Well that was a little longer break than anticipated...

The Long Version. Photo heavy - I apologise in advance. (Skip to the end for the quick version)

This was the end of our garden when we moved in.


There were piles of rubbish and dead plants everywhere.




We started with a new shed.


Which I painted blue. 2 weeks later a storm ripped half the roof felt off and we had to replace the felt. Very annoying.


Then we cleared the area for the compost bins.


The bins arrived from our council recycling scheme (via http://www.recyclenow.com/) so even though I would like nice wooden compost boxes the £10 each plastic ones are just fine.


Next we took down the previous owner's Wendy house which had been our storage area until the nice blue shed was complete.


Then we ripped out the fence and all the plants from this side of the garden.


The silver birch tree was revealed, as was a ton of snails and spiders but lets not go there.


The end of the garden looked a bit like this. M built a woodstore from scratch to go next to the compost bins.
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A weekend was lost to snow in April.


Finally we moved on to tackling the other side of the end of the garden. M lifted the paving and it was recycled to enlarge the patio next to the house. After much research we decided on reclaimed untreated railway sleepers for the raised vegetable beds. After more research we decided on Australian Jarrah timber (apparently used by British Rail for years). During the research / waiting for the sleepers to arrive period we also painted the fences which run top to bottom of our very long garden and which were totally neglected and a horrid grey colour. Unfortunately the colour I chose was the only on which doesn't come in sprayable form and we had to paint all the panels my hand (thanks to my mum for help with that one).


The sleepers arrived and were deposited in the front garden, we carried them to the back garden. Estimated weight of sleeper - very very heavy. Actual weight of sleeper - very very very very heavy.


The "fun" begins, note if you are tempted to make vegetable beds from railway sleepers they do not get magically lighter. They are attached at the ends with special extra long screws - a box of which costs slightly more than the average pair of summer shoes.


We also added a water butt to the shed which has filled up nicely after last weeks week of rain. The beds are located over an area which was previously paved, we had to dig out tons of sand and rubble before filling the beds with the soil and well rotted manure.


We made a non raised bed next to the woodstore and planted a red currant bush and some runner beans. Finally the three beds are finished and the mound of soil outside the shed is finally gone.


The paths between the beds have weed supressing fabric which will be covered with the gravel that currently covers the other half of the garden.


I planted some seeds - two types of tomatoes, more beans (Dwarf French) and two types of peppers and we bought some Brussel sprout plants (M's choice), squash plants and aubergine (eggplant) plants to start the beds off.


Meanwhile nature has been taking care of the apple blossom which will hopefully mean apples in the autumn.


NB - when I say we in relation to garden construction I really mean M. His woodwork skills have not ceased to amaze me and I am eternally grateful for the lovely vegetable garden M has built me. I really did help with the lifting of the sleepers though and I have the arm muscles to prove it.

The Quick Version

Before September 2007


After May 2008


And that is why I have not been writing my blog. Really and truely most spare hours have been spent on either working in the garden or researching raised vegetable beds. Or in the evening sewing like a mad woman on my hexagon quilt. More on that next time.

Last weekend M's kids came over from Germany, we had a rare day off and went to London. As a reward to myself for the sleeper lifting I bought some new shoes. I think I may be developing a peep toe addiction. It certainly makes a change from my usual weekend foot attire the last few weeks.



Oh and I finished a pair of socks.



Pattern: Nancy Bush Child's First Sock In Shell Pattern (Knitting Vintage Socks)
Yarn: The Knittery Merino / Cashmere in Forest Moss (Second picture has true colour)

Our attention now turns to the mid section of the garden - two large flower beds and beyond.


See that gravel in the background? That all has to be lifted and de soiled / weeded and laid as the paths for the veg beds. Then we have to lay turf for the lawn which will replace the gravel. Increase the patio flower bed size. Plant the flower beds. Re-plant the bed nearest the kitchen door as my herb bed. Find some affordable garden furniture. Find / buy / make a bench to go beneath the silver birch tree. Tend the vegetables. Do daily battle with the bind weed that the previous owners lack of weeding has allowed to go rampant throughout the garden and the little gifts left by the neighbourhood cats.

Hopefully we'll be able to take things at a more reasonable pace now we are no longer battling time to get things ready for planting season.

Have a lovely weekend :)