garden in old days

What makes you think it was better, Paul, or are you referring to the difference between winter and summer? All our gardens look better in the summer (although I'm not sure mine did during the last one!)
Your garden looked very lush and green and I like the layout. And fab runner beans!

Not knowing what it looks like now I can't comment, but I agree it looked lovely then.
What's different about it now ?

The picture with the path , badly placed but cemented would have been lovely. Why did I change ! Maybe in the winter it went manky . I feel almost sick I had lots of expensive slabs and things I for some mad reason I slung out .

Hello Hywel , I get frustrated in the summer it looks lovely , winter comes and gets no sunshine and wet winters it remains wet, grass is impossible and anyway it's too much effort lol. I created many slopes and built drains , at least one thing it never floods, but scruffy . I need to go away for four months each year lol

Paul, I think we all get discouraged when we try new things and they don't turn out as well as we expected. And it's often tiring to undertake, so the thought of changing again seems too much. I know I'm still annoyed that the shrubs I planted 7 years ago have mostly keeled over and the site doesn't look anything like I wanted it to all those years ago. The bottom south-facing border is still a pain in the **** to plant and I've tried all sorts to get it going. I had in my mind's eye an enclosed, green space. What I've got is very different and I don't think I'll ever be fully happy with it. What to do?? I'm not good at being philosophical!

Loved your garden then, love it now SB.

You have a gorgeous garden. Don’t be too hard on yourself Paul … my garden looks TERRIBLE at the moment - full of black plants, but I know it will improve come the Spring 🙂.

You need to embrace the winter Paul and use it as a time to rest. It's like night, we need it otherwise we'll wear ourselves out.
Accept it for now and enjoy a break from it, it will wake up again soon enough :) Have you got bulbs coming up and winter flowering shrubs ? They can help.

Your garden looked really lovely Paul and it will again!
Don't despair..spring will soon be here!

lol Ange yes - I get frustrated with dying things and wasting money . Thank you Popedot very much

Thanks Sheila , the grass was £65 wasted but nevermind . It looks nice just certain areas are manky

Yes Hywel - I bought some from B&Q, got my daffs, alliums and bluebells

Thank you Rose

Thanks for the lovely comments everyone

I always loved your garden,Paul,but I also like how it is now..We all like to do something different,just to ring the changes, so sometimes it works,sometimes it doesn't..I often regret getting rid of some of mine, but it was to make it more manageable as I got older,which on a positive note,it did ! x

The mood has changed but it is not either better or worse, just different. A change sometimes does us good.

Thank you very much for comments. certainly given me happiness just can't ever leave it. Things I got rid of now I miss

Aye Up Paul !!!.. Your garden is lovely, methinks you have got the winter blues, been there many a time, it does pass, you wanna see my messy garden, it looks terrible but it needs to be like that to protect my little creatures, in a few weeks time you'll be wondering why you felt so down......

Thank you - I can't do anything in rock solid garden and it always looks grim . No sun on back yet . Only about 40 days and back into it - soon pass

Your garden has always looked good, Paul. You've a lot of imagination and you've some innovative ideas too. Winter is always a time when gardens look a bit ropey in places. I've a small one, so I can see it all, almost, in one 'assessment '.
It's the damp, squidgy grass and surroundings. Plus it's cold and we can't potter for long. Fortunately, it's February next week..
Don't be so hard on yourself, you've shown us some fab creative ideas over the years.

Thank you very much Kate , It's mostly weather and vine weevil that kill my garden . Sick of picking up loose plants to find reason why . The new bonsais will no doubt be full of them next year - lose a lot from them sadly

Have you tried nematodes Paul? They have a good reputation for eating vine weevil.

Will have a go :-))