Garden tour August 2024 - Sunflowers, Marigolds, Zinnia and Tomatoes!

[@emmaholding8790]

Just came across your channel and I'd like to say how beautiful your garden is a peace of heaven well done

[@prichards8229]

Well done, I've got to say I was a bit skeptical to start with when you removed all those trees but as you've explained there were a lot of dead trees and now looking back you've done the right thing to clear up the garden, true you could do with more raised beds, a lot more as you have got the space and it will produce plenty of veggies to be consumed then or canned. Another thing that I think will be lovely and beneficial to your veg garden is far more lavender bushes around the garden especially in those spots where you do not have any colorful plants during late summer or early September, I have got myself over 20 lavender bushes around my garden and pollinators just love lavender and believe me my garden is a fraction of your lush garden. Once again well done and thank you for sharing !! All the best !!

[@CK-solutions]

For colour try Red Amaranth (red garnet) as a fast growing herb, with leafs and seeds that are edible. Great pollinator attractor too. Plant where it gets about 6 hours of sun per day. Try red sorrel as a ground cover in the shaded side as long as it's light shade. Strawberries and red-veined sorrel grow well together. Nandina Nana has red top leaves and a mix of green and yellow underneath. Very hardy, especially in part shade. Frost tolerant too once established. So protect when young.

[@djstuc]

My GF suggests having a fern area on that right hand side Andy. Ignore the trolls, they probably live in flats and are jealous of how nice you have it.

[@AndyMac]

Cheers - we've already got some ferns in there! They're still quite small but hopefully they'll come through. 😁

[@smgreenartsprivate]

For someone who says he's an amateur you did really well so well done Andy :) trial and error for most of us including indoor plants you learn as you go :)

[@darrolmcroberts8614]

Great job Andy All the best from Australia

[@andyc972]

Thanks for the update Andy, the garden is looking great, when you look back you'll realise how much you've learned already and as you've found regardless of expert advice and research sometimes you just have to try stuff and see what works for you in your garden. It's also important to remember that as the garden evolves somethings will work that didn't before and other things that were always great start to be less successful so keep experimenting ! Your soil still looks quite exhausted so the more organic matter you can add the better, keep going with your compost heaps and also try composting some of those wood chips but you may also find being near a big city that the council waste recycler will deliver large volumes of soil conditioner at reasonable cost some even provide it free at allotment sites ! As far as the shady side is concerned I'd sow some foxgloves as they'll tolerate some shade being woodland plants, you could also plant Eurphorbias and many hydrangeas tolerate shade also and they don't have to be pink or blue, other than that concentrate on variation in leaf colour and texture as this can be as attractive as colourful flowers ! You and Mrs Mac have done a great job and with your enthusiasm the garden will just get better and better each year so don't listen to the nay-sayers you just can't please some people. It's great to work with nature in the garden rather than battle it but we all have different levels of wildness that we can cope with it's your garden and your choice !

[@Lynne572]

Looking great.

[@kelly2791]

It's all a learning curve for me too and that's why I like watching your channel. I think you've done a brilliant job!

[@AndyMac]

Thank you - learning so much on here!

[@louiseupton3363]

Your garden is beautiful. Shouldn't gardens be about creating happy spaces, that make us happy while we're creating them? Happy gardening Andy and thank you for sharing yours with us. 😍 🪴 🌱 🌿 🌾 🌳 🏡 🌲

[@AndyMac]

Thank you - exactly! It's all about enjoying the journey. 😊

[@Fionaw64]

Beautiful gardens

[@marleneshaw3788]

Congratulations Andy you and your wife have done amazingly well in such a small amount of time - if you aren’t a gardener you cannot appreciate the efforts you have put in well done - just a little tip your rosemary will do much better with sun good luck from Australia

[@AndyMac]

Thank you! 😊

[@cherylholasek2193]

It looks wonderful. Great job. 😊

[@AndyMac]

Cheers! 😊

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

Hi Andy, Wow !! your garden is absolutely stunning all in bloom, you should be proud of your selves on what was a waste ground to a nice garden and watching your video's all that hard work has paid off. As nice as it looks this summer it will look better next summer and the same as the years go on it will just keep on improving. Ignore the key board warriors they probably don't have a garden. Mine is still on going and still half a building site and I'm planning a third rockery I'm using sandstone for the rockery we are in a sandstone area and been building double walls and have plants growing at the top, I have been using all types of old bricks all different colours, my walls look like a Lego walls. Keep up the good work in your garden, as always a great video Take care

[@Blade1310]

Andy, as a fellow North Easterner I despair at your use of "Socks and Crocs" but having said that your channel is absolutely brilliant! Removing the snobbery from gardening is a fantastic format. "Don't know what I'm doing, see if it grows" - brilliant. Keep up the great work for us!

