The Haven (7)

I really liked hearing of all the plans you have for M'lady's garden/pathways. Your oriental themed spot sounds very nice.

My favourite was the stream, path and lovely old iron bench. You must feel so privileged to work in such surrounds, David.

The last photo appears to have a sculpted dog....is that significant to the history of the property? Quite took a fancy to him actually. :)

Excellent blog, David. Good luck with the bulb planting.

lovely,i love mushrooms as well they have always held some appeal for me,i was always looking for fairys,chris

Fascinating project, David... making good progress :o)

Good stuff David, all them spring bulbs will look fantastic.

Super blog David! Love the carved face in the last pic - please can I have one? And the rescued conifer (prostrate, not prostate though! ;-) That's something else!) with the mossy stones as decoration in & beside the pot.

Thanks for the blog David you have worked hard.

This is going to be so lovely!!

Great blog, how exciting to have new projects on the go. Where did you get the figure in the last pic from?

great blog once again david love that last pic ;0)))

Really enjoyed this blog , bet the daffodils will look great in the spring.The bird feeder's look popular.

It's exciting to see how the work is progressing David and the ideas you have for it , can't wait to see the finished areas ........

Hmmm, M'lady just makes me think of Parker and Lady Penelope ! I could easily spend a while sitting on that bench, looking at the stream, listening to the birds. You are developing this garden into something very, very special, David. Just can't wait for Spring when the Daffodils are in bloom, it's going to be a joy. : o ))

I am having fun just imagining this area next spring - can't wait to see the results of all your fall planting! It will definitely be a wee wonderland & I wish I were able to walk about there. So looking forward to many spring photos!!
It is a lovely area & even in winter will continue to charm us with it's stream and trees and bird population! I'm glad you found such a rewarding place to showcase your talents David!

Many Thanks for following, and the comments, folks! :-))

Have not long returned from a day there. Got the rest of the narcissus bulbs planted along the slope. Also 100 primula plants!!! Began making a framework for the rectangular pond, and strimmed the lane out front (hoping that this will be its last cut this year, but doubt it).

Meant to ask "M'lady" (yes, Shirley, there are shades of Thunderbirds here, I know, but it is our pet name for her at work, lol!) about the sculpture in the last pic Sort of half human and half animal. I do know that he, too, has a "pet" name, but cannot remember it. Meant to ask today, but forgot. Have tried phoning, but "M'lady" is now at the gym!! Could have saved her the effort and expense by getting her to help me plant all those bulbs and primulas! Also, it would have given us more money for plants - LoL!!!

OMG, Beattie!!! I should know my prostate from my prostrate, as work in operating theatres, lol!!! Many Thanks for pointing this out! This has been "sorted" - my own laugh for the day, thank you! :-))

enjoyed your blog David,really good pics too.. what a shame about not being able to save the caravan,it looks like the dog is keeping a beady eye on those toadstools lol..

Never a bad idea to laugh at ourselves, David :) The grounds are going to look a pretty sight with all the bulbs and primulas in the spring.

It certainly isn't, Whistonlass! :-)))

Am hoping that they all "take", especially the primulas, which were delivered to another address, and the receiver forgot she had them! They were a bit worse for wear, after a week in a box, and no water, but have revived a bit, now.. Just hope that they have revived enough to withstand planting out today, and with the sharp downturn in temp.

M'lady just called me. Asked about the figure"head" in the last pic above. Seems that this is the one sculpture which doesn't have a description, nor a pet name!!!!

I would really like to give him a name, so am open to suggestions. :-))

Just hope you dont damage your prostate planting up the prostrate !! Lol. Great blog, spring will be special.

It is all looking fantastic David such a great place and your plans really make it an even better place. Love the Mushroom gazer - now theres a start for the name game......."gazer" he looks distinctly miffed about something it can't be his surroundings lol.

Lol GM .. sorry David have been following these blogs with great interest and not usually one to pry but the level of work you are doing for M 'lady is amazing.

As far as can tell this is done in what little free time you have for no charge ..I m so sorry but really have to ask ..

Is she a trained hypnotherapist ?

As for the sculpture ..Caleus ?

