Another Arid Bed

Nigel Fear

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Nigel Fear »

Thats very impressive Ali, I should really grow more succulent stuff living in South east essex as well, does your garden slope at all ? My back garden faces north, but I would like to do something out the front one day,[its just an off-road parking space at the moment,with scope for improvement,yuck!] using arid and drought tolerent plants.
Ali K

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Ali K »

Thanks Sarah, I wish the rest of the garden looked as good as yours.

Chris - so are you going to cover your bed then? We haven't looked into the polytunnel idea yet but I expect that made to measure would be more expensive (if available) so will probably get something roughly the right size just a bit bigger if poss.

Melissa - I'd already planned and planted most of the bed before buying the nelsonii so I was just lucky that I could find a space for it. The rest of the garden is a bit of a mess, we just don't get enough time to keep on top of it all even though it's not that big. We had a huge eucalypt fall over last year in the gales and spent a large part of last year removing it all, luckily it didn't do too much damage.

Mark - locking forceps? sounds like a medical implement of torture, where do I get some?
darran

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by darran »

Hats off to you Ali.....that looks great! icon_salut
Petefree

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Petefree »

I love it, Ali
I only have a few 'spikies' in pots, but do feel it would be nice to 'liberate' them - so am starting to think I might need to shoehorn an arid bed into my garden somewhere. At the moment the agavesI have are fairly small, so no problem to move them into the greenhouse for winter - but I'm developing a crush on Yucca rostrata - but resisting it until I have somewhere suitable to plant one! If and when I do get around to it - I think I'd go for a similar rock-edged gravel bed look, it works really well.
Pete
MarkD

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by MarkD »

Ali K wrote:Mark - locking forceps? sounds like a medical implement of torture, where do I get some?
It is, you can see examples of it on horror movies like Saw and Hostel :lol:

Kidding aside, you can easily get long ones 12-18" from fishing supplies or even from Ebay. Longer ones are available but will need more hunting for, usually at medical supplies. Worth getting one, it made weeding and cleaning less painful for me. And great for picking out oxalis :twisted:
Darren Turner

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Darren Turner »

Great work Si :D
I hope Ali kept you supplied with cold drinks and a good foot massage when all was done.
I think the bed looks great the D quadrangulatum looks fantastic.
I'm planning an arid bed for the front garden in the near future, if it looks half as good as yours I'd be chuffed.

Cheers

D.
ChrisG

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by ChrisG »

Ali K wrote:Chris - so are you going to cover your bed then? We haven't looked into the polytunnel idea yet but I expect that made to measure would be more expensive (if available) so will probably get something roughly the right size just a bit bigger if poss.
Ali, no I am not covering mine at all everything out there has to fend for itself. I have limited what i planted to plants i thought should be OK, I ones on the back I will provide rain covers for though, as I do think even if not vital it does produce better plants and obivously gives you more choice with plants that can handle the cold but not cold & wet.
kentgardener

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by kentgardener »

It looks really nice Ali - well worth all the thought and effort you have both put into it. The painted wall and gravel mulch finishes it off a treat.

John
Ali K

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Ali K »

Time for an update. We've got the roof on now for winter, it's not quite finished as we're not sure what to do with the plastic at the ends.

It's fixed into the ground using 3ft fence post spikes onto which Si has welded a row of nuts to which studding can be screwed in or out. This means the grass doesn't get damaged and nothing is visible when the roof comes off for summer.

The other end is bolted through the garage roof and into the rafters. There is also a bracket fixing at each end of the garage. Hopefully all this will be enough to to stop it blowing away (fingers crossed), as no doubt we'll now have a really dry winter with loads of bad gales :roll:
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kentgardener

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by kentgardener »

Brilliant! Well done guys. icon_cheers

If they ever perfect human cloning can I have a Simon here please? :D

I think there is space for a small table and a couple of chairs in there for winter bbq's.

John
paul h

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by paul h »

Looks Fantastic Ali and Simon :D a lot of hard work but well worth it should keep the agaves nice and dry but with lots of ventilation thanks for sharing icon_thumright icon_cheers
Andy Martin

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Andy Martin »

A wonderful arid bed Ali thats got that Mediterranean feel to it. icon_thumleft You and Si have put a lot of work into it. That semi poly tunnel is pure genious. I need something like that for my Butyagrus to help it through it's first Winter as its not looking healthy. :?
ChrisG

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by ChrisG »

Well done Ali and Si, that is looking great. As Andy said there is plenty of space in there to walk around and look at it over winter. I am jealous that you are going to be keeping yours dry over winter. It is such a shame when big agaves get marked, it takes so long for the marks to grow out.
Mark

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Mark »

:shock: Even I like it icon_thumleft
DavidF

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by DavidF »

Can I have second dibs on the Simon clone please?????

I fear my arids and spikies are doomed this year as I just can't get around to sorting a decent shelter for them and they are NOT coming inside again......

That looks fantastic Ali.... Well done.
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