[@AndyMac]

Ha thank you! Still lots to do so watch this space! This is really the first year where we haven't had major building projects (apart from the decking!). 😂

[@TheBalrogwillpass]

Lol @ snobbery with gardening, youtube taught me near everything, and my plants grow far better than any of the snobs.. also, I don't need a 'man' in to do the work. I've had many tell me I'm doing it all wrong, yet several years later the same people are asking how I'm doing it!!!

[@dotjpegg4905]

You could stick some Verbena in front of the studio - it grows tall and slender with little ball shaped clusters of flowers (like allium)

[@AndyMac]

Oh they look lovely! That would be perfect for around there and looks like I can grow them from seed. Cheers - on the list! 👍

[@boyscott7193]

It's looking great. I love the honesty of your videos

[@johnwelton2606]

Hibiscus flower around this time of year and are quick growers. Come in a variety of colours as well.

[@AndyMac]

Awesome - will check that out. Cheers!

[@sharonmc5192]

One thing I would say is patience is key. Lavantera can get huge in time. I left one in my old house when I rented it out and with a couple of years it was about 8ft tall and covered in flowers which the bees loved! Your fuchsia/s and Acer just need to become more established to grow taller and bushier. Re tall flowers, for colour I’d maybe mix in zinnias and cosmos. Cosmos come in so many varieties. Garden is looking lovely though. You know you’re doing something right when wildlife shows up. Hopefully some hedgehogs maybe if you keep a semi wild area near the back. I think you’ve done a fab job! Well done 👍🏼

[@claudioscola]

You guys have done an amazing job

[@AndyMac]

Thank you - getting there slowly but surely!

[@helenyoung8012]

Look to see which way the garden is orientated. 6 hours and over is full sun. 3-6 hours is partial shade. Under 3 hours is full shade. I find that rule helps me . As Beth Chatto says , right plant, right place!! Thank you for your garden vid, always lovely to see how other people manage to make their gardens flourish.

[@AndyMac]

Thank you - getting there slowly but surely! 😊

[@susiespearing6165]

It's looking wonderful Andy .All your hard work is paying off 🥇Go buy some Delta Sarah Fuschia .Its hardy and will flower from July till October and reaches a great height .Loves the shade . Pair it with Phlox Mount Fugi or Phlox Laura scented,amazing flowers and will happily grow with no sun .Both make 4 to 5 foot bushes ,just suggestions for that shady bed to add colour 😊Please be a bit careful .Its really tempting when you see so many flowers on the Tom's to let them grow on but at this time of year we limit them to get the ones already on the bush to ripen 🙂

[@highereducationpostcard]

Glad you’re enjoying it still! The garden looks lovely

[@AndyMac]

Thank you!

[@dylanthomas5544]

Hi Andy, Your garden is looking amazing! I am about a year and a bit behind you so it is nice to see that there is some light at the end of all this work... Have you thought about adding an Olive tree? I have one that is a 90+ year old Olive tree (it has been cut back so it is quite short at about 5 foot) that is going to be going on my decking when I have built it in the next few weeks (thinks for the tips on you building yours..) The Olive tree is full of colour and is a massive talking point when people come over as I have replanted it in a really big terracotta pot. As for the slugs, have a look at some of the people on YT that are really good at companion planting. It may work for you? But thanks for the videos they have helped a lot over the years!

[@AndyMac]

Cheers - it's amazing how quickly the plants mature. We had an olive tree a while ago but it didn't survive a North East winter 😭. We defo need more plants that slugs don't eat. 😂

[@fastestmilkman3840]

My wife said your onions need to be planted a little deeper. 😅 We only pulled ours out when it started to go yellow. Our broccoli got eaten, courgette, potato, garlic, all did well.

[@BillsCountrysideAdventures]

You need an irrigation system, ive got one and doing two year review soon on my channel

[@BillsCountrysideAdventures]

Andy I do my onion seeds in December under led grow lights

[@Russwig]

Looking great!!! Cherish your potatoes and tomatoes!

[@AndyMac]

Cheers! I'm a bit worried since most of our tomatoes are still green! I may need to cut back more of the suckers. 👍

[@Russwig]

@@AndyMac Give them time to ripen on the vine. You can't rush mother nature!

[@deborahfraser9325]

On the side of the studio where the rosemary is, try Hollyhocks.

[@AndyMac]

Great tip!

