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Then & Now - August 2011

12 comments


Hello everyone.

I thought it about time i did a catch up on the garden as i have some free time at work – school holidays, so the phone doesn’t ring for 6 weeks – bliss…!!!!

This blog may or may not work as i want to try and show how we looked a year ago and how we are now.

So here goes……..

Starting with the front garden – this was the begininning of this year

and this was 08:30 this morning

Margy, my OH did all the planting this year and it ended up just a bit on the white side – (although the white flowers of the edging plants have nearly all gone over now and we are just left with green) – but i think she did a fair job.

I have promised Salvias to add some bright reds next year … so watch this space.

… and so to the back garden ……

Remember this from our moving in day – 17th June last year…..

well this was 08:30 this morning …. the bald patch at the bottom right is where we stored all of the paving slabs and bricks for the patio. So there is some work to do with re-grassing that area.

Just to bring some of it into focus for you ….

This was the apple tree last year when we thought that we would lose all of the crop because we dug it up to bring it with us …..

and this is the same tree this year …….

Can’t wait to get my teeth into these – they are so scrummy when they are fully ripe.

Two weeks ago, this central trellis was an abundance of sweet peas. The smell as you walked past it was/is fantastic. We have had vases full of them for the past six weeks. Unfortunately they are just starting to go over now…

The hanging baskets that we attached to each fence post have come on really well and add a lot of colour to the otherwise bare unpainted fencing. We hope to add more next year.

This area is our granddaughters patch. She’s not too hot at weeding at the moment but the reason for the photo is we wondered what these 4 flowers were. They were some unnamed seeds that she just put in … the second picture is a close up of the flower head and the stems are very prickly.

This is our first daliah of the year with many more to comel.

This is OH’s wild garden

These are our cucumbers growing outdoors – we have been eating the greenhouse grown ones for weeks now and these are just about to bear fruit

Our wigwam of beans has produced an absolute winner this year. We have had so many and they are still coming.
We have also eaten all of our cauliflowers and the savoy cabbage are just starting to become a decent size heart ready for eating.
Still got carrots, parsnips, beetroot & garlic to come……

We are a little dissapointed with the fruit canes but there again we dont have enough of them to make a difference. Next year we will allocate the space to veg and place the fruit canes somewhere else against a fence.
We can walk outside the back gate and pick pounds of blackberries if we want to so having a fruit section seems a little pointless.
The gooseberries and the rhubarb provided well.

These are our indoor tomatos – still producing brilliant fruit

….and these are our outdoor ones just showing some green fruit now

This is our chill out space……..

…and this is flower beds and water feature ….. in the making …. still don’t quite know how i’m going to finish it yet but should be done ready for next year.

Mr rotorvator (my son with muscles)

is coming to stay for a few days next weekend …. so …. i am hoping that we can get a bit more heavy work done ….. like clearing the area of the last photo to make room for my ambitious plans.

Hope you enjoyed my rendition so far and i will endeavour to keep you posted when we have achieved a bit more progress.

FOOTNOTE

I sometimes forget that we have only been here just 2 months over a year and keep thinking i should have more progress to show.

I also have to remember that i am only 1 year off retirement and would like to live just a litle longer in order to enjoy the fruits of my /our hard work.

More blog posts by tony1247

Previous post: Payback ...... part 2

Next post: Never a day with nothing to do ..!!



Comments

 

WoW Tony, what a lot you have done in just over a year, When i saw your after pic of the back garden, It took my breath away, it looks amazing, great design i love it, and that apple tree, I want one :) I have miniature apple trees in pots with quite a few apples, just waiting for them to get bigger, youv'e done a brilliant job in your gardens, massive well done, looking forward to seeing your new area finished.. ill add you to my favourite's so i can keep up with you lol.. Dee..

8 Aug, 2011

 

Lovely transformation! Really enjoy seeing before and after pics.

8 Aug, 2011

 

Your garden's looking good and after only a year! Obviously lots of hard work been done. Well done.
Your granddaughter's plants look like Cleome. (Spider Flower).

8 Aug, 2011

 

You have done a lot in your time there and it all looks amazing, both front and back, I like the way both you and your OH have incorporated what each of you like into the gardens, everything is doing well for you and is a credit to you, nice to have an extra strong pair of hands ready and willing to help with the hard labour as well.
I enjoyed seeing your before and after and pleased to see grandaughter is also taking an interest, will be looking out for the next update Tony....

8 Aug, 2011

 

I thought the front garden was looking good, it's all filled out so much but then I came to your 'after' pic of the back garden and couldn't believe the difference - it looks fantastic. It's not till we look back and see how things were that we really appreciate the 'now'. It's great that all the family are involved in making it look so good and how lovely to have some young muscle power to call upon when needed! Well done Tony and all the family, don't forget to keep us updated. :o)

8 Aug, 2011

 

Well done.... your gardens are looking great :o)

8 Aug, 2011

 

Well done, thats a terrific makeover.

8 Aug, 2011

 

Well done - you have worked really hard on that garden. It's lovely.

8 Aug, 2011

 

How lovely, your gardens look fantastic, you have done so much and the flowers are looking stunning. Oh and your son AKA rotovator looks quite nice in your garden there too. Haha. Always handy to have someone strong around to do all the heavy work, it's hard graft. :)

9 Aug, 2011

 

Thanks everyone for your kind words. It's always nice to receive positive thoughts from around the world about your own hard work.

Thanks Diginfit for the info about the Cleome - i checked it on the web as well after your comment and it is exactly that.

9 Aug, 2011

 

Wow Tony what a fantastic transformation you have done wonders with your garden in such a short time it looks brilliant!!!!

9 Aug, 2011

 

I am in awe at just how much you've achieved in such a short time ... fruit/veg/flowers ... all looking fabulous ... well done . . . . .

9 Aug, 2011

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