I have now finished three years of making a garden in pots on a city sidewalk, with a barebones budget. I have benefitted greatly from some of the design principles that Alexandra has set out: using evergreens and ornamental grasses to create structure; repetition; using leaves of different sizes and shapes to create interest; and planting flowers in twos or threes so that they show up better. The last is still in its infancy, since I struggle to find ones that live. Starting this past summer, I have turned to a concentration on supporting bumblebees and other native bees. That means choosing flat-faced flowers, for instance, and also leaning towards native cultivars rather than newly developed varieties. I have made a stick pile in the back yard for their summer nests, but I still have a lot to learn about their summer lifecycle. Recently, I was sifting some used potting soil, and came upon three earthworms. The weather was mild, though it was winter, so I took them out to put in the soil in the back yard. In doing so, I uncovered a giant bee, a Mason bee, I guess, hibernating in the soil. I also support the local population of pet dogs! Dog owners tell me that their dogs love to come by, and it’s easy to see why the dogs prefer plants to barren sidewalk. I plant some fragrant plants like lavender and dianthus down at the front, and have a water bowl for them. Every now and then, I gather the sticks ( young sticks, not old rotting ones) from the back yard, break them into shorter lengths, and put them out front in a crate labeled “Sticks for dogs.”
Last year I lost my gardening mojo and declared the goal to do as little as possible and still reasonable maintain my HUGE flower garden. I didn’t plant veggies, I only wedded out the big thugs and when things started to look untidy, I concentrated on the pathways and edges and not so much on the interior of the beds. It worked reasonable well and I was happy with the results. It gave me time and energy to just observe the garden and discover what I really like and don’t like about it. This year, my mojo is back and I’ve got big plans for a few renovations and I’m once more excited about the coming year.
I am a full time worker and a motther of 4. In my garden in Poland ( zone 6b) I have got an English style garden with over 100 roses (75 different), perennials, flower bushes. I plant a lot of vegetables and fruits ( tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, salad, eggplants and almost 40 kinds of fruits). My garden is wildlife friendly with a lot of pollinators. How to do that? I have one solution: I spend some time in my garden every day doing what is necessary. Even 10 minutes every day makes a difference. ( in 10 minutes I can cut 3 roses what makes 20 cut roses a week)😉
We are in central Ohio. While I’m in the third year of transitioning into a focus on native plants your show is always an absolute pleasure to walk. We believe a native garden can be formal and have met with a lot of success as we apply your garden design techniques to native planting. Well done.
Enjoyed this video and the goals, Alexandra! I am in Central Ohio, USA, zone 6A, and here are my big gardening goals for 2023. 1. Avoid bare soil (cover it so weeds don’t take over). 2. Water tomatoes much less, especially as they are ripening; let the leaves get a little curled up at the edges before watering. 3. Notice when I am watering too frequently; let the established plants get a little thirsty before watering them. And as always, 4. Continue removing lawn and expanding the garden beds. Happy gardening, friends!
Common sense, no nonsense. A good balance of setting goals and making plans with don't beat yourself up if it doesn't happen. Doing things in stages with an overall plan is less overwhelming I have learned over time. A well put together video and very instructive for new and experienced gardeners.
Happy New Year, Alexandra! I'm in Colorado, USA, zone 5a and 6500 feet elevation. I love watching your beautiful videos where there is rain! I grow a large Kitchen garden and I'm creating a new large in-ground garden for serious food growing. I wish it was easy to grow fruit here, we really struggle but I'm going to plant raspberries, again, and hopefully they'll do well. All the best in 2023!
Hey Alexandra, it was so nice to see you on and thank you for this great video. Sorry to say that the chat did not realy work on this side. There are many things to think about and as it is way to warm already outside at the moment, I wonder how the new year is going to be. The last year was hot in germany and the lawn tried out but the "" weeds"" did fine. So I let them grow in the lawn for the bees and birds. And the cats also liked to lay there. So even the weeds can have use. 🙂 the garden looks horable at the moment because I do not cut and clean before winter but it gives homes to wildlife. I also found out, that it shelters the roots and I loose less plants. So happy gardening year to everyone.
Happy New year🥳 My gardening goals for 2023: 1: expand the back garden border even more and install a bigger pond instead of a tub 2: watch and enjoy how my very first early spring bulbs are growing and flowering 3: propagating my existing plants and take care of my tree cutting and seedling 4: add more sand/gravel and less soil to my front garden tub pond and replace plants for the right kinds to combad green slime algae 5: enjoy looking at all the wildlife that visits my garden❤
I’m in US. I always admired gardens in your area. Ben from Grow Veg showed a huge Rosemary and I so wish I could over winter them here in Z5a in the Midwest. I laughed when you said to get more wildlife😆. Would you like some rabbits and deer? 😆. When I plant I have to include a fence for the cost-a tall one. We had a welcomed surprise visitor a couple nights ago that we have never heard here-the snowy owls!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼. It was so exciting as they actually were talking to each other and are not a loud hoot like woodland owls. I think they were hunting my nemesis🐇 😊. I mean seriously we have a time with them and deer! I split day lilies and was given some last year and didn’t see a bloom as the deer ate them and a rabbit started a den under one-UGH! We are in the country and there is loads of woods But they choose to come to the salad bar in the oasis. It’s a battle 😢. There is no way I can have ornamentals without protection-it tends to look like a prison, but I can’t be spending money and time and come out to find they’ve been eaten to the ground. Im perusing all the beautiful shrubs and roses in the catalogs and online and sigh. I have to always think where do I have room or where do I need to expand 7’ fencing to corral all of the plants. Can you imagine looking at all your beautiful gardens with fencing? So I’ve started a small orchard and already know I need to enlarge the area with More fencing. I use that nasty bird netting that gets tangles in everything to protect the lower limbs of maples as they seem to be a delicacy compared to the cedar and oaks. I will have to do the same for lilies this year as well-how lovely will that look? I can’t trust deterrents that are sprayed/sprinkled on plants-too risky. I struggle with a love of formal to informal and forced to do the latter. Just as well, because if things look too good our property tax would go sky high and they just increased again due to all the huge referendums for schools. So that’s my dilemma. When the security light goes on and you see the rabbit outside the flower bed and he’s staring back at you as if to say “Watch this” and jumps through a fence-we’ve got problems. So here I am in my pajamas chasing out a rabbit and repairing fence. 🙄😣. I need more owls 😂 We have been in a drought for 2 years and use cattle tanks to collect rain water. Some areas out West have extreme drought and are not allowed to capture rain. I know there must be plenty of rain in UK as I always hear about aphids and slugs. They haven’t a chance here.😂. I rarely see an earthworm, But we got grubs😅 Sorry I’m chatty I have Cabin Fever and what better thing to do is chat with fellow gardeners when it’s winter😊 Cheer up I’m gearing up to winter sow some seeds in jugs and start some lettuce inside. I got some supplies yesterday. Since this pandemic, inflation and the companies all knowing people are growing more it has become increasingly $$$ and hard to find supplies. I’m having sticker shock at some seed prices that I could never imagine. The problem is I have to order the rest of bare root orchard plants now or I won’t get them as they will be gone. It takes several years to produce and I can’t afford time to be frugal and wait for a sale-sigh. Happy gardening in the new year everyone. Enjoyed the video across the pond.