Just thought of a name for your creature, he reminds me of 'The Psammead' from the childrens book by E. Nesbit, called Five children and it ! Great story.

Loved this blog, David, I do like to hear of other people's hard labours! You're making such a difference there and sounds like you are managing 'M-lady' as well as the garden :)

David how about calling it...'M-lady' lol..

Many thanks, everyone, for the wonderful name suggestions. Perhaps I shall let "M'lady" choose from them (so had better not put yours forward, Joan - lol!!). I might well end up with a garden fork in my prostate, and then be prostrate for a long time to come, grandmage!!! :-))) She is only manageable to an extent, Gee!!

Bb, I got the inference from your name suggestion, Lol!! Have to say, that I manage to spend one whole day a week here, and I do get paid for my efforts. This was a mutual agreement from the outset (can't believe that was back in May, how time flies when you're having fun). :-))

He does look a bit peeved off, doesn't he, Neellan? like a grumpy old man! :-))

:0))

I think he should be called Vincent. Years ago (1980's?) there was a TV prog. loosely based on Beauty & the Beast. Quite a handsome beast if I remember rightly and his name for some reason was Vincent :)
I wonder if anyone else remembers it?

Yes, I do, Gee, the actor who played Vincent was Ron Perlman I think, a 6' 2" blonde guy. Good choice of name for the figure head. : o ))

Wow, Gee, I remember that!!!! Main attraction, for me, was Linda Hamilton, because she also played Sarah Connor in "The Terminator" 1 and 2, and I loved the movies, as well as the games on my Sega Megadrive!!!!!! :-)))

Oops sorry David thought you were doing this free instead of in what little free time you get ..glad youre being appreciated - for those who might be wondering and for those who werent lol ..Caleus was castrated by the Roman god Saturn and you certainly seem to have been busting your b***s in this garden ..

Terminator reference very appropriate as sure you tell M ' lady .. I ll be back !

I remember Vincent, reminded me of a golden retriever my son owned at the time....

David if you were to disappear for any reason I swear I`d be VERY CROSS, I `ve also followed your blogs as you know and next year your Haven is going to be absolutely gorgeous. As to the sculpture, I`m sorry, Scooby Doo was the one that came to mind here, don`t ask why cos I don`t even like the darned programme,LOL.

David, you have such a huge garden, or should I call it "park"? Just amazing!!!!! I was flabbergasted to learn how many bulbs you bought, and the primroses to boot! Can't wait to see the photos in spring, must be spectacular... :)

Lol, Bb!!!! Many Thanks for the explanation behind your name suggestion :-))

Where would I disappear to, Lincslass??? Unless I fall into the stream? :-)) Scooby Dooby Doooooo!!!! Have added this to the list, Thanks!

This is not my garden, Tommy; it belongs to a work colleague friend, and am helping to get it, hopefully, put to rights and better than it was earlier this year. :-))

Gotcha David :)
I thought you were a secret millionaire/aristocrat or some kind!!!!!!!!

......I wish! :-D)

brilliant garden, looks like the lost gardens of heligan to me or maybe a secret garden??
i really like that 'attractively shaped' conifer you have replanted ~ if i call it that i wont get the wrong word??
japanese garden would be really good
think this garden ought to be open to the public to share ~ too good for just M'lady???

Hi, Sticki!! Wouldn't put it up there with Heligan, but I do think that it is my "secret" garden! :-)) Was almost "prostrate" with laughter, with regard to your second paragraph!!! :-D))

This garden, unfortunately, cannot become an open one, as the sole access is via a mile-long, single-track, deeply-rutted, muddy farm track, with no parking space at the end of it. No deliveries can be made, the council bin lorries don't come up here, and the Postman seems, now, to be saving up the mail for only 2 deliveries a week. There is always a price to be paid for "seclusion", I guess It will be a major headache trying to get the timber for the decking up here, for a start! :-))

hmmm! helicopter??
i dont think you can get more inaccessible can you? unless you live on knoydart?? [most remote pub on mainland britain is there!] i think it is 30+ miles from a road ~ you can get there by boat tho! and there are deliveries!
haven is a very good name ~ there are plenty of times when i would like to be as inaccessible as that!