Garden revamp DAY ONE

Oh Wow! So fantastic to see it has actually started auntie J! That shaped patio is great, and what a difference it will make to have the fence painted dark. It will recede and make the garden seem much bigger! I love the newly pruned laurel, and glad you left the ivy and the elder. The Elder especially as it gives you some cover from next door's garden as well as feeding the birds. Wonderful, bet you are really excited! Can't wait to see what they get up to tomorrow, it's just like an episode of 'Groundforce'!!

It is looking good. I particularly like the curved edges on your patio area. Good luck with the planting.
I always offer any tradeperson a sweetener...a cup of tea works wonders me thinks!!!

great it is coming along for you now - and ooking very nice - it really is hard work - all the best with how it comes along - and keep us updated :):):):)

Brilliant. What a difference from the sad state it was in.
Good luck with it.

I can't wait to see the turf down and the shape of the beds...

Oooohh exciting W.lass its going to look fab.cant wait for the next up-date, how excited you must be (and I know that feeling too) !! The photos really show a change, we lopped a 30 year old Laurel today it was huge now it is 3' tall, so much better for its pruning!!! x

I asked a question on the "Questions" section about adding bagged manure, grit or some soil enhancers/fertilizer to the borders and digging it in before planting anything. Just wondering what others recommend? I don't have a compost bin so can't add that in the borders. Ta.

I answered under the question...

So pleased for you Jacquie that work has started at last also glad that I am back from holiday in time to see the whole project from start to finish, its looking great already with the curvy shapes, the turf will make a huge difference when it goes down tomorrow, Happy Gardening;0))

It is looking great all ready, how exciting I love seeing a garden take shape. Tanks for sharing I wonder what your puss cat makes of it all :-)

Well Teds...she's been rolling around in the topsoil and on the warm paving slabs....in her element! She did disappear for the day though (probably in neighbouring gardens) and reappeared almost instantly when the garden folks had gone home for the day.

We're doing the garden in stages so it won't be completed for some time....small summer house is coming later in summer and I will be developing the borders, rockery etc. as budget and ideas permit. Very exciting.

I'll take a look, Bamboo, for your reply on questions :)

GMadge...so you've been giving your laurel the chop today too!....haircut day it would seem :) I will have to keep an eye on our laurel as I'm sure it will try and sprout branches from the bottom...I love the way they have shaped it and opened up the whole area there.

lol@ Karen re 'Groundforce'.....this team here work almost as fast! It seems Suzanne deals with the design and co-ordination of ordering materials and she painted our concrete fencing today and cut most of the laurel back....the rest of the time she watches over the workmen and keeps them on track (in a nice way).

Thanks for all your encouragement...I will add another installment on DAY 2 :) You're a great bunch of GoYers.

WoW allready, what a massive difference in just one day,I love the colour of the fence and the curved patio area looks great, im so excited for you W/lass, I love your small work area to, Can't wait to see tomorrows pics when the grass go's down lol.. When we done our front garden we used B&Q compost (soil was old with no nutriants), usually 3or4 for £10, but if you have a good look around they reduce the damaged bags to £1.50 £2.00, Usually there's just a small hole in them :)

Fantastic Wlass - love your curves!. Its so exciting watching work in progress and its great that you have a couple of mature trees they will bring it altogether and give a feeling of maturity. Can`t wait to see the next installment.

its looking great , it will be lovely well worth the wait ! your plants are lovely, i like your planters

So pleased for you that work has started now. It is all looking good and they are obviously hard workers. Looking forward to the next instalment :)

At last at last, well what an amazing difference already, your lady gardener seems to be waving her magic wand. Really big improvement there W.Lass, so pleased for you. Enjoy yourself.

Such an exciting time for you Jacque, its going to look great.

Whiston you must be on a high tonight, I know I would be, I`d be out every few minutes having a look whilst the workers weren`t about, really pleased everything is underway at last. Its looking good so far, like the curves at the edge of the patio, I`m pleased you have kept the elderberry and the ivy, the birds will definitely appreciate it and the Laurel has trimmed up lovely.
Looking forward to next blog....

how exciting ~ its looking really good ~ i love those curves.
lovely photos ~ looking forward to the next episode

I hope you aren't awake tonight,thinking about your lovely new garden,Jacquie..and visualising what it will look like tomorrow..you must be so excited..They seem to be doing a grand job..and its lovely to watch the progress with you..love your new paving..:o)

Looking great already, its amazing what can be done in a day with many hands.. looking forward to tomorrows installment

wow j.q looking gurrrrd .................. carnt wait to see it finshed , bet you carnt either lol ;0p x

Its looking good. i aggree with Cristina , cant wait to see it finished :)

It's really taking shape at last. It will look great with the plants and just in time for summer. I'm very pleased for you.

I am so pleased for you J, you deserve this, you have waited so long. Look forward to seeing some more.

wow what a difference it will make for you,a brand new garden..cant wait to see the end result..the paving looks good & it can only get better..you will be itching to get your plants in .lol. :o)

Lovely to get your comments and having you all share in my excitement :) I will enrich the borders and then begin planting once the turf is down and I can get out to purchase what we need.

I am expecting it to look so much better once the turf is down....and I am so excited; hopefully I can blog again tomorrow about DAY TWO. They think they will finish tomorrow...we shall see!

How great is that Jacquie - your garden actually started to be done - you must be over the moon. Let's hope everything turns out how you want it. I love having things done at my house or in the garden, don't you ? It soon WILL be Happy Gardening for you. Really look forward to seeing the finished job.

Thanks, Marie....can't believe it myself....finally the garden is underway!