Thank you, and I sympathise about the rabbits and deer. Friends in Australia also have possums, wombats, parrots and more, all of which demolish plants.
I love these tips, especially because you go into possible pitfalls. Ignoring pests has served me well. I do have a lot of happy birds. ( the blueberry bushes don’t hurt too). I’ve come to grips with my short growing season, and too little sun to grow many veggies. I’m still working out the water in my relatively young garden. All your info really helps!!! Thank you
What a great presentation! Probably my favourite of yours so far Alexandra. So much useful info and not a subject I've really seen covered before. Keep up the great work.
Happy new year Alexandra 🎉❤ You have been a great gardening companion for 2022 and the year before and I look forward to more gardening with you in 2023! You certainly did a good start for the new year!
I have a channel on here and I practice biodiversity. I agree with you about balance in nature. I teach people about not spraying and allowing pests into your garden as they provide food for birds and beneficial insects. I have a very healthy garden, and have practiced biodiversity for 4 and half years now and I have not used any sprays or any chemicals on my plants and I cannot believe the health of my garden, it’s so healthy and balanced.
Inspiring video! You mentioned planting more native plants as a possible goal. A video about some of the plants that are native to your local area would be fascinating, even for those of us who live far away.
Using more native plants is a worthy goal, especially as it benefits the native wildlife. I've found this must done with a bit of caution, though. Some native plants do so well in their native environments that they become thugs in the garden.
Thank you Alexandra, you're a great teacher. My main personal goal is to balance the needs of my hens and the vegetation in my garden. Having played with the idea of keeping the hens in a restricted space, I now realise that, bird flu regs permitting, it's the plants that need to be cordoned off, unless they're well-established and not attractive to a hen! The chickens love to explore - but in a confined space they wreak destruction!
Good inspiring video. I remove rose head of the watering can to water roots area only. I use a smaller can the same way for smaller plants and seedlings. My lawn has a lot of clover and it’s such a joy to see the bees enjoying it.
What an inspiring start to the New Year. I've written down my goals and am off to choose a tree this week. I am always thankful for all the work you do to help us, and that you go the extra mile putting links to everything you mention. I look forward to you videos and your cheerful delivery every week. I wish you health, happiness and a beautiful garden for 2023.
Lots of good & helpful ideas. I never water my lawn areas or my tropical area. We have plenty of rain in top end Qld. Australia. I only do my flower garden on one side of our house, when it looks dry. Lots of 'birds' & 'bees''. Unfortunately, many areas have had flooding & lost everything.
Thank you! I don't want to upset too many sacred cows, but sometimes things do need questioning. Also gardening is different in different places, so I like to remind people that just because some do things in a certain way, it doesn't mean it's right for everyone.
Good afternoon Alexander, it is 10 past 5 in the late afternoon, just watched the gardening video and enjoyed it as much as ever with a few good chuckles by myself regarding a guilty conscinece :) First and foremost a very happy and prosperous new year to you and your husband and family for 2023. The year as always has gone by quite fast but much have been achieved, many happy moments and so on. I have to rush as I promised my husband and son a death by chocolate pudding today and there is not much time left to start the baking. Promises makes debt. I will think of you with happy thoughts whilst enjoying the sweetness a little later, just the thing to eat after a hard days work in the garden. I will save some for tomorrow as I plan to do some work, you know where! We have 3 medium sized rain water barrels that are inter connected and the majority of that water goes into the swimming pool via another hose connection. We have had to seldom top up our pool especially in the summer season, and this year we have been blessed with much rain. The pool is just about ready to spill over. We just have to plan carefully, decide how much time we have to garden. Nurseries can be most helpful but enquire from friends and family even neighbours all will be just to happy to advise and guide. All the best, take care, many blessings.
My goal is to find more plants that have year round interest for a shady north wall that will also be more resilient to seesawing weather. Also to create a cut flower patch. Lovely video,thank you Alexandra.
Thank you I love this video great information regarding variation of garden of what I am doing now, to maintain a healthy prosper garden is full time job, but so much rewarding 😊👌👌
I have finished the 3rd year of my 5 year plan to rid the property of the lawn and create a self sustaining wildlife and food garden. Well; As self sustaining as possible. Like you I don't do much veggie gardening, but I will try to work something out in the 5th year. Next summer it's structures like trellis' and pergola and of course more plants, native and otherwise. Love the show, keep it coming.
Fantastic. Currently have that messy corner /dumping ground and it feels overwhelming so great tips that help me to feel more positive about tackling it one step at a time.
