Eileen's Profile

We moved to this lovely part of Ireland in 2004. The house was new, set in a rocky South-sloping field about 3/4 acre. I designed a garden with the intention of making it possible for me to cope with it (I am in my late 70s and my husband, M, isn't a gardener. He is nearly 90) ,After numerous delays, I have been making it since May 2005. We had a rock-breaker to cut out a level site for the vegetable garden, and a digger to dig out the pond and the paths. We had a very big straight-sided polytunnel installed, because, although the climate is mild, we have very strong winds. We also had 8 wooden vegetable beds made 4' x 8 x18" high + another longer one where I planned to grow raspberries.
As well as the pond there are some irregularly shaped mixed beds, with winding gravel paths. My plan was to have no grass to cut, but that proved more difficult than I expected since all beds have to be contained. As we had a lot of stone from the rock-breaking, M. who has helped me from the start, and is now a good friend, made small stone walls everywhere. She also dug in pipes for a simple watering system.
Our plantings have struggled with frequent cruel winds, and have been dug up by rabbits. We have a huge amount of some kind of sorrel - a nasty weed which creeps energetically underground, and breaks off when you are trying to follow it to its limit. It is an un-ending job digging it out,

Last year things were beginning to grow together, and I love working out there with views of the small hilly, furze-edged fields and the bigger mountains a little further off. Below is Roaring Water Bay with its many islands.