Topiary for the shade (or, what not to do with English Box)

I've had some lovely emails and comments wondering why the blog has been so quite lately. I can assure you the renovation hasn't stopped! Farmer Joe and I have been slogging it out in the garden, and while the work is important, it isn't terribly bloggable. However, I've put together a couple of posts to show you some of the projects we've been working on.

Some of you may remember my dismay when the large and expensive English Box topiaries flanking our front door took a turn a few weeks before Christmas. Recently, a kind nursery staffer gave me some advice that I wish I had heard $400 ago: English Box won't grow in complete shade. To recreate the large topiary ball 'look' with a plant that would actually survive, she suggested Chinese Star Jasmine grown over a round chicken-wire frame. While I'm sure the finished product would look lovely, I don't fancy having chicken wire greeting me at the front door each day. So, I've up-scaled the idea and replaced the chicken-wire with rusted wire sculptures by Manning Sculptures.  

By securing the sculptures inside the pot and planting the Jasmine at the base, the vine will eventually grow to cover the ball completely. Meanwhile, we have a lovely and constantly changing piece of art to enjoy.

In other garden news, the first flowering trees we planted two and a half years ago are finally rewarding us with a spectacular display of blossoms...

It's a great time to be in the garden!