What's meant to be......

Heron, you have lived "the dream"....and a very big "well done!" to you :) You have worked so hard to create something so beautiful.
I have dreamed of a cottage garden all my gardening life....have tried to recreate "my dream", but sadly don't have the cottage to go with it...
A garden is never finished, because it's a living being, always hungry, and in need of lots of tender, loving care!
My very best wishes, and love to all at "Ivy Cottage" xx

1970 .... hardly seems like 40 years ago does it ?

You've put in all that time in 'hard graft' and now you are reaping the rewards.

As Di said...a garden is a living thing and living things change. It's yours....you've made it .... and whatever changes you want to make ....well.....I think you've earned the right ... don't you ?
:-))

Well done Heron......What an achievement.....I bet at the end of the day when you come infrom the garden absolutely Kn*******ered, you fall asleep with a smile on your face thinking "mine....all mine.".......Lol

a lovely storey. well done.

Good on you for not knocking the cottage down,some things are worth a bit of hard work and I suspect its lovely now, I always end my days gardening thinking forward to the next days jobs and what I can do next but it keeps me happy..Lol....

you can say that 13 is your lucky number Heron :))) Ivy Cottage was just waiting for you and your OH, and what a lovely job you've done

Old cottages are lovely. I lived in one for 20 years. I found all sorts of things in the garden too including clay pipes. One had a face on it !

What a lovely blog Heron.
You and Mrs. Heron are very lucky to have what you do there :-)

Great Blog Heron would love to see some pics you were meant to have it so it waited for you? You are so right a garden is never finished always something to change or add.

Well done Heron. How many people dream about what you have acheived but never get round to doing anything about it?
Congrats to you and the Mrs.

Having seen your enchanting garden I would love to see a picture of Ivy Cottage now - it was obviously meant to be yours.

An interesting story, nice to hear about someone achieving their aims.
You're right about the gardening never being finished - one of the problems when you get into it is that it then becomes virtually impossible to just sit and enjoy it for any length of time - I sit there with a cup of tea and chatting, within 2 minutes I'm up, pulling out that tall weed I never noticed before, then I just need the secateurs, and perhaps a bit of water for that, and a feed for this, and oh dear, more weeds behind that shrub...
I know someone who's nearly finished a 3 year media course about making films - he is now entirely unable to enjoy programmes on the telly because he's constantly working out the camera angles and how it should have been done...

Super blog thank you for sharing.

Thanks Val, I just found this lovely blog via your comment, Another one I missed!
What a wonderful tale Heron, you and Ivy Cottage were obviously meant to be together. Your garden is fabulous, please can we see a pic of your lovely cottage too?

I'm utterly overwhelmed by your comments, I'd like to respond to all your comments individually but too many. However I do thank you for all your complements. As some of you would like to see more pics I'll post some more. I'm a little nervous about publishing too much detail on the net but I'll find something. The cottage is situated between two villages in a SSSI area. No amenities not even a bus service but so long as I have a car I like it that way. One of you mentioned something about the satisfaction of creating things for yourself and how much more you appreciate it. Well I wasn't born clever but I was brought up to get up early and work hard until the job's done......and then find another .Lol. It's nice to have someone come and do a job for you but It's so much more satisfying to do it yourself. Yes I'm a full time gardener but my real passion is my old classic boat which has been in the family before I was born.

Yes I don't blame you for being cautious about what photos you post on line Heron, maybe you can find one giving us a glimpse of the back or something. It sounds like your cotttage is in a lovely settting too, no wonder you had to have it.

Good blog, Heron..
Well writtten :o)

TT I pressed 'Edit' and spaced out the blog (above) as requested, I then pressed 'publish' but it hasn't changed it.

Hi Heron..
When you spaced out the blog, did you use the key over to the right of the keyboard, which is an arrow with a ninety degree bend on it ? If you use that big key between paragraphs, that should work..

If you are worried about deleting this blog accidentally, practise with a new draft blog, which you can always delete after experimenting.... Lol.

Message me privately, or put another comment on here, if it still doesn't work.. good luck :o)

I've much to learn about typing but with a little help from 'Mycroft' my o/h, ive managed it albeit with the spaces in the wrong place Lol.

Your blog looks much more user-friendly now, with the neat paragraphs.... easier to read. It is so very well-written... I hope you'll be writing lots more over the winter.

Maybe you'll get brave and include photos, too. A blog about your boat and the surrounding scenery ... and Barnaby... would be lovely...:o)

If you need any advice about including photos in blogs, send me a p.m. and I'll explain whatever you need to know.

You're right about it being more 'user friendly' TT. My OH is a secretary and has just told me that it's much better. She also says that it should be one space after a comma and two after a full stop. I'm getting there...slowly.
As for another blog, well if there's a subject I can go on about for ever it's my old boat. As you say it would be better with pics so yes I would be greatful for some help.

Good to know your OH has given you top marks for your writings. On David's recent blog I gave him A+ for his paragraph design. Lol.

I don't think GoY members are too picky about punctuation.... in fact I find I use a different style of writing on comments.... such as these rows of dots......:o)

Yes, you could collect photos during your boat trips with Barnaby, and then make a blog during the colder weather.

Message me any time, and I'll give you info. on photos in blogs. etc.

An inspiration Heron......

A great story to be told and thanks for sharing it with us. Now I need to check out your pics and 'favourite you!!

I believe whats meant to be is to be, fate, not luck and with determination and hard work nearly most can be acheived and this is what you have done achieved your dream off your own back.

Lovely to read of a dream come true, I've come to this blog after looking at your photos. It's a beautiful house, thank goodness you didn't rebuild, and a fantastic garden too:-)

Have only just found this blog Heron...when coming to read your latest one....don't know how I missed it....It was lovely to read how you came about owning this wonderful cottage.....look forward to seeing more pics.....and of your lovely boat....off to read your latest.