Thank you for all of your excellent tips and advice Alexandra and a Happy New Year to you 😁🍾🎉 I am guilty of the untidy corner, I have plans to clear that up this year, and I'm going to be more chilled out about aphids and let the resident sparrows do the work! My children bought me a ladybird house for Christmas so that will be installed soon, fingers crossed that some residents move in as that will also help with the aphids 👍 I would love to grow veg but my garden is Piccadilly Circus for the local cats, so if anyone has any tips for dealing with that problem then I would be very grateful, and believe me I have tried everything! Roll on springtime! 😁
I have cats and normaly they go to there Toilette but once in a while. If I see it , I make them wet. In my garden in the US I used mothballs around the beds, it stinks but it helped. My veg is growing in pots and raised beds and it works fine. A cat will maybe pee against a big pot but not in it when things grow in them. My cats did not even get into the growbags that I use for growing potatos and tomatos. But I do make them wet if they go where they have no place to be and that right from the start. All the best for your garden and if nothing helps you have to make a cat safe fence aound it, its netting with metalwire in it. Cats dont klimp up it. We use it so our cats dont run on a bussy street.
Thank you so much for your very useful reply 👍 I had not heard of using mothballs, I shall keep that in mind if I do decide to try veg again. I had considered fencing but I have seen how determined cats can be, and I don't think the ones in my neighbourhood would take much notice, they would just jump over! I wish you well with your garden and your veg growing too 😁👍
Project goals and Strategic gardening goals. Of course! *lightbulb moment* Yes, I'm writing this down - Thank you! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your videos in the year ahead. Have a Happy New Year!
Thank you for saying that lawns don't need to be green deserts. Our lawn gets mowed regularly which is much easier than weeding the beds, and there are loads of earthworms on it, and some wildflowers. We also have perrenials, bulbs and flowering shrubs which give year round food to the bees. Visitors often say how peaceful our garden is, and I don't think it would have that feeling if it was Gravel without lawns. And Gravel is very difficult to keep weed free without weed killers. I would also recommend mulching the beds to cut down on weeding. A tree feller left us with a huge pile of wood chips 2 years ago, and, after putting them on pathways, I started mulching beds. Of course, it's important not to dig it in, but it has been a huge help. Weeds are much easier to pull, and are becoming less. Helen
Happy New Year, Alexandra! Great topics to start the year. Nothing is one size fits all, and I like how you encourage gardeners to be creative and try various options. In November I cleaned my two 95 gallon rain barrels and moved them to shady spots, one near the house, and the other by the back fence. I collect rainwater in smaller containers, then empty it into the barrels. Once full, I put on the tight fitting tops to keep out debris and mosquitos. The water will keep until the early summer with no algae. I have a dedicated trash bin under the edge of the patio roof, and will use that water first. Most of our rain is done by April, so this is strategic. Skunks, possums, and raccoons dig up my vegetable beds. I need to rig some kind of deterrent fencing. I also want to focus on vegetables we'll actually eat, because often I don't have time to cook, can, or freeze what I grow. Going to try zucchini (courgettes). It's been years since I've grown them. If I don't pay grocery store prices, I won't feel so bad when they end up in the compost because I forgot them in the fridge.
Thank you so much for this video. This video is the summary of all the words of wisdom about every aspect of gardening. Happy New Year, and happy gardening.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I always enjoy your vids. They are always so informative. Happy New Year. Looking forward to a great year of gardening. ❤
Inspiring and useful video as always, thank you. I noticed in the background that you seem to have quite a few Acanthus plants, and I’m intrigued because where I am in Wellington, New Zealand,/Aotearoa, The Acanthus in my garden are a real problem. They grow like Jacks beanstalk and are hugely invasive. I have tried to get rid of them, cutting, digging, poisoning, nothing works! So I just want to let folks know to be careful about planting them in the first place. The ones in my garden would have been planted decades ago.
You're right that the Acanthus mollis (Bear's britches) can be quite invasive in some places. The type I grow is called Rue Ledan and isn't invasive in the UK - on the other hand, a plant that is not invasive in one place may well be invasive in another and the other way around, so it's important that people know what's invasive for their area. I've had that particular clump in the garden for about 8/9 years and they haven't spread but the standard Acanthus mollis have been more of a problem.
The bird house corner is looking good. I like the topiary in the background and the seating area. Did you make any changes to the front lawn patches? Are the ground bees still happy?
The ground bees are still happy, but I'm still dithering. Every time I think the mini meadow isn't working, I see some happy bird or insect and decide that I like it after all. But it does look messy.
We've had several hot dry summers here in far northern Ca, very frustrating to try to keep everything alive... We are finally getting some good rain showers, just hope we get enough
Hello, we watched Pollyanna Wilkinson's segment and I caught a photo of one of her designs. In it were several small trees on a patio that looked like they had some sort of structure at the top of the trunk under the canopy. Is this a pruning effect or structural some how? We enjoy your video's. Dan and Pat Kerr, from Bruce Mines, Ontario Canada.
It's a pruning effect and it's called different things - parasol or umbrella pruning, flat canopy, roof form etc. I think it looks great, though you'd have to be strict about the pruning schedule. Claus Dalby also has this style of trees.
I live in Canada. I need to water my lawn as I live in a high fire risk area. Eventually I would like to remove my lawn but since I have 2 young children and two dogs, it’s here to stay for the foreseeable.
Interesting point! And a high fire risk area presumably means hot, and most of the alternatives to lawn are even hotter (eg stone, concrete, gravel, etc), so you probably have the right balance.
I got very discouraged last year because voles did so much damage. Hoping this year to stay on top of the bait boxes and get rid of them. Any advice is appreciated!!
