Another Arid Bed

Ali K

Another Arid Bed

Post by Ali K »

Hi all

I've been collecting spikies for years now and have finally got around to planting the majority of them in a raised bed. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out but am not sure about the decorative gravel, I now think it looked better before we added it. It's not completely finished and I've left a few gaps in case I find anything else I want to add and I might also place some more rocks.

I couldn't have done any of this without the other half Si, he's worked so hard, I can't believe how much sand and gravel he's moved.

So, here are some pics, hope you like it.
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Ali K

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Ali K »

and a few more
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MarkD

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by MarkD »

Wow, thanks for finally posting them, it's gorgeous! icon_cheers :mrgreen:

Must have been back breaking work indeed with all that gravel but well worth it in the end! The decorative gravel works well I think. And nice to see your D. quadrangulatum as well as your other stunning specimens in situ icon_salut
Adrian

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Adrian »

Thats a great job Ali. Do you intend protecting any of those in winter?

The problem with these beds is that they are hard to navigate your way through to work in there, well mine is a pig but I suppose I make it more difficult for myself as I live in shorts and flip flops all summer.
Got some great scars :shock:
paul h

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by paul h »

Looks fantastic :mrgreen: I think the gravel goes well with the rocks and walls 8)
pete G

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by pete G »

Yep, really amazing, it has the right feel about it.
Think its the white walls at the back.

Nice collection of plants.
Very impressive.
I like it. :D
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Mick C
Posts: 1364
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:09 pm
Location: Sheffield, UK

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Mick C »

That's a very impressive collection Ali, with some cracking plants.

I don't generally like gravel mulches myself, but arid beds are the exception. Perhaps you could break up the appearance, if that's what you're thinking about, with some smaller and different rocks set in?

My favourite is the beast with the black trunk - is that the D quadrangulatum that Mark was referring to?
grub

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by grub »

Ali it looks bloody marvellous :D , you can tell Simon i'm truly impressed with his work :o (and of course your creative instruction :lol: )
Alexander

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Alexander »

Nice planting. You will leave all the plants in the garden during the long wet winter? Agaves are usely qieut tricky. I also used that kind of gravel overhere but then with winterhardy Opuntias, some Cylindropuntias and Yuccas.

Regards,

Alexander
SteveW

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by SteveW »

All the hard works definately been worth it Ali it looks awesome icon_thumright :D
I keep being drawn to the aloe at the back,what is it?
Ali K

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Ali K »

Thanks for your kind comments everyone.

When I was planning the bed I had a pretty exact idea of how I wanted it to look but was worried that I didn't have the know how to pull it off, I guess I shouldn't have worried as it's turned as I imagined.

Ade - we're trying to work out how to cover the bed for winter and the top idea at the moment is a half polytunnel, I know that a lot of plants will be fine without a cover but I'm worried about the agaves , they look so good at the mo and I'd like them to stay like it. I think a thick pair of trousers will be worn to weed the bed, it's going to be a real pain (literally) as everything grows, not looking forward to that part.

Mick - I agree about gravel mulches, I wouldn't use it elsewhere in the garden. The big beast pretty much in the middle is indeed D. quadrangulatum/longissimum, a fantastic plant and one of my favourites - it's lived outside in the pot that I bought it in for about 7 years now and still looks great.

Grub - Si will appreciate your comments, it'll make him laugh and it's probably quite close to the truth, he did move lots more gravel than me but I do have big girly muscles and the scars to prove I worked quite
hard also.

Alexander - We're thinking of putting half a polytunnel over it for the winter, mainly to protect the agaves.

Steve - If you mean the aloe at the back it's striatula, another plant that's suffered in a pot for years, hopefully it'll look better next year.
Sarah

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Sarah »

Wow Ali that looks fantastic, love it to bits :D :D
ChrisG

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by ChrisG »

Ali, all the hard work has paid off. great spikie bed a loads of lovely plants. It is definitely going to be fun weeding that next year.

Winter covers are a issue for everyone with dry beds, especially for the agaves and aloes. I had to think long and hard if I wanted some of my prized plants in a bed with no protection. I think if you can cover it I would, if for no other reason than avoiding black spots on agave leaves which take a while to grow out. You also greatly increase the number of plants you can put in the bed icon_cheers. Your half poly tunnel idea sounds like a top plan. Does anyone know of a company that will make poly tunnels to order, i.e. you tell them what you want, size shape etc and they make it up for you. If there isn't one the is scope for some one to fill that gap!
Melissa

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by Melissa »

Bet you are glad you bought the Nelsonii :D it looks like you had just the right spot for it icon_thumleft

Do show us what you come up with for covering it all for Winter, then if it works we can nick the idea :shock:

It's all looking great, any more pic's of the rest of the garden, to see how it all fits in icon_sunny

Melissa
MarkD

Re: Another Arid Bed

Post by MarkD »

Ali K wrote:it's going to be a real pain (literally) as everything grows, not looking forward to that part.
Try getting a pair of locking forceps, the longer the better. It's extremely handy for weeding around spikies :)
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