August 2014
All wild and woolly and overgrown with higgeldy piggeldy fruit and flowerbeds spilling out onto random paths. This was how the garden looked when we first moved in. Before the diggers followed and the old pine tree, with the bed of needles and little pink cyclamen growing underneath was cut down because the surveyor told us the drains had to be repaired...
However much we pleaded we were told that things really had to go. We consoled ourselves that at least we could plan a new garden. It could be exactly the way wanted...Everything would be either beautiful or useful...If not both. A William Morris garden.
So things were knocked down...
then built up again.
24th Jan 2015
Ahmad and I put together the chicken house kit that I'd surprised him with.
A friend removed the rotten fence panels that were falling down, replacing them with new ones with trellis attached. They will age and go silvery grey and give us more privacy and support climbing honeysuckle for syrup, and vines for Persian verjuice.
Ahmad restored some of the old stone patio.
The friend laid a path foundation and re-dug the flower beds
...laid the new red brick path that curls it's way around the shrubs, and built two raised wooden vegetable beds at the end of the garden.
13th April 2015
The lawn was laid and wood store built. We filled it with wood and I started to plant the herb and herbacious garden by the kitchen window using traditional cottage garden method of mixing edible and non edible plants. Somethings that we'd managed to rescue, some donated by neighbours others that we chose specially, or new-home gifts.
13th april 2015
I planted up the vegetable beds.
...and painted the old garden furniture...
and finally the shed that we'll eventually stain a more subtle colour maybe to match the chicken house. We'll us it for garden furniture and tools, Ahmad's wine and pickling and a bit of potting...and maybe hiding away sometimes.
...and we planted more shrubs for the bees and little fruit trees and it didn't rain so we watered, and watered, and sometimes fed our baby plants with organic seaweed food; and gradually our garden is coming back. A different one, a bit more tidy but I'm sure that before we know it will be higgedly piggedly and rambling all over again. It's not surprising I had to stopped myself mid-sentence...
"When the baby carrots are born shall we...."
..."born" ?
It's beautiful, Debby! My! that was a lot of work. Everything is so neat and tidy. This is the time of year when I envy everyone's neat gardens. It's so nice that you can keep chickens. Our ordinances won't allow them within the village limits. Hope you enjoy your newborn carrots!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Jane
Why thank you Jane. It won't be like for long. But I do love overgrown gardens. I can't wait to get the chickens so that we can have our own eggs. It's a shame that you can't too. He he...it will seem cruel to eat the carrots now!
DeleteHappy days,
debx
dear debby,
ReplyDeleteall the hard work was worth it.......your garden is a dream.you happy, you can keep chicken in you garden. here it is unfortunatley bannet. I wish you many happy moments in your garden. thanks for all the wonderful photos!!!!
have a nice time,
regina
It's a shame we are fortunate in England to have no rules against keeping them in your garden. There are lots of sheep and chicken farms close by too. I'm glad that you like the photographs I think I may have accidentally posted some the same...too many as usual.
DeleteHave a lovely week,
debx
I do so love overgrown gardens - they seem to have there own little bit of history. Still this fresh new one is looking very nice. Liking your garden furniture too.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I was in tears when it had to go. But with our past history of not wanting to cut down trees or inhibit growth of lovely rambling climbers I'm sure that before long there will be a mini jungle out there...Hope so anyway. Thanks...the furniture is an eclectic mix of basket styles. Each with a family tale to tell.
DeleteHope you are enjoying the weather in your garden...I'm not sure what it will be like there now...we have all the rain coming now that didn't come in spring so hopefully everything will shoot up even more.
dx
what a labour of love......I can see those carrot 'being born'!!! You've given birth to quite a beauty here. I really loved seeing the whole process. A real inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThanks steph. I wanted to keep all the images to remind me of the before and after. It's good to see how much it changes from week to week. I love all the seed heads that are appearing now. I'm keeping them for next year.
Deletedx
goodness! you've done so much there! I love your new garden and in a few years it will fill out and be "wild" but I'm amazed at how much it has all grown in already. Beautiful! I love seeing the process.
ReplyDeleteI just had the fun planting bit to do. We are very lucky with our soil apparently almost anything will grow here. I have lots of plans for the winter and then next year.
Deletedx