Happy new year Alexandra, I may have missed the live. I do have a question if you have the time to advise. I’m in 6b Canada. I have a stand of full grown Austrian pines. My oak leaf hydrangea do well in the area but my question is, what do you suggest I do with the fallen needles. Do you rake them? Can I just cover with mulch? I do both, rake then mulch. What if I just left them. Also, should I apply lime to neutralize the soil acidity for my hydrangea? Thank you
I think it is very difficult to change the nature of your soil permanently, so I personally wouldn't apply lime. You can always improve your soil by adding garden compost or well rotted manure, but that won't change its acidity. I have heard TV garden expert Adam Frost talk about pine needles dropping - he said he leaves them. They too won't change the acidity of your soil and they will break down. You can cover with mulch if you like or just let them rot down. Personally I wouldn't bother with raking them away, but some people might prefer the look of the borders without them.
I was a bit alarmed when you mentioned worm composting without any hint that it is very problematic and advised against in some areas. In places where there are native forests that depend on a layer of leaf litter for their health, the invasive worms used for composting can strip the forest floor by consuming the duff. I have read this is particularly a problem in Minnesota and may be so in other northern US states. Some experts advise against worm composting here in the Pacific NW. Are you aware of this issue? Is it a problem for your forests in the UK?
That's interesting and the UK/Northern Europe doesn't have that problem. The worms sold for composting systems in the UK are indigenous, so would not cause a problem if they escaped, but in parts of North America where indigenous worms were wiped out by the ice age, there appear to be areas of concern. A strong theme in the whole video is 'find out what works where you are' - as with the lawns, worm composting can be a very good environmental option for disposing of food waste and creating fertiliser in many places (with no biodiversity negatives at all), while in other areas, there's potential damage to the environment if the worms escape. It's very complex and we can sometimes cause damage by warning against, because often people only remember the negative and pass it on out of context....the 'lawns are bad for the environment' campaign has damaged biodiversity here in the UK, which is very suited to lawns, provided they're managed in an environmentally friendly way. Whereas there are parts of the US where the 'lawns are bad for the environment' message probably hasn't gone far enough. Thank you for raising the issue.
Happy New Yesr from Asheville area USA. Please, is that an APPLE tree behind you, I believe in your own garden? Or perhaps a medlar? You inspired me to put in three hours moving downed oak leaves to my blueberries snd a new holly bed.
One of the things that was mentioned in your video is insects and the natural order of predators versus prey I wish commercial farming would realize that you can't have the yield you want every year, if they realized it's a give and take they wouldn't have to use pesticides and herbicides it is sad to see our commercial farming industry still using pesticides and herbicides
if you make a lawn an let wild-daisys and violets grow in, it will do you and nature a favour! first of all you have to mown less, and the grass will stay much more longer green with much less water! and secondly the wildlife would be very attracted to it. thirdly you have not to fear bees or wesps in this kind of lawn, because even these little flowers are blooming you will not have issues to go through and catch a bee or wesp with your feet (unlike clover!)
Quite honestly I'm sick of being wildlife-friendly. There are a few treasured plants so far left alone - lavender is one - but there are 4-legged beasts. flying pests, and crawling ones that have denuded my garden, tunnelled into it and eaten costly plants. Tether at end of!
If you have any questions after the video, leave them in the comments below! Thank you.
I have now finished three years of making a garden in pots on a city sidewalk, with a barebones budget. I have benefitted greatly from some of the design principles that Alexandra has set out: using evergreens and ornamental grasses to create structure; repetition; using leaves of different sizes and shapes to create interest; and planting flowers in twos or threes so that they show up better. The last is still in its infancy, since I struggle to find ones that live.
Starting this past summer, I have turned to a concentration on supporting bumblebees and other native bees. That means choosing flat-faced flowers, for instance, and also leaning towards native cultivars rather than newly developed varieties. I have made a stick pile in the back yard for their summer nests, but I still have a lot to learn about their summer lifecycle. Recently, I was sifting some used potting soil, and came upon three earthworms. The weather was mild, though it was winter, so I took them out to put in the soil in the back yard. In doing so, I uncovered a giant bee, a Mason bee, I guess, hibernating in the soil.
I also support the local population of pet dogs! Dog owners tell me that their dogs love to come by, and it’s easy to see why the dogs prefer plants to barren sidewalk. I plant some fragrant plants like lavender and dianthus down at the front, and have a water bowl for them. Every now and then, I gather the sticks ( young sticks, not old rotting ones) from the back yard, break them into shorter lengths, and put them out front in a crate labeled “Sticks for dogs.”
Sounds lovely.🌸
Last year I lost my gardening mojo and declared the goal to do as little as possible and still reasonable maintain my HUGE flower garden. I didn’t plant veggies, I only wedded out the big thugs and when things started to look untidy, I concentrated on the pathways and edges and not so much on the interior of the beds. It worked reasonable well and I was happy with the results. It gave me time and energy to just observe the garden and discover what I really like and don’t like about it. This year, my mojo is back and I’ve got big plans for a few renovations and I’m once more excited about the coming year.
I'm glad to hear your mojo is back!
My sentiments exactly. Let's keep the mojo going. Wishing everyone an awesome gardening season 🙂
“Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits”. Quiet time in a garden is a blessing…then it’s back to work!
I am a full time worker and a motther of 4. In my garden in Poland ( zone 6b) I have got an English style garden with over 100 roses (75 different), perennials, flower bushes. I plant a lot of vegetables and fruits ( tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, salad, eggplants and almost 40 kinds of fruits). My garden is wildlife friendly with a lot of pollinators. How to do that? I have one solution: I spend some time in my garden every day doing what is necessary. Even 10 minutes every day makes a difference. ( in 10 minutes I can cut 3 roses what makes 20 cut roses a week)😉
Amazing how u can do it all but very sensible advice
Such good advice!
I wish I had your energy!🌸
@@mollypitcher9380 Only my garden gives me energy😂
Wow Alexandra, now that's what I call a good start to the year! What a wonderful video. Ideas galore. Thank you for inspiring us.
