trusted drought tolerant plants with a couple exceptions.

Got one Exchorda planted then watered the whole strip, it’s only then when you’re standing watering do you start appreciating the view, it’s coming along nicely.

The border is now 5 years old in a 6 year old new build, I didn’t do anything with it the first year which coincided with Covid.

The vast majority of these plants cost absolutely nothing, it’s stuff I’ve struck from cuttings, bought as starter shrubs for £3, salvaged, or spares from the back, the standouts ATM are the 3 Ceanothus Trewethin blue, two of these are from cuttings from my Ceanothus tree at the back, the other cost £3 as a 10cm high starter shrub, superb value 5 years later, they grow much slower than the tree at the back due to lack of water.

What I’m trying to point out is that gardening doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg, planning ahead and creating your own plants is more rewarding and satisfying.

This won’t even peak for another two weeks, loads of Weigela, Deutzia etc still to flower.

It’s very low maintenance, It looks after itself, I rarely water now since established, do a clean up in autumn usually getting 3 bags of trimmings etc to recycle, then a light going over early spring, leave it to fend for itself, I really only go around there 2-3 times a year TBH

Plants used

Ceanothus (2 different varieties) Weigela (3-4 different varieties) Deutzia (2 varieties) Lavatera, Heuchera, Dwarf Korean lilac, Spirea, Geranium Magnificum, Rose campion, Mexican orange blossom, Phsycocarpus lady in red, Perovskia, Veronica, Potentilla, Philadelphus.

I need to get a load of catmint going from cuttings in the back garden, I can underplant a lot of what’s in there with it, perfect conditions.