The squeezing of HeWhoBuildsSheds’ new shed into the small back garden last year meant the loss of a herbaceous border. I didn’t mind too much, although it was a challenge to find new homes for the plants. Some were sacrificed altogether; some were thrown over the hedge to take their chances; some were planted outside the back fence in the guerrilla garden, some were put in next door’s guerrilla garden (I’ve started a trend) and others were just put somewhere.
Then in the spring, as soon as the tulips were over, Shed Development Phase 2 was thrust upon me. This meant moving more plants in order to create enough space to turn one flat bed into a raised bed so that the shed could have its own gravel forecourt and thus be accessible in all seasons. This also included digging up what was left of the lawn. The upshot of this HouseThatJackBuilt ‘school of gardening’ (fortunately no cows’ horns were crumpled in the process) is that much of what is happening out there now is a complete surprise.
For instance, I have no memory of how this crocosmia arrived among the doronicum. On the other hand, I do feel I need to give it a round of applause for cutting such a horticultural dash. Well put, that flower, however you got there.
Please visit Debbie. This week she has some handy advice!
Tish Farrell 
Ha ha! I enjoyed your shed story Tish, and am very glad that there was a happy floral ending. I think the next move needs to be a roof garden on every shed.
A roof garden shed, now that is a brilliant idea 🙂
I second that. Surely HeWhoBuildsSheds would love to have something like the doronicum-crocosima combination decorating the shed roof.
Wouldn’t it be fab.
Gardening can throw up some surprises. That bright orange flower adds some visual harmony to the yellow.
I like the combo. There’s a lemon yellow red hot poker in amongst them too.
I kept noticing yellow and orange red hot pokers when I driving home yesterday. They can be so dramatic together.
I love them, but they don’t seem to be terribly keen on my garden, and slugs and snails don’t help.
They seem to grow well here on sunny embankments – so I guess that means full sun with good drainage.
Maybe not enough drainage. Thanks for that thought.
Enjoyed this story and the garden is gorgeous! 💗
Thanks, Lisa 🙂
Crocosmia seems to pop up everywhere! I have some in my ‘White Bed’ that I know I haven’t planted. it does make an excellent contrast so I will leave it be for now. I do love the idea of chucking stuff over the fence to let it do what it wants 🙂
I chucked a wodge of golden rod last year – didn’t even attempt to plant it, and now it’s flowering beautifully, having made its own rooting arrangements.
I pulled out some invasive grasses (they look nice but grow very big) early on this year and dumped them in my car park area. One clump has rooted!
have visions of you trying to find the car in due course – intrepid explorer-like 🙂
Haha… that’s more than likely given the rate things seem to grow here!
A lot of popping goes on in your place Tish – a shed popped here, some plants popped over there and the ones that got away of their own accord make an eye-popping combo
We are not quite in charge of environment, we Farrells. Never know what’s happening next 🙂
Oh wow, lovely!
Thanks, Arlene.
South African native – nice! The Montbretia.
Have them all over our garden at various spots.
They grow from corms and once planted are very difficult to remove entirely. But they are as hardy as anything.
Maybe yours arrived via a bird’s bottom?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocosmia
I think I preferred their Montbretia name. It grows wild (ie gone feral) along verges in parts of Wales, and also Cornwall I think. Pity the bird’s bottom if it had swallowed a corm!
What a lovely colour combination
It is, isn’t it. Very cheering.
love the brilliant colores
🙂
Bella!
Cheers, Ron 🙂
Best thing about gardens is things popping up unexpectedly I always think . . . . . this year because I have hardly mown the lawn I have discovered 3 oak saplings. There are no oak trees closeby!
Oh what an excellent find – baby oaks. Will you have to find them a new home though.
Yes, not sure where yet. For the time being however they are very happy in their new pots 😀
Well they’re pretty slow growers so no need for panic stations. YET.
That’s true!
I do love Crocosmia. Mine have taken over several beds and are being plucked out. Maybe some will be thrown over the fence to another life.
They can do a lot of colonising. They don’t seem to mind being plucked out or thinned either.
My experience is they carry on.
🙂
It is truly amazing how you captured the deep red of the flowers and still maintained all the details. Great photos, Tish!
Thank you, for all the encouraging words, Peter.
These are favorite blooms, coming in at the end of summer. Unfortunately, mine have have been rather shy lately and few blooms last year and none so far this year.
Now that is curious. They seem to grow anywhere, even out of walls. Do you think they might need dividing? Or has something got at their corms?
I wish I knew. They grew all over the place when we lived by the coast. Maybe they don’t like the hotter inland climate.
That could be it. The ones in my front garden, where they have received a full roasting this year, haven’t flowered at all.
That last paragraph! Love the way you put things into words.
Alison
Am very touched. Thank you, Alison.
They work well together 🙂
The brave flower takes a bow. 😀
It’s certainly making the most of itself!
I love your bright flowers. It has been raining heavily here for a few days. So dark in here that I can’t take pictures of my OWN flowers! Or go outside, though I have to later. They should spread this rain around a bit. Send some to you. Our river is just about to overflow its banks.
Gosh that sounds a lot of rain. We’ve actually had some too – quite a bit yesterday, and on and off today. I think that’s it though, for a while. The garden is now looking very happy. Interestingly too, the rape field that was cut around a week ago, now has lots rape seedlings popping up through the chaff. They obviously lost quite a bit of the crop. Some of it might be going in my compost bins.
Love a bit of enterprise! Ours have a tendency to mingle too. Must be a family trait. They are handsome and I’m tolerant 😃😃