Thank you so much!
“List what you want to see when you look out the window.” EXCELLENT 🌸
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I just can't wait for gardening season! I am excited to about this video and all the info I receive because of it. 🎉
We are in central Ohio. While I’m in the third year of transitioning into a focus on native plants your show is always an absolute pleasure to walk. We believe a native garden can be formal and have met with a lot of success as we apply your garden design techniques to native planting. Well done.
Thank you! And I agree, you can incorporate native plants very happily into a formal setting.
Enjoyed this video and the goals, Alexandra! I am in Central Ohio, USA, zone 6A, and here are my big gardening goals for 2023. 1. Avoid bare soil (cover it so weeds don’t take over). 2. Water tomatoes much less, especially as they are ripening; let the leaves get a little curled up at the edges before watering. 3. Notice when I am watering too frequently; let the established plants get a little thirsty before watering them. And as always, 4. Continue removing lawn and expanding the garden beds. Happy gardening, friends!
Sound like great goals. There's an increasing interest in getting plants a little tougher about drought and not watering until it's really necessary.
Common sense, no nonsense. A good balance of setting goals and making plans with don't beat yourself up if it doesn't happen. Doing things in stages with an overall plan is less overwhelming I have learned over time. A well put together video and very instructive for new and experienced gardeners.
Thank you!
Many thanks for the mention. 2023 for me is all about pushing the allotment garden as much as possible to grow my own food.
Great challenge and you have all the expertise to make it happen!
Ant wait it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve had the pleasure of a video from this channel and I’ve missed them.❤️
Ah thank you, I took a bit of time off, but am really looking forward to getting back.
Finding the plants that really thrive in my garden with minimal inputs is my goal for this year. If a plant needs babying it’s going to go.
Great goal.
My goodness, what a beautiful scarf and looks so good on you!
Thank you! It was a Christmas present from my son and daughter-in-law.
Happy New Year, Alexandra! I'm in Colorado, USA, zone 5a and 6500 feet elevation. I love watching your beautiful videos where there is rain! I grow a large Kitchen garden and I'm creating a new large in-ground garden for serious food growing. I wish it was easy to grow fruit here, we really struggle but I'm going to plant raspberries, again, and hopefully they'll do well. All the best in 2023!
Thank you, and a happy new year to you, too.
Hey Alexandra, it was so nice to see you on and thank you for this great video. Sorry to say that the chat did not realy work on this side. There are many things to think about and as it is way to warm already outside at the moment, I wonder how the new year is going to be. The last year was hot in germany and the lawn tried out but the "" weeds"" did fine. So I let them grow in the lawn for the bees and birds. And the cats also liked to lay there. So even the weeds can have use. 🙂 the garden looks horable at the moment because I do not cut and clean before winter but it gives homes to wildlife. I also found out, that it shelters the roots and I loose less plants. So happy gardening year to everyone.
Happy gardening year and thank you!
Happy New year🥳
My gardening goals for 2023:
1: expand the back garden border even more and install a bigger pond instead of a tub
2: watch and enjoy how my very first early spring bulbs are growing and flowering
3: propagating my existing plants and take care of my tree cutting and seedling
4: add more sand/gravel and less soil to my front garden tub pond and replace plants for the right kinds to combad green slime algae
5: enjoy looking at all the wildlife that visits my garden❤
That sounds like a great list of goals.
I’m in US. I always admired gardens in your area. Ben from Grow Veg showed a huge Rosemary and I so wish I could over winter them here in Z5a in the Midwest. I laughed when you said to get more wildlife😆. Would you like some rabbits and deer? 😆. When I plant I have to include a fence for the cost-a tall one. We had a welcomed surprise visitor a couple nights ago that we have never heard here-the snowy owls!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼. It was so exciting as they actually were talking to each other and are not a loud hoot like woodland owls. I think they were hunting my nemesis🐇 😊. I mean seriously we have a time with them and deer! I split day lilies and was given some last year and didn’t see a bloom as the deer ate them and a rabbit started a den under one-UGH! We are in the country and there is loads of woods But they choose to come to the salad bar in the oasis. It’s a battle 😢. There is no way I can have ornamentals without protection-it tends to look like a prison, but I can’t be spending money and time and come out to find they’ve been eaten to the ground. Im perusing all the beautiful shrubs and roses in the catalogs and online and sigh. I have to always think where do I have room or where do I need to expand 7’ fencing to corral all of the plants. Can you imagine looking at all your beautiful gardens with fencing?
So I’ve started a small orchard and already know I need to enlarge the area with More fencing. I use that nasty bird netting that gets tangles in everything to protect the lower limbs of maples as they seem to be a delicacy compared to the cedar and oaks. I will have to do the same for lilies this year as well-how lovely will that look? I can’t trust deterrents that are sprayed/sprinkled on plants-too risky.
I struggle with a love of formal to informal and forced to do the latter. Just as well, because if things look too good our property tax would go sky high and they just increased again due to all the huge referendums for schools.
So that’s my dilemma. When the security light goes on and you see the rabbit outside the flower bed and he’s staring back at you as if to say “Watch this” and jumps through a fence-we’ve got problems. So here I am in my pajamas chasing out a rabbit and repairing fence. 🙄😣. I need more owls 😂
We have been in a drought for 2 years and use cattle tanks to collect rain water. Some areas out West have extreme drought and are not allowed to capture rain. I know there must be plenty of rain in UK as I always hear about aphids and slugs. They haven’t a chance here.😂. I rarely see an earthworm, But we got grubs😅
Sorry I’m chatty I have Cabin Fever and what better thing to do is chat with fellow gardeners when it’s winter😊
Cheer up I’m gearing up to winter sow some seeds in jugs and start some lettuce inside. I got some supplies yesterday. Since this pandemic, inflation and the companies all knowing people are growing more it has become increasingly $$$ and hard to find supplies. I’m having sticker shock at some seed prices that I could never imagine. The problem is I have to order the rest of bare root orchard plants now or I won’t get them as they will be gone. It takes several years to produce and I can’t afford time to be frugal and wait for a sale-sigh.
