The Before (Many years ago) and After (Many years of hard work)

A lovely blog Oliveoil, the transformation is amazing. Beautiful pics of your 'now' garden :-))))))

So pleased you like them Annella, I love it.

Hi Oliveoil, I am just having a nose at your pics and I love your beautiful garden! It must have taken you many years to get it how it is today, it is simply wonderful! I've only had a quick peek at your pics (lots to look at!) but I will definitely have a good nose when I get the chance. There's not enough hours in the day to look at all the GOY members lovely pics!

Yes I know Busybee it is quite time consuming - love looking at other gardens, it gives me inspiration and encouragement to keep working at my own.

I love to see the "before and after" pics Oliveoil. Your garden is beautiful, well done!...:o)

Thank you Dylandog - Happy Gardening

It actually looks bigger now than it did when it was bare! Its a beautiful garden you have oliveoil bursting with love and attention you've given it!!!!

I really enjoy 'before & after' photos - I'm glad you were able to find some for us. What a difference! I can see how much work's gone into it. :-))))

Now we know where Karen gets it from. ;-)

Ah bless you Spritzhenry, yes hard work, but very worthwhile. You will be pleased to hear Spritzhenry, I have ordered MORE hardy geraniums, know you are a specialist in them. Karen and you have got me well and truly hooked on them. Going to plant these between the roses in the new border which is now dug out and ready for the back end of the year planting. Will put in the geraniums and then the roses when it is time.

Dido, I do love my garden enjoy every minute of it, not enough hours in the day sometimes - but have more plans to dig more grass out and plant more plants just love being in it and spending time working and planning in it.

Thank you for all your comments it's great to be involved in others gardening plans and seeing their gardens blooming.

You sound just like me - ever possible minute is spent outside 'doing '...:-)))

Pleased to hear about the geraniums! Let me know if you'd like any seeds...obviously, some don't produce any, but some I have are prolific!

Thank you Spritzhenry that is so very kind of you. My delivery is expected tomorrow really exciting waiting for plants to arrive. All Barbara's must be the same lol. Olive is my middle name. lol.

Well, I have to say, I 'can't' remember those top two pics mum. Even they are after my time! Do you recall that old greenhouse that I cleaned out...that was still there when I left. there was no garden. Just a path up to the big gate, a few roses...julia?...in the front garden and a few gooseberry bushes at the side. I don't remember any raspberry canes, and this puppy is not familiar to me either! Very cute puppy though!! 1982 when I left remember....a long, long time ago! So if most of the garden has been done in the last ten years.....that work started 18 years after I left!....can you believe that? I had to check my sums there!! I believe the 18 intervening years were taken up with two little girls...mostly going to swimming pools!!

What a lovely transformation it all looks so mature. As you say you`ve got the bug for hardy geraniums from Spritz and I`m giving credit to Karensusan for bolstering my interest in Clematis. But thats what this site is all about inspiration.

You can all say what you like about me and my clems! I love them and I think everyone should love them! lol x

Yes Karen, the dog was Sarah's puppy you were in Manchester or Dundee by then, time flies by, you are right also, pools in every part of the country, not any more tho' now I have time for me. I don't miss the swimming time any more did at first but now I just love being able to do something for me about time I think you would probably say. lol. After 45 plus years of looking after kids think it is about time really that I gave up mothering and started rearing plants instead, just a swap there then. Same sort of thing, nurturing and feeding and keeping watered, not a lot changes eh? lol.

Thanks Stroller - I agree this site is definitely about inspiration.

your garden looks really lovely

Give up mothering.....???? how????

great blog & photos...your garden is truly beautiful

Thank you Donnah,

Karen, you are right of course mothering is still there even when they have left home and they need you, as they do. Wouldn't ever give it up have enjoyed the mothering so much.

Thanks Elsiemay pleased you like it.

Seriously, Barbara/Olive, would you like some seeds? I'll collect some for you if you'd like some. In fact - I think I have some from last year still...I'm sure they'd germinate OK. Just let me know.

Thanks for that Spritzhenry, I have no room for any more at the moment thanks ever so much, will have to have another grass removal session and will probably beg some then. Oh I shall be in trouble taking up some more grass!! Maybe when I have sorted out the fishpond side/border I shall be able to get some in there, maybe - now there's an idea. Must start on it, want to get an electrician in and make it safe for outdoor electrics. The pond has never had a filter in and think it would work better for fish and for me hearing the sound of water tinkling out of a fountain. Have let it go because I wanted to do the project all in one go so will have to get cracking next on that project. Thanks again for the offer though.

