🏡 Before & After3 min read
Written by Tom Huber
Before and after: a forgotten border in Mendlesham
A quiet cottage garden that had slipped out of hand over a couple of wet winters. No dramatic rescue, just steady hours across three visits.
The border ran the length of a picket fence and had, at some point, been beautifully planted. Bindweed and cleavers had taken most of it. Underneath, the bones were still there — a philadelphus, two roses, a stubborn clump of honesty that refused to give up.
What we did, in order
- Lifted the visible weeds by hand, roots as far as they would come.
- Cut the roses back to a workable framework — no more, no less.
- Mulched thickly with garden compost to hold moisture and slow the weeds returning.
- Left the honesty to seed itself. It has, generously.
No new plants went in. That felt important. Old borders often contain everything they need — they simply need to be reminded of themselves.
Bon Gardening Thought
“The kindest thing you can do to a neglected garden is usually less than you think.”
Every garden is unique. The ideas shared in The Bon Blog are based on my experience working in Suffolk gardens. Your own garden may behave differently depending on its soil, aspect and local conditions.
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