Happy gardening in the new year everyone. Enjoyed the video across the pond.
You should consider venison and rabbit stew. 😅
Thank you, and I sympathise about the rabbits and deer. Friends in Australia also have possums, wombats, parrots and more, all of which demolish plants.
I love these tips, especially because you go into possible pitfalls. Ignoring pests has served me well. I do have a lot of happy birds. ( the blueberry bushes don’t hurt too). I’ve come to grips with my short growing season, and too little sun to grow many veggies. I’m still working out the water in my relatively young garden. All your info really helps!!! Thank you
What a great presentation! Probably my favourite of yours so far Alexandra. So much useful info and not a subject I've really seen covered before. Keep up the great work.
Happy new year Alexandra 🎉❤
You have been a great gardening companion for 2022 and the year before and I look forward to more gardening with you in 2023! You certainly did a good start for the new year!
Thank you! You too!
very happy to be watching gardening videos again! lost some plants in the snow/frost. Hebe's didnt make it/ lost some salvias too. x
I have a channel on here and I practice biodiversity. I agree with you about balance in nature. I teach people about not spraying and allowing pests into your garden as they provide food for birds and beneficial insects. I have a very healthy garden, and have practiced biodiversity for 4 and half years now and I have not used any sprays or any chemicals on my plants and I cannot believe the health of my garden, it’s so healthy and balanced.
Inspiring video! You mentioned planting more native plants as a possible goal. A video about some of the plants that are native to your local area would be fascinating, even for those of us who live far away.
Using more native plants is a worthy goal, especially as it benefits the native wildlife. I've found this must done with a bit of caution, though. Some native plants do so well in their native environments that they become thugs in the garden.
It's a really interesting topic, especially as around 80% of the plants in UK towns and cities are not native plants.
Thank you Alexandra, you're a great teacher. My main personal goal is to balance the needs of my hens and the vegetation in my garden. Having played with the idea of keeping the hens in a restricted space, I now realise that, bird flu regs permitting, it's the plants that need to be cordoned off, unless they're well-established and not attractive to a hen! The chickens love to explore - but in a confined space they wreak destruction!
Good inspiring video. I remove rose head of the watering can to water roots area only. I use a smaller can the same way for smaller plants and seedlings. My lawn has a lot of clover and it’s such a joy to see the bees enjoying it.
Hurray! A new video! Happy New Year!
What an inspiring start to the New Year. I've written down my goals and am off to choose a tree this week. I am always thankful for all the work you do to help us, and that you go the extra mile putting links to everything you mention. I look forward to you videos and your cheerful delivery every week. I wish you health, happiness and a beautiful garden for 2023.
Thank you! And happy new year to you, too!
Lots of good & helpful ideas. I never water my lawn areas or my tropical area. We have
plenty of rain in top end Qld. Australia. I only do my flower garden on one side of our
house, when it looks dry. Lots of 'birds' & 'bees''. Unfortunately, many areas have had
flooding & lost everything.
I'm sorry to hear that, there has been some very challenging weather around the world.
A really superb video. I love the way you question accepted wisdom but do it in a gentle, kind way.
Thank you! I don't want to upset too many sacred cows, but sometimes things do need questioning. Also gardening is different in different places, so I like to remind people that just because some do things in a certain way, it doesn't mean it's right for everyone.
Good afternoon Alexander, it is 10 past 5 in the late afternoon, just watched the gardening video and enjoyed it as much as ever with a few good chuckles by myself regarding a guilty conscinece :) First and foremost a very happy and prosperous new year to you and your husband and family for 2023. The year as always has gone by quite fast but much have been achieved, many happy moments and so on. I have to rush as I promised my husband and son a death by chocolate pudding today and there is not much time left to start the baking. Promises makes debt. I will think of you with happy thoughts whilst enjoying the sweetness a little later, just the thing to eat after a hard days work in the garden. I will save some for tomorrow as I plan to do some work, you know where! We have 3 medium sized rain water barrels that are inter connected and the majority of that water goes into the swimming pool via another hose connection. We have had to seldom top up our pool especially in the summer season, and this year we have been blessed with much rain. The pool is just about ready to spill over. We just have to plan carefully, decide how much time we have to garden. Nurseries can be most helpful but enquire from friends and family even neighbours all will be just to happy to advise and guide. All the best, take care, many blessings.
Thank you and I hope the Death by Chocolate was appreciated!
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Yes, the boys loved it! Wish I could have shared it with you :) Be blessed
My goal is to find more plants that have year round interest for a shady north wall that will also be more resilient to seesawing weather. Also to create a cut flower patch.
Lovely video,thank you Alexandra.
Thank you I love this video great information regarding variation of garden of what I am doing now, to maintain a healthy prosper garden is full time job, but so much rewarding 😊👌👌
Love this one, I use High Country Gardens for Intermountain West drought tolerant plants. I’m wanting more birds..
I have finished the 3rd year of my 5 year plan to rid the property of the lawn and create a self sustaining wildlife and food garden. Well; As self sustaining as possible. Like you I don't do much veggie gardening, but I will try to work something out in the 5th year. Next summer it's structures like trellis' and pergola and of course more plants, native and otherwise. Love the show, keep it coming.
Thank you!
Fantastic. Currently have that messy corner /dumping ground and it feels overwhelming so great tips that help me to feel more positive about tackling it one step at a time.
Definitely one step at a time, it's the only way I can ever tackle a messy corner!
Thank you for sharing information about agriculture and plantations, I hope that in 2023 all the plants will thrive
Thank you!
