Bulb log 15 2011

[Shadylanejewel]

http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Apr131302696888BULB_LOG__1511.pdf

Do you make or buy the concrete used to construct the bulb frames?

[Shadylanejewel]

Found the answer to that question by searching the forum for concrete - http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7850.0

Which leads me to another question, not answered in the slab bed article.

Are the slabs all concrete or do they contain expanded polystyrene?

[Maggi Young]

They are all concrete, Julie. Simply slabs from a Builder's Merchant, such as might be used for paving.
Cut lengthways, in some cases , for the shallow beds  and with holes drilled to take the metal brackets and/or wires to "tie" them together at any join or corner.

[Shadylanejewel]

I've never seen paving slabs here which are that large.  I'll keep searching though.

[Maggi Young]

The large size here are 3ft  x 2 ft ( approx 90cm x 60cm) 
The other common size is  2ft x 2ft ( 60cm x 60cm)

[Shadylanejewel]

Thank you Maggi!

My dh has said he will make a form and we will make them ourselves. 

Are the beds constructed with an open bottom or on slabs too?

[Maggi Young]

That's a great idea, Julie... a darling husband indeed..... then he can make any size you feel is useful to your situation.  

No bottom... open to the ground.

[Shadylanejewel]

Yes he can be a darling - unless I want to have space in the garage for something. 

He also took over my shelving and grow lights I have for all my perennial seedlings and put his peppers there instead.  "I thought you're growing hardy perennials, put them outside", not so dh.   

I'll make them open on the bottom then, except for hardware cloth to keep out the moles.

[johnw]

Maggi -  Quite a splendid riot of colour there already.

What is the evergreeen shrub alost dead centre in the last photo?  It's edging the path and just to the left of the weeping Japanese maple.

Presently +4c.  One wonders from where on earth 2 days of 29c emanated. Hopefully things will slow down as we are not frost-free till late April and we wouldn't want the snowdrops to go over as Lesley is awaiting another barage.

johnwn.  

[Maggi Young]

Maggi -  Quite a splendid lot of colour there already.

What is the evergreen shrub alost dead centre in the last photo?  It's edging the path and just to the left of the weeping Japanese maple.

Presently +4c.  One wonders from where on earth 2 days of 29c emanated. Hopefully things will slow down as we are not frost-free till late April and we wouldn't want the snowdrops to go over as Lesley is awaiting another barage.

johnwn.  

John, just to clarify are we talking about the last picture in the log Julie started the thread about: log 15 of 2011?
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Apr131302696888BULB_LOG__1511.pdf

Yes, there is a lot of colour there... and almost as much this year, some three weeks earlier.  The Rhodo . dendrocharis is still in tight bud  at the moment though.


The evergreen dome in the 2011 picture is a dwarf Taxus. No memory of the species, I'm afraid... maybe  simply a form of T. baccata?

It is must be nearly 40 years old. Keeps that cute, low mound shape. Nice thing.


http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Mar211332339999BULB_LOG__1212.pdf = current Bulb Log

[johnw]

Thanks Maggi.

johnw