mollyripkim Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 (edited) Hi everyone, now I have sussed out adding photos thought I would post some of the garden now the grass has grown through the webbing, the girls free range every day from 11 am to bedtime and it has worked really well. The pansy raised border has a little metal trellis along it so they don't get in there as does the rockery at the end of the garden. But the border with all the shrubs is theirs, they spend ages dust bathing in their and generally scratching around. I think the pansies are way out of season as I planted them in February but they are too pretty to dig up, trouble is its too late for bedding plants (there wasn't much left in the nursery) so I need to keep them going until the autumn if I can. Thanks for looking. Edited September 17, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolateeclaire Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I also agree that chickens and a garden can work - but mine is nowhere near as neat and tidy as yours - but that is due to me and not my chickens!! Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaKiw1 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Wow - that is an impressive lawn! I see you're quite near to me as we live in Bassett, Southampton. We drive through Totton to see our horse who is stabled near Longdown every weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 It's very impressive, we do have a lawn but it's nothing like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Must admit hubby cuts the lawn, its greener than next doors but think thats the chicken poo! Hi lunakiwi, nice to know someone close, what sort of chickens do you have? I actually walk at Longdown or Deerleep every morning at around 10 am, you may have seen me with my tribe - cocker spaniel, yorkie and dachshund, I am often with my parents and their dogs too. Its such a lovely place to walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Looks smashing - lucky chooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Looks lovely Are they your silkies from Rachael ? I'm really pleased with mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 wish mine looked like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 That's a really lovely garden, mollyripkin. I really agree that gardens and chickens can mix if you are prepared to be a little flexible and think round problems. I too always end up with pansies that are way out of season but are just too pretty and alive to dig up then find that when they do look ropy (which yours don't) it is too late for bedding plants. I fall into that trap every year and every year I swear I'll be brutal next year. I love your chickens and so want a blue Silkie like yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 This is mine. Also home to FR Silkies. Unlike you I gave up on the lawn. If I move one day I'll do as you did and keep some lawn sewn through netting. That was an excellent idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolateeclaire Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Wow 'Cheaky Chook' - your garden looks like one of the amazing exhibition ones at the Chelsea Flower Show!! Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Beautiful gardens but I love those silkies where do you live I'm going to come and smuggle them away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Cheekychook your garden is amazing, it looks really established. I'd love a more cottage garden look and did try one year but everything got eaten by slugs and snails although the girls have sorted that problem now so may try again next year and be firm and dig the pansies out before it's too late. Pansies are such cheerful little flowers though, I've been dead heading them every day and feeding them to try and keep them going. Yes Scarlettohara the girls are from Rachael with two White girls on their way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Scarlettohara I posted some pictures of all the silkies today if you want to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picasso08 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Hi, Your garden is lovely, I have 2 chickens coming tuesday! I love my garden and is easy to maintain we have a small vegetable area and lot of shrubs and summer plants, planning on letting them out when I am not at work,very excited and nervous do you have a cat? we have and hoe do they get on?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Hi picasso08, welcome to the forum. Yes i have a cat (and three dogs)' I'm very lucky as the cat is incredibly lazy, never catches birds but just likes to lay and watch the world go by. When the chicks first arrived she gave the run a good sniff and that was that. If she is in the garden it is her that moves rather than the chickens. Good luck with your chickens, look forward to seeing photos, I'm sure you will love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grageomat Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 stunning very impressive! i know i shall never have a garden like this but i can dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Lovely, lovely garden & your silkies are just beautiful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennym Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Gorgeous - garden & chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavysqueak Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Please can you tell me what kind of netting you've used for the grass to grow through? It would be lovely to try to get some grass back in our garden! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Please can you tell me what kind of netting you've used for the grass to grow through? It would be lovely to try to get some grass back in our garden! Thanks Yes, I would be interested to know that too - and do you leave the netting down or take it up once the grass has grown back? ...... or is that a really dumb question? Ta, Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I've imagined your under grass netting would be like you get in playgrounds round the base of slides etc. i.e. left with the grass just growing through it. Is that right? A super idea, I think. I wish I'd thought of it before we got rid of all our lawn. Still I figured that my Silkies wouldn't mind reverting to their jungle status. Their favourite places are under the miniature apple tree (which is 5 years old) and around the bamboo where I have a large stone that they like to take turns to sit on. We call it "speakers' corner". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hi, the netting came from Homebase and was £20 per roll, I think we used 7 rolls but it has been worth it. I have a dachshund who loved to dig and then the girls would use her holes as makeshift dust baths, now they are quite happy in the shrubbery where it doesnt matter. We laid it in February and it looked awful (we pegged it down with plastic tent pegs), but we filled in and seeded all the holes. I had to protect these bits from the birds eating the seed and we watered it through the dry weather. It's great now as the plastic is hidden and you can mow it normally, the dog can't dig and the silkie girls scratch around but don't do any damage. I'd definitely recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Ps - thank you all for your kind comments, I'm absolutely besotted with my silkie girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hi Southcoast chicken. As my computer with photos is out of action I tried to link this post to you with the photos but couldn't work out how to do it. Sorry mods! Hope your garden works out ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