Thank you for all of your excellent tips and advice Alexandra and a Happy New Year to you 😁🍾🎉
I am guilty of the untidy corner, I have plans to clear that up this year, and I'm going to be more chilled out about aphids and let the resident sparrows do the work! My children bought me a ladybird house for Christmas so that will be installed soon, fingers crossed that some residents move in as that will also help with the aphids 👍 I would love to grow veg but my garden is Piccadilly Circus for the local cats, so if anyone has any tips for dealing with that problem then I would be very grateful, and believe me I have tried everything! Roll on springtime! 😁
I have cats and normaly they go to there Toilette but once in a while. If I see it , I make them wet. In my garden in the US I used mothballs around the beds, it stinks but it helped. My veg is growing in pots and raised beds and it works fine. A cat will maybe pee against a big pot but not in it when things grow in them. My cats did not even get into the growbags that I use for growing potatos and tomatos. But I do make them wet if they go where they have no place to be and that right from the start. All the best for your garden and if nothing helps you have to make a cat safe fence aound it, its netting with metalwire in it. Cats dont klimp up it. We use it so our cats dont run on a bussy street.
Thank you so much for your very useful reply 👍 I had not heard of using mothballs, I shall keep that in mind if I do decide to try veg again. I had considered fencing but I have seen how determined cats can be, and I don't think the ones in my neighbourhood would take much notice, they would just jump over! I wish you well with your garden and your veg growing too 😁👍
Such sound comprehensive advice & clever ideas! ~ just wonderful. All blessings for a happy & healthy New Year Alexandra :)
How lucky I am to come across your invaluable advice!Thank you!
Thank you, what a great content can’t wait for spring to use all great information in my garden, and Happy New Year 🎉
Project goals and Strategic gardening goals. Of course! *lightbulb moment* Yes, I'm writing this down - Thank you! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your videos in the year ahead. Have a Happy New Year!
Thank you for saying that lawns don't need to be green deserts. Our lawn gets mowed regularly which is much easier than weeding the beds, and there are loads of earthworms on it, and some wildflowers. We also have perrenials, bulbs and flowering shrubs which give year round food to the bees. Visitors often say how peaceful our garden is, and I don't think it would have that feeling if it was Gravel without lawns. And Gravel is very difficult to keep weed free without weed killers.
I would also recommend mulching the beds to cut down on weeding. A tree feller left us with a huge pile of wood chips 2 years ago, and, after putting them on pathways, I started mulching beds. Of course, it's important not to dig it in, but it has been a huge help. Weeds are much easier to pull, and are becoming less.
Helen
Absolutely agree!
Thanks so much for another wonderful video! You gave us lots to contemplate for the start of the new year. Best of luck for 2023 growing season.
Happy New Year, Alexandra! Great topics to start the year. Nothing is one size fits all, and I like how you encourage gardeners to be creative and try various options. In November I cleaned my two 95 gallon rain barrels and moved them to shady spots, one near the house, and the other by the back fence. I collect rainwater in smaller containers, then empty it into the barrels. Once full, I put on the tight fitting tops to keep out debris and mosquitos. The water will keep until the early summer with no algae. I have a dedicated trash bin under the edge of the patio roof, and will use that water first. Most of our rain is done by April, so this is strategic. Skunks, possums, and raccoons dig up my vegetable beds. I need to rig some kind of deterrent fencing. I also want to focus on vegetables we'll actually eat, because often I don't have time to cook, can, or freeze what I grow. Going to try zucchini (courgettes). It's been years since I've grown them. If I don't pay grocery store prices, I won't feel so bad when they end up in the compost because I forgot them in the fridge.
Absolutely! I try to avoid the fridge turning into a very cold composting bin, but at least if it happens, it's doing some good!
Lovely video and tips, great options for outdoor seating too that you demonstrated in each new shot! Happy New Year 🎇 !
Thank you!
Love the practical subject you covered and the pictures are awesome. Eye candy to a gardener! You inspire me to want to improve my spaces always!
Happy New Year Alexandra. This video really was fantastic 🪴❤️. Thank you
Your videos are always to helpful and informative. Thank you!
Happy New Year Alexandar. Thank you for another great advice.
Thank you!
Happy New Year, Alexandra! No specific goals, other than planting even more native perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses.
Sounds good!
Thank you so much for this video. This video is the summary of all the words of wisdom about every aspect of gardening.
Happy New Year, and happy gardening.
Thank you for this video; as informative as always, and so encouraging also. Thank you.
Fabulous, as always! I look forward to your vlogs in 2023!
Happy new year!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I always enjoy your vids. They are always so informative. Happy New Year. Looking forward to a great year of gardening. ❤
Thank you!
Excellent and extensive piece of knowledge..best way for sustainable and easy gardening
Thank you!
Inspiring and useful video as always, thank you. I noticed in the background that you seem to have quite a few Acanthus plants, and I’m intrigued because where I am in Wellington, New Zealand,/Aotearoa, The Acanthus in my garden are a real problem. They grow like Jacks beanstalk and are hugely invasive. I have tried to get rid of them, cutting, digging, poisoning, nothing works! So I just want to let folks know to be careful about planting them in the first place. The ones in my garden would have been planted decades ago.
You're right that the Acanthus mollis (Bear's britches) can be quite invasive in some places. The type I grow is called Rue Ledan and isn't invasive in the UK - on the other hand, a plant that is not invasive in one place may well be invasive in another and the other way around, so it's important that people know what's invasive for their area. I've had that particular clump in the garden for about 8/9 years and they haven't spread but the standard Acanthus mollis have been more of a problem.
This is just packed with great advice!! Thanks Alexandra!
Glad it was helpful!
A good idea to write the aims down ( especially to declutter that special corner in the garden that everybody has 😉) Happy New Year 🎊🎉🎆
Happy new year!
Happy New Year!
Thank you so much - happy new year to you, too!
Brilliant video thank you and Happy New Year 😊
Thank you too
Great video and tips. Thank you
A Very Happy New Year , looking forward to an exciting year of gardening along with you, love all the tips and advice you give
Thank you!