Lovely blog, lovely garden, and what a difference! How big is it? it looks huge. I'm very slow on the uptake Barbara, but I've just worked out you're Karensue's mum lol. I've always loved geraniums (lazy gardener, trouble free plants) and I've now got the clematis bug too, oh and this site made me make over my garden:-)

Yes Bornagain I am Karensue's mum, don't worry about not realising, pleased you like the garden, have never measured it, but would say it is a medium size garden, it's enough to keep me busy, I like clematis also, but don't have as many as Karensue. Think I might be catching up on the geranium count though. lol.

fantastic transformation!

thought you would like it - thanks

You've really done a lot of work, as evidenced by the before and after photos. I think I will be a bit like Karen....I plan to get clematis growing too and there are so many beautiful varieties as I've discovered from browsing on GOY.

Enjoying your blog very much.

Hi there Whistonlass, have you seen the blog which Karensue wrote on Clematis, it is really good. She really is clever with her planting of clems. even though I do say so myself. She has set me off with clems. and roses and another one is Hardy Geraniums. Like daughter like mother I think in my case. lol.- Happy gardening

I have a plan to look at Karen's blog...I've listed it as a favourite, knowing how much she likes clematis. I think her 'about me' entry on her blog said she had about 60 in her garden!

I only had one and it has been choked out by rampant ivy gone wild. It used to give such a beautiful show of dark purple threading its way through the hawthorn. It will be replaced, I'm determined of that.

Nice to realize you are mom & daughter...and both keen gardeners.

Yes Whistonlass we are a mom and daughter, I was a child bride LOL. I keep telling everyone that, I am not really my age think I am still 21 and that is fine as long as the back holds out. lol. thanks for your comments. There is a Whiston where I used to live near Rotherham, lovely little village all stone cottages I remember. think it might have been taken over and got intermingled with the sprawl from other places now though.

Woops....I pressed 'submit' and I didn't write anything....makes a change! GOY is very addictive...need I say more! lol

Very addictive lol.

Hello Olive, just picked up on the Whiston bit, I live in Rotherham and drive
through Whiston quite often. It still has the stone cottages and is quite a sought after area

Dido & Olive....The Whiston, near Rotherham, I can guarantee is a lot more scenic than the Whiston we are to be found inhabiting.

We are on a main and quite busy road but we are content now that we've retired from our newagency business.

Being here on such a noisy road makes the idea of a lovely garden area all the more appealing so I'm excited about what we can do with our little patch.

I love Yorkshire and the stone cottages...I posted some photos on my blog of a recent visit we took to the Dales (Grassington and surrounds)...and all the stone walls are beautiful...even the tumbled-down ones.

Dido, you are very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the UK. :)

I will second that, I was born just outside Rotherham in a small village called Wentworth, ace place. Moved to Rotherham when I was 14 wished I could go back to Yorkshire, I love the area, especially out in the Dales. Love stone cottages and if and when and oh I will be a millionaire this time next year, I shall buy a stone cottage with a stream running at the bottom of the garden and design my patch til my heart is content. (In my dreams) lol.

I am lucky Whistonlass, I actually live on the other side of town on the outskirts of Wentworth, beautiful countryside and the home of Wentworth Woodhouse which I walk to regularly, just me and the dog, clears the head..
After running a business like that Whistonlass you deserve to enjoy retirement in a lovely garden, I'm sure you will get there, by hook or by crook as they say!
But having the time now must be lovely for you, I truly wish you well with everything you do.

Well I never Olive!

I am originally from Canada, married an Englishman and moved here in1983. My idea of England and the home we would inhabit is a far cry from where we find ourselves now...lol I had the stone cottage (maybe even a thatched roof!), lovely flower garden...and yes, Olive, a stream just to complete the picture. Not forgetting the arch with roses too!

We are entitled to our dreams....I wouldn't trade my life with hubby and retirement although it's highly unlikely we'll move from here (hubby keeps buying the lottery tickets....just in case....lol).

Thank you ladies for your kind comments. :)

Oh my goodness it is a small world isn't it. Now I am green with envy Dido. lol
I used to love walking around those villages, I remember Hoober Stand, Street, Harley, Elsecar, I went to school at Brampton Bierlow, Wath on Dearne. No longer a school - on one of my travels I went around to have a look for old time sake. It is a fantastic place.

We have our luck in different ways don't we? Being happy with loved ones is all!

It really is a small world all the places you mention are weekend haunts with the dog and my sons fish on the pond in Elsecar, and of course Greasbrough Dam and we had our Wedding Reception at the Rockingham Arms in Wentworth Olive 35 years ago,

It certainly is it is more important than winning the lottery - we all go different ways in our lives and I am no different to anyone else, it is just great to dream of places past. Oh for a stone wall is what I would really like. lol. dream dream dream - you never know - they could come true.