The hedge work continues

I have spent most of this fine, sunny, windless day laying the weed-stop fabric, and planting the hedge. I am over halfway but have run out of bark chippings so am taking the opportunity to have a cuppa and rest my back. I'll get some more chippings tomorrow and finish the job.

Then I have the task of tidying, and re-vamping somewhat, the bed in front of the hedge. It is actually full of grape hyacinths, so I can't touch it much until they are finished, but there is a bit of dead foliage from last summer that needs removing. Likewise the bed against the house which needs a drastic tidy up and re-do.

I have great plans for this front garden. We need a bit extra parking for when we have visitors staying, so we are going to do away with the lawn, make a little formal-ish garden within the hedge, with lots of cottage garden annuals and bi-annuals, such as foxgloves, hollyhocks, etc. And a bird bath and bird table. I want this to be a very bird friendly (but safe) garden. Our back garden is patrolled by our cats and although I do feed the birds out there I think they'd be safer out the front.

The extra car-parking will be gravel and I will allow volunteer plants to grow in it. It won't be needed very often for parking so the plants will mostly be left alone.