Gardening in absentia?

For anything to do with the garden and pool
kasperdoggie
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:56 pm
Location: Cape Cod, MA, USA
Contact:

Gardening in absentia?

Post by kasperdoggie »

I hope to learn some tips and tricks on how to keep a garden alive while not living onsite... I am very new to gardening but it has already become an obsession :) Up until last year, I would never have even thought of gardening - even plastic flowers wilted and died in my tender care. But then I had to put a flower bed in (long story why) and a friend came over and introduced me to the joys of digging in the dirt - I have never been the same :)

Anyway, now I have this burning desire to have a proper garden at our holiday homes - currently we mostly have lawn, and more lawn, plus some trees and shrubs, but not that much in the way of flowers other then hosta. I have planted some perennials (daylilies, salvia and poppes) and have window boxes with drought resistant geraniums and dahlias. I'd love to be able to take this a few steps further but have no idea on how I am going to care for the garden, living 2 hours away and having access to the house during turnover time only. Our caretaker waters the lawns and the plants a few times a week, but he is not a "gardener" - he has the skills but not only he has limited time, I am not sure how comfortable it is to go in the yard to take care of plants while the guests are staying at the property? He sometimes can time it to when people are out but not always...

Another issue is that lack of access to the property starting in June (as it's fully booked) forced me to plant some flowers before the recommended time (i.e., before last frost which is May 31st for our area) - luckily nothing got killed as we had reasnably mild spring, but it could have been worse...

So those of you who do not live on site but manage to have a proper garden - how do you do it? Hire a gardener and guests just deal with it? Plant very carefree plants (which?!) and forget all about them? I know I am puttering in my own bed nearly daily, weeding, watering, etc, so it's hard to imagine anything surving without some amount of attention, but then I am very new to this so know next to nothing about plants that may be suitable for this kind of abandonement... :)

Any thougts are much appreciated...

Julia.
User avatar
Chianti
Posts: 2826
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:51 pm

IT'S A DIFFICULT ONE

Post by Chianti »

Kasperdoggie

I live on site, so my situation is different, however I spend a huge part of my time gardening, because mine was a jungle when I purchased my property and I must offer an attractive garden for guests.

Firstly, only succulents and a few other plants are drought resistant, so watering is essential. If you can afford a sprinkling system set on a timer it would make a huge difference. Flowers need deadheading in order to flourish and look their best. Roses are still an option both climbing and shrub. You can do a bit of the gardening on change over day.

My miracle plants are passiflora (passion flower) which runs up trellises and along fences. It stays green, doesn't need watering and when the flower dies, a beautiful orange, inedible fruit forms. It's very showy, but needs work to train it as it grows. Honeysuckle is another climber, which has a white and yellow flower and gives the most wonderful scent.

I also use morning glory, again a climber, which doesn't need deadheading, but does need watering. I have also found zinnias colourful, showy and easy to grow from seed.

Lavender also manages to survive when not watered daily, but it's not resistant to drought. Try a flower dictionary, which will give you a list of the plants with can survive the heat and don't be afraid of using lots of shrubs of different sizes and shades of green. A garden can be beautiful without being full of colourful flowers.

All of the above are frost resistent apart from the zinnias which are annuals.

I wouldn't worry about guests being disturbed by a gardener, let them know the gardener's schedule. I would worry more that he or she may spend more time chatting with guests and not enough time gardening and the cost.

Good luck


Chianti
Umbria
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I have a similar problem, but haven't even seen the plot since it was 'marked out' a few weeks ago. I know it is small, but as it is at 1500m above sea level, it has it's own problems.
cromercrabholiday
Posts: 797
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:24 am
Location: North Norfolk
Contact:

Post by cromercrabholiday »

Ron looks after our small garden in Norfolk - a couple of hours a week in the growing season. He sorts out hanging baskets etc, as well and sends a bill in monthly. We tell our guests about him in the welcome notes and suggest that he would appreciate a cup of tea if they are about - he's a friendly Norfolk man and we have no worries about him upsetting the guests.

John
User avatar
Big Sis..
Posts: 8059
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:31 pm
Location: Torrevieja and Norfolk
Contact:

Post by Big Sis.. »

but haven't even seen the plot
Not 'lost the plot' have you Helen :?:
[sowwy had to done:wink:]
he's a friendly Norfolk man
Aint we all downearin Norfork :?: :wink: aboy .
keep ajoshing:wink: :)
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

We've had our windowboxes up for a few weeks now, with an automatic watering system which you can hardly see, and the results have been very good so far. We do have a lady who comes and mows the lawn and she's been checking up on them for us and so far, so, good! Here are some pics - I am so pleased with them!


Right hand side
Image

The mazot with our home-made seats
Image

The terrace with new bbq!
Image

View from our bedroom
Image

And one where I had my hand over the lens for too long - looks so magic!
Image
Last edited by Martha on Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I managed to stick a pot of geraniums on the terrace, but that was all. :roll:
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Lovely photos Firebug. I have the same issue. We have an enormous (260sq m) terrace which really needs something to break it up. At the moment it looks like a Moroccan fort or something. But I don't know what to do with it.

