Slowly but surely . . .

Love the design, they look as though are doing a splendid job. Hope your seed growing goes well in this changeable weather. Happy Easter

I do like seeing "new" ideas and new gardens. Makes me feel like starting all over again.

Some chairs are destined for that lovely seating area! Happy Easter.

Thank you Marjorie - yes, the 'boys' are brilliant, and so tidy!

Thank you Eirlys - I'm certainly looking forward to getting out the table and benches, and being able to sit out in the garden :)

Oh Sheila, it's coming on so well! So tidy as you say and the beautiful curving path and the pergola...it's all so exciting.. That's a lovely greenhouse too...let it snow...you can be snug in there!..:))

wow that is such a transformation. it looks amazing. keep at it especially with the camera :o)

Wow Sheila! This has really cheered me up to see it all coming to fruition. Your patio and path look amazing. I love that brickwork path..so warm looking. And a beautiful new greenhouse too.....and do I see the beginnings of a new Bus Stop too?! Beautiful...can't wait to see the next stage. I remember that feeling when you get your beautiful new greenhouse to play in! I'm still not really over it now.

Thank you Meadowland, Janey, Eileen and Karen for your lovely comments!

Yes it's very exciting . . . Janey, I love it all too, and the little greenhouse is snug already. Karen, the path is our favourite feature - and I have my "wish list" of plants at the ready for an imminent visit to a large GC :)

Thank you for sharing this exciting time with us all !

Wow,Sheila,it is looking fantastic,and I also love the shapes and colours of your paths and paving..as for your pristine greenhouse,and the promise of all those lovely plants and flowers,no wonder you are one very happy lady :o) reading between the lines,I guess you are not regretting the move for one moment..I hope you have a very happy Easter :o) xx

It's looking fab Sheila. You have a talented crew. I love the swaggered paths and brickwork - very inviting! The pergola is a nice touch as well.

Happy Easter to you too. I love the new path. I so envy you the excitement you must be feeling as your new garden develops.

So much potential

Diane it's great to know that sharing photos and blogs on friendly GoY is so encouraging!

Sandra - thanks so much, and you're quite right - we're loving our new house and potential garden :) x

Paul, thank you very much for your lovely comments :)

Julia, thank you, yes we're having a good time :)

Brian - thank you, you're so right!

He always is !

This is lovely! New gardens take time and like you say the weather has been atrocious! Look forward to the next blog!

Thanks Sk - just really want the soil (aka mud) to dry out so that we can get planting . . .

Wow, doesn't it look so very Chelsea! You'll be joining the Open Gardens scheme before too long!

It all looks fantastic Sheila,I love your path and greenhouse,what a lovely new garden,well done to the boys.

Sue, that is a great comment . . . Chelsea indeed! Ha ha, of course it will be ages before it looks like a garden - so many borders to fill - but I shall do my best to relieve local garden centres of much of their stock :)

Callie, thanks very much, I do feel lucky.

Doesn't it look good, they're making a good job, your path bricks are very nice. Love it!

I love the shape and also love the paving and brickwork you have chosen. It is looking full of great promise already.

Many thanks Dawn and Chris . . . the choices were huge and took a while, but we are delighted (and relieved!) that we like the “look” so much.

Wow, it really is looking great. Love seeing it in the stages and the shape of the path. Can't wait to see it all evolving.

Thank you Jen.

Your design looks perfect, you’ll be under that pergola with your feet up in no time. The pavers are lovely, good choice, as you’ll probably have seen, the slabs with wavey edges that need grouting look untidy in time.

Thanks Dawn. My problem now is trying to decide on the colour of pebbles . . . there will be a border along the back (in semi-shade) where I'd like stones and a few ornamental grasses. But what shade would look right?

I have looked at all the pebble pictures on here under 'P' but am still muddled. OH thinks cream will soon look dirty with algae; designer suggested black, but I can't visualise that. I'll try and get some sample bags this week, but if anyone has a favourite, please do let me know!

Looking fab. Sheila... exciting !!

Many thanks Terra. Yes, it is fun!

