over the past few months we’ve had building work done at home.  the main upside of this is that the extended house has a new kitchen for cooking allotment produce and a utility room to provide an entrance for dirty gardeners bringing their treasure home from the allotment.  At least in theory this means that the main cooking area should stay pretty clean.

The downside of extending the house is that both the front and back gardens have shrunk and as they have been builders’ yards for over six months they are no great advert for our skills.  we have therefore decided that it is time to strip the gardens back and start again and we’ll keep you posted on progress over the next few months.  The back garden used to be a pretty standard small plot. Some lawn, some shrubs and given our interests some fruit and vegetable beds.

Back garden late August 2011

It is now a rather bleaker site and this is after we’ve started clearing the worst of the weeds and have re-trimmed the standard bay.

Back garden January 2019

We’re still working on the re-design, but have decided that there is no longer enough room for a patch of lawn and that the shed will be too much of a pain to move, otherwise all options remain open.

We have made a start on the front garden, which was also a builder’s yard last summer.

Front garden last June

The garden has now been completely cleared and at least the weed suppressant membrane looks neat!  The pots of herbs against the wall give away what will be in a new bed under the kitchen window.  that aside we’re still in the planning phase.

Front garden