[@jackl9922]

Great job! I always save marigold seeds and set with my tomatoes. Helps to keep weeds and aphids away. One of my tomato plants has been attacked by slugs. Need to put out beer traps. I live in NW Oregon, so we tend to be wet most of the year, but drier and warm mid June thru mid September. Water is getting expensive, but like to keep all green.

[@AndyMac]

Interesting! Is that near Portland? Looks like similar hardiness zone to us (9a) but you might have slightly higher rainfall since you're on the west? I think we get about 600mm rain per year on average... I think!

[@Richardincancale]

I tried some grass seed mixed with wild flower seed. I chucked it around the wild part of my garden where the chickens had scratched up the grass - new grass grew! Then when I got to the bottom of the box there was a sachet of wild flower seed you were meant to mix in!!! RTFM!!

[@AndyMac]

D'oh! 😂😭

[@Britbabe53]

Looking wondrous!

[@AndyMac]

Cheers - getting there! 😁

[@eleanorwilliams9245]

Looking fab! 😄 For the shady border creeping phlox, sometimes called carpet phlox is easy to propagate and gives good Spring colour. It acts as excellent ground cover in other seasons reducing weeding and water loss in the best of Summer. If the fuschia's happy there, try propagating it to create a drift, perhaps?

[@AndyMac]

The phlox looks lovely - might give that a shot. Cheers!

[@RichardInTheLakes]

Looks so nice, great work. Thanks for the great videos

[@AndyMac]

Cheers and no worries at all!

[@markrowland5393]

Looking great. Well done.

[@AndyMac]

Cheers Mark! 👍

[@avacadman2155]

Just harvesting our Tom’s on our plots. We did have just the one plot until my daughter noticed that behind the huge bramble bush was a large section of land, full of rubbish on top and as it turned out buried four feet down and deeper. Carpets, metal, black bin liners full of rubbish. It took me eight months to dig it all out after I put in for it. It was ‘ known as “ No man’s land” Then the cheeky neighbour tried to take it over for a “Wildlife area” when she discovered I had put in to rent it. Council had not answered me or asked I thought. Phoned them some weeks later and they had not sent out the acceptance of my renting it. It was in my name. That started a war all on her part. For nine years she was there and could have had it herself even though her plot was huge! For all her lies she told about myself and my daughter, it just drive me forwards to get it up and running, to grow more produce, planting fruit trees. Now it is all very productive and we never see her? She has friends now on her plot. But, before she left she planted huge Willow trees right up to our plot where her plot ends. Now we have another a lovely shed using the shade from the Willows. Perfect! Always that upside. Nothing would grow there now as the Willows suck all moisture from the earth. Also now going to use raised beds in that area. Result! 😃

[@deborahfraser9325]

On the shady side, try hydrangeas, lavender, impatients, bleeding hearts, hellebore, primroses, and lobelia, just to name a few flowering shade lovers.

[@AndyMac]

Awesome - cheers! Hellebore look lovely!

[@janevivian-smith4578]

Well done its been a tough growing year your doing just fine ❤ As to that sycamore you cut down drill a few holes in stump and spray with wd40 I did this on a willow stump its now rotting down 😁

[@AndyMac]

Cheers - yeah it's been a challenge at times! I'm gonna treat that sycamore as a bush for now until I get bored with it then it will go a journey. 👍😂

[@wernerpfeifer]

👍👍👍Grandios!

[@AndyMac]

👍👍👍

[@sharonknobbs7344]

On the shady side - why don't you try Hydrangeas. There are so many different types and colours and the flowers last a long time.

[@bewoodford2807]

Your fuchsia would be more happy on the shadier side of the garden. They don't like to be i full sun. Sounds like you maay have been sent the wrong sunflower seeds or maybe the colour is due to using saved seed which has cross pollinated or maybe F1 seed was saved? I hve a tall multi headed red sunflower - Claret. That's an F1 but I don't save the seed as it doesn't come true. I relocate slugs and snails to a nearby piece of pastureland. They need to go over 60 feet away otherwise they will crawl back to where they were taken from. My Zinnias seem to like nice soil. They are very bushy and flowering beautifully. This year I am growing pink dahlia flowered. Really pretty! I use paracord for stringing my tomatoes. As it is a ,man made product it lasts and doesn't rot and can be used year after year after year. I just roll it uo and tie it to the cross wire at the end of the season, ready to use the next year. I use the same cord for my cucumbers and melons too. Gtreat idea to fill your garden with seed grown plants. You get so many plants for such little money. Happy gardening 🙂

[@AndyMac]

Ah didn't know that about fuchsia - on my list to move 👍. The sunflower thing is weird - for the life of my I can't find the seed packet. Some are defo deep red but mixed seeds would also explain the giant ones! 😂