*Introduction to the Crescent*

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I walked through all my neighbours’ gardens this afternoon. I do it every day. I live in the far end house of a terrace of stone cottages away from the road, a crescent built in 1850 as workers cottages for the calico printing mill. The 17 gardens each have a character of their own and are a constant joy to me.
The terrace is in the valley of a small river. Behind is a fairly steep, partly wooded, slope. At my end most of the gardens have steps up to a patio area, and then retaining stone walls. I had my retaining wall rebuilt a few years ago when heavy rain brought part of the old one down. I planted two fuschia magellanica, one variegated, on the top which, to my delight, do better each year.
All the front gardens go down to the river, but are built up well above it, so flooding is not a threat, although the level of the river is very sensitive to rainfall, being only a few miles below the watershed. Water only lies on the cobbled path when the land drains are over-faced by a deluge.
My front garden has a small area of grass and informal (that’s one word for it) beds, one bordering the path to the front door. Its also has the brick wall of a derelict warehouse along the side adjacent to the house. The front faces S.E., but there are large trees along the river.
I’m having a nightmare trying (failing) to find the pictures I need but will try to add some next time.

• 15 Sep, 2008
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