Do you want Pebbles or Gravel,Sheila ? My neighbour has what I would call medium sized pebbles in mixed colours..no cream ones as far as I can tell..and they still look good after 16 years..plus they can be easily turned over on occasion if there is any signs of algae..I have medium sized gravel,which is a light base colour, not white..but added some pale grey,and terracotta to tone it down,as it looked too glaring in one colour..I get a little bit of Algae,but it just looks more weathered than green...sometimes it's harder when you are starting from scratch,isn't it? but I know how important it is to get it right the first time..it's too expensive not to ! hope this helps a little ..xx

Wow, thanks very much Sandra. I'd like smooth pebbles, and will then add a handful of larger stones. Possibly Caledonian but I do like the sound of your terracotta ones :) x

So as the border will be shaded, cream stone could go green, you’re designer is experienced to be sure so maybe he’s right and the grasses would stand out against a dark background. My neighbour has dark grey slate for a wide path, it does look classy and doesn’t deteriorate. I can get a picture if it helps, where is Adam Frost when you need him!

Oh Dawn, you’re so positive - thank you! I’m not sure that dark grey slate would “go” with what we have. Online just now I found a mixture of “sand pebbles” but without a clue as to where to buy. I’ll keep looking until I find something a bit special . . . probably just need to bring home several samples.

Decisions decisions. :-). When we had our drive done with gravel it was a huge decision, luckily we have a quarry around 10 miles away (Breedon) that supplies local builders merchants - we went for 'Breedon Buff, it's been great.
Just be aware of the size of the pebbles as if they're too big or too small it can spoil the effect - hark at me, probably trying to show my granny how to suck eggs, and all that :-)

I'm sure once you start looking around,you will hopefully find just what you have in mind..Builders Merchants seem to be the best places ,and have a good selections these days..We got ours from B &Q,and luckily a couple of the bags we wanted to mix in with the main colour had been split,so got them half price..don't you just love a bargain ? :o) x

Love it all and I think that pergola is going to be the star of the show when its planted up. Happy Easter to you and your team, who are doing a wonderful job.

All these ideas are so kind of you all - many thanks Dawn, Sandra and Julia. There are SO many pebbles to choose from, and I think the plan is to lay a base of smooth 14mm, then have a few groups of larger cobbles. I love the "rainbow" ones I've just seen online, but they only come in the larger sizes. I'm going to take a brick to a store tomorrow (Bathgate has suggested I pick up one of the tones in the bricks), and maybe bring home a bag to see how they look.

Hi Phyl - many thanks! Belated Happy Easter to you and yours too.

Thank you for sharing the development of your garden, Sb.
You are very lucky & l'm sure you'll have a great time at the Garden Centre, ( and they will love you)!

Thank you Feverfew- yes I am a lucky so and so. I really shouldn’t be losing so much sleep over it!

Wow! Sheila you've raised my spirits on a morning when I thought nothing could. We have another 2 inches of snow on the ground and it's freezing rain right now... soon to be a couple more inches of rain...and temps hovering around zero.
That Serpentine is so pretty and the pergola!... I wonder what will be the covering for that pergola? any hints?
will you have a pond too? I saw a few potential "spots"...or have you decided to forego all the work of maintaining? (I'm beginning to wish I had left just the stream, I'm too old for digging out silt.)
The first few moments in a new greehouse are sheer bliss and the work never was so effortless!... I remember that too~ Can't wait to see how your lovely plans develop. Congrats, Sheila!

Well I'm too late to give you easter greetings but gosh I can imagine you have had a really good one Sheila, it all looks amazing, I love the meandering pathway and a new g'house to enjoy, you are in for a great few month's and I'm looking forward to following your progress, decisions, decisions, I bet your mind is buzzing....Yes please keep those updates with photo's coming.....

Lori, sorry you were feeling down, and no wonder with such terrible weather. Glad you like the sinuous path and the pergola . . . so far I have an Amber Clematis for one side, and Clematis Sieboldii to grow up the other side. No, no pond, because this is our "retirement" garden, and OH didn't want the bother! Thank you very much for your comments.

Sue (Lincs) thanks very much. It is fun, but I'm not good at decisions. I THINK I've finally found some pebbles (polished amber) which I hope will look great (just waiting for a sample in the post!). Most of the plants I'm buying are small of course, but my lovely landscaper bought us a mature Amelanchier today which will help a lot. As soon as it is planted, I'll take another photo :)