My agent brought round a garden designer, though he brought him on a day when I was coping with an awful lot of other things (aircon being installed, trying to clean for arriving guests etc) and I was really too stressed to think. But watering is the problem. In a garden you can hide an automatic sprinkler, but on a terrace with pots it's not so easy.

So I'm in a bit of a quandary. What I really want is to grow my own lemons! I have never forgotten the incredible taste of fresh lemons (in my G&T of course) in Amalfi.

TC
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
User avatar
Mouse
Posts: 7277
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Balearics
Contact:

Post by Mouse »

TC - get the drip type watering system. They're very narrow black tubes & the water drips out slowly...so no sprinklers.

Then you can have those lemons!

Mouse (who also has her own lemons & can confirm they are SO much better than supermarket ones :D )
x
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Mouse, I know what you mean, but I'm not sure these would work either. The pipe still has to get from the outside tap to the trees, which would mean a pipe running across the terrace. A recipe for accidents I think.

I may have to negotiate with the agent to water them.

TC
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
User avatar
Mouse
Posts: 7277
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Balearics
Contact:

Post by Mouse »

Tc - you can get pots (plastic ones) that have a self watering system in them (that you keep topped up) so that might reduce the watering effort. They're expensive tho'.

The problems with pots & heat is that you need to water a couple of times a day in the height of summer unless you have 'native' plants.

Maybe the gardener could 'box in' the small tubes on the watering system so that they couldn't be pulled? Might look a little unsightly but would prevent damage.

Mouse
x
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

Thanks for the kind words Topcat! I missed the replies on this somehow but thought I'd update...

We've now changed the setup slightly as the varying temperatures meant that the water evaporation rate fluctuated, and some plants were being over-watered and some under-watered, according to the amount of sun.

We bought two timers for the hose connectors so that they get 15 minutes twice a day - 6 am and 6 pm - this gave us much better results than the constant dripping which seemed to give some of them "wet feet" and, on others, evaporate too fast.

This new way has kept them much healthier - the petunias on the downstairs window (with the little pine in the foreground) - are trailing on the ground now! We haven't given them any other attention other than a bit of dead-heading from the gardener, so I think we'll definitely do it again next year.

We have the drips that Mouse talked about - you can hardly see the hoses and we are making a log seat to hide the main connector.

TC could you maybe do something similar? Run the hoses under some seats? Or perhaps you could get a LOT of hose and run it right around the edge? Our system uses 15m of hose to get to the furthest box, it goes up one side, across the balcont and down the other, via gaps in the beams, and it's been fine. You can join them easily with connectors.
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
User avatar
remote
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:09 pm
Location: Kent/Charente
Contact:

Post by remote »

Tc I only visit my house in s.w. France every 6 weeks or so. In the Summer it can get very hot, especially on the south facing front. On the terrace, round the pool I have some lovely glazed pots in which I plant trailing geraniums. They can put up with a lot of drought. My pool man waters them when he comes once a week and I leave a note for my guests telling them that I am trying to establish a garden and that if they care to the plants would welcome an evening drink and that they will reward them with lovely blooms. Seems to work.
Firebug, I also have a timed watering system that comes on once a day for 5 minutes at night to give everything in the beds a good soak. However I have planted sun loving plants close together ( like lavender and rock roses - cistus) on the south side so there is no room for weeds.
I leave a trowl and secators ( spelling?!) as some people find it relaxing to do a bit of rose pruning etc on holiday, which of course I'm very grateful for.
Happy gardening
Mandy
A turkey is not just for Christmas
User avatar
Mouse
Posts: 7277
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Balearics
Contact:

Post by Mouse »

It fabulous isn't it Mandy when guests are happy to water plants and garden :D
We had some lovely people stay for 2 weeks and they really gave our garden some much needed care and attention (we try and stay out of guests way - so only do the essentials like watering)

Firebug - I love your 'homemade' log chair! There's a shop here that sells something similar for 150 euros!

Mouse
x
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
User avatar
Jimbo
Posts: 3582
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:41 am
Location: Charente Maritime

Post by Jimbo »

Hi Julia

Even when you live on site like us, it's good to have plants that need only a little attention because it's difficult to garden when you have guests. Here we have dry summers (but not this year) and very cold and often wet winters.

The tough but pretty plants that thrive without constant care are shrubby things like Lavenders, Rosemarys and Potentillas. Buddleias, too, (which are always smothered in butterflies) but they get big and sprawling towards season end. My favourites are the various Sages with variegated silver, yellow or purple leaves - they always look lovely in the border or the cooking pot! Evening Primroses (really a wasteland plant) self-seed everywhere and fill up many a corner with their beautiful yellow flowers. And Geraniums - particularly the trailing ivy-leaved sort - always look good and can cope with benign neglect.

Jim (pruning the buddleias today - big job!)
Post Reply