Happy New Year to you Alexandra ! GREAT VIDEO to start the new year. Thank you
Thank you!
Thanks for your videos, wishing you a very happy gardening new year!
Thank you!
The bird house corner is looking good. I like the topiary in the background and the seating area.
Did you make any changes to the front lawn patches? Are the ground bees still happy?
The ground bees are still happy, but I'm still dithering. Every time I think the mini meadow isn't working, I see some happy bird or insect and decide that I like it after all. But it does look messy.
Thank you
We've had several hot dry summers here in far northern Ca, very frustrating to try to keep everything alive... We are finally getting some good rain showers, just hope we get enough
Same here - and then we get a summer when everything gets washed away! The weather certainly keeps us guessing.
Great video! Happy New Year!!!
Thank you!
Hello, we watched Pollyanna Wilkinson's segment and I caught a photo of one of her designs. In it were several small trees on a patio that looked like they had some sort of structure at the top of the trunk under the canopy. Is this a pruning effect or structural some how? We enjoy your video's. Dan and Pat Kerr, from Bruce Mines, Ontario Canada.
It's a pruning effect and it's called different things - parasol or umbrella pruning, flat canopy, roof form etc. I think it looks great, though you'd have to be strict about the pruning schedule. Claus Dalby also has this style of trees.
Another great video and a wonderful production
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent advice! Thank you.
You are so welcome!
Thanks a lot and Happy New Year! ❤️🎄
Happy new year! and thank you too.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
I live in Canada. I need to water my lawn as I live in a high fire risk area. Eventually I would like to remove my lawn but since I have 2 young children and two dogs, it’s here to stay for the foreseeable.
Interesting point! And a high fire risk area presumably means hot, and most of the alternatives to lawn are even hotter (eg stone, concrete, gravel, etc), so you probably have the right balance.
Great ideas and explanations. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
I got very discouraged last year because voles did so much damage. Hoping this year to stay on top of the bait boxes and get rid of them. Any advice is appreciated!!
Oh, dear, good luck. I know that voles are a real problem in gardens in the country
This is super helpful! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Happy new year Alexandra, I may have missed the live. I do have a question if you have the time to advise. I’m in 6b Canada. I have a stand of full grown Austrian pines. My oak leaf hydrangea do well in the area but my question is, what do you suggest I do with the fallen needles. Do you rake them? Can I just cover with mulch? I do both, rake then mulch. What if I just left them. Also, should I apply lime to neutralize the soil acidity for my hydrangea? Thank you
I think it is very difficult to change the nature of your soil permanently, so I personally wouldn't apply lime. You can always improve your soil by adding garden compost or well rotted manure, but that won't change its acidity. I have heard TV garden expert Adam Frost talk about pine needles dropping - he said he leaves them. They too won't change the acidity of your soil and they will break down. You can cover with mulch if you like or just let them rot down. Personally I wouldn't bother with raking them away, but some people might prefer the look of the borders without them.
Anoother excellent video thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Another great video 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Thank you 🤗
I was a bit alarmed when you mentioned worm composting without any hint that it is very problematic and advised against in some areas. In places where there are native forests that depend on a layer of leaf litter for their health, the invasive worms used for composting can strip the forest floor by consuming the duff. I have read this is particularly a problem in Minnesota and may be so in other northern US states. Some experts advise against worm composting here in the Pacific NW. Are you aware of this issue? Is it a problem for your forests in the UK?
That's interesting and the UK/Northern Europe doesn't have that problem. The worms sold for composting systems in the UK are indigenous, so would not cause a problem if they escaped, but in parts of North America where indigenous worms were wiped out by the ice age, there appear to be areas of concern. A strong theme in the whole video is 'find out what works where you are' - as with the lawns, worm composting can be a very good environmental option for disposing of food waste and creating fertiliser in many places (with no biodiversity negatives at all), while in other areas, there's potential damage to the environment if the worms escape. It's very complex and we can sometimes cause damage by warning against, because often people only remember the negative and pass it on out of context....the 'lawns are bad for the environment' campaign has damaged biodiversity here in the UK, which is very suited to lawns, provided they're managed in an environmentally friendly way. Whereas there are parts of the US where the 'lawns are bad for the environment' message probably hasn't gone far enough. Thank you for raising the issue.
Great vidéo, thank you
Happy New Yesr from Asheville area USA. Please, is that an APPLE tree behind you, I believe in your own garden? Or perhaps a medlar? You inspired me to put in three hours moving downed oak leaves to my blueberries snd a new holly bed.
It's crab apple - Malus Red Sentinel. And that sounds like a good three hours work.
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thank you!!! New Years Day reached a balmy 65F, so even mucky leaves were a pleasure.
Great video!
One of the things that was mentioned in your video is insects and the natural order of predators versus prey I wish commercial farming would realize that you can't have the yield you want every year, if they realized it's a give and take they wouldn't have to use pesticides and herbicides it is sad to see our commercial farming industry still using pesticides and herbicides
if you make a lawn an let wild-daisys and violets grow in, it will do you and nature a favour! first of all you have to mown less, and the grass will stay much more longer green with much less water! and secondly the wildlife would be very attracted to it. thirdly you have not to fear bees or wesps in this kind of lawn, because even these little flowers are blooming you will not have issues to go through and catch a bee or wesp with your feet (unlike clover!)
👌👌
Quite honestly I'm sick of being wildlife-friendly. There are a few treasured plants so far left alone - lavender is one - but there are 4-legged beasts. flying pests, and crawling ones that have denuded my garden, tunnelled into it and eaten costly plants. Tether at end of!
Oh, dear, I do sympathise.
🪴🌿🌳GREAT INFO‼️🌾
Missing link for:
11:15 Low maintenance evergreen garden video:
Is there a video for Roger and Stephen’s garden?
Hí
My problem is lack of money lol
Hahahah, there is never, never enough compost...
Never!
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