Come away from the window ... I bet you're still looking out at the garden to make sure it's not all a dream! So pleased work is underway ... and haven't they done a lot already? You must be feeling so glad it's all, literally, taking shape. : o ))

haha Shirley....I've had to stop admiring it all for now...it's now very dark so nothing to be seen....I'll need lighting out there too (ssshhhhhh.....don't mention this to hubby...don't want to shock him too much...lol)

Best to present these requests after the plants are in ... then you can see where to position the lights to the best effect ... lol! : o ))

good tip, Shirley...and maybe ply hubby with some drink and get him jolly so he's not too objectionable to the lights...lol

I am so pleased for you Whiston......only one way now and that is up!! please keep us informed, already a garden is taking shape and this time next year? you will not recognize it.

Gosh Jaquie! I didn't know you'd started! Isn't it looking grand, the paving is very swish, can't wait to see the turf down, it's an instant result, like putting down carpet! They seem like tidy workers too, it makes a big difference to the whole experience, when you can trust them to just get on with it. Ohhh, Squeeeel! I love it when things start to go right! Och, it'll be just lovely for you pet, I can't tell you how pleased I am!! Now, do as Shirley says and come away from the window, and get your breakfast! xx

Eeee! At last! :D I like everyone else love that shaped paving... its going to look so good once you have your turf down and borders laid out. The shaping up of that laurel made such a difference... I didn't realise it was the same tree at first :P The painted fencing definitely makes a difference too. Good luck for the morrow, I hope everything keeps progressing as it did today :) At last the wait is over :]

Nice to see it all coming along so well at last. I'm pleased for you.
I hope your topsoil will be weed free. When I had some it was full of them - even japanese knotweed was in it. I soon got rid of that !
It's going to be exciting seeing it all take shape. It will be nice for you to have a garden where you can potter about and relaxe.

I hope the works people are not frightening Lucy. Some cats are nervous of strangers. Blodyn isn't lol she doesn't mind. She just goes to investigate what they're doing. I hope Lucy is the same.

What a difference already ..can't wait to see it planted up..you must be so thrilled with it. :o)

Looking good! It's like watching a programme of 'Ground Force!' :o)

What can I say that hasnt already been said! I too, love the curves and all the gardeners here can visualise things taking shape and recognise the big step of making the setting to add your jewels to soon. There is nothing so exciting (or daunting!) than seeing a clean and prepared area to work on. Keep the pics coming J!

It seems Lucy approves of the changes to the garden so far, M....(see my next blog entry....).

I will add another blog as things progress. Very pleased with progress so far and the team have arrived today, again with a 7.45am start; that's impressive when so many workmen arrive late, have an instant tea break and finally get down to work an hour later!

I can imagine how excited you must have been when they started your garden and at 745am? Wow i wish my paving team would turn up then! If your like me i've been upstairs noseying out the window watching what they are doing.. I too like your curved paving and i really like the colour of your concrete fence (may pinch that idea for mine).. I'm so excited for you and i don't even know you lol.. Have you seen the weather for this coming week just imagine you can sit out there and admire everything by the weekend..Can't wait to see your next blog!

Thanks, Bill....yep, all has gone swimmingly and the garden is completed from the garden team's perspective. Now it's down to me....time to get my hands in that soil and continue with the watering of the turf.

I agree, the workmen are excellent....kept at the job and only took minimal breaks, were pleasant and tidy. They are kept in line by the garden lady who commands it all from her chair (throne...lol) and they work to the plan very well.

Thanks, M, your encouragement means so much to me :)

Believe you me J, we are all having almost as much fun and excitment out of your garden as you are!

It has been a treat to see the work in progress and the near completion of the blank canvas, just hope you find time to relax soon.

Hubby is getting suspicious and giving me some pretty strange looks as I read all the lovely comments on GoY regarding our new garden. I'm smiling like a Cheshire Cat, having a giggle occasionally, or quietly nodding and muttering in agreement to a comment.

I don't think there is a cure for this behaviour of mine...lol
I'm pleased to be able to share progress with you all...now it's time to head to my bed. All this fresh air has made me very, very tired. Perhaps I won't have so many nights of interrupted sleep now...another bonus :)

Sweet dreams J! lol!

Can't wait to see your garden transformation WL. It must be wonderful to attack a garden like this in 'one big go'.

It's been a long time in the planning and execution...a dream come true, Annelise :)

My follow-on blogs update on progress...and I've been out there for about 5 hours planting, arranging, planning and resting in my lawn chair inbetween spurts of gardening.

Back out again now....have some sand to shift!

: o))
v happy for you. Keep going!

Here we are under attack as usual from the ***** ground elder and it didn't help that my m-in-law came last weekend and kept voicing the opinion that we should bite the bullet and poison it. She did help tho - pulled up loads and loads of the stuff.
If i wish you anything on this happy occasion of your new garden it would be no g. elder, no convulvulus and no other nasties!

We have battled nettles, blackberries, thistles....and the little blighters are very determined. I'll keep an eagle eye for them and attack them as soon as they raise their ugly heads!!

Hope you win the battle of the awfullies!!

Now comes the very best bit! It is lovely seeing such a clean canvas - I wonder what you will paint.

I've quite a lot planted already (see my DAY TWO blog) but still need to get evergreens and other plants to add structure and height...just let the budget settle a little! lol

I still am collecting rocks to make a small rockery in the corner where all the ivy is and plants for my shade area.

You are right, Sarah...now comes the best bit :)

I've been waiting for these photos! going to have a look at blog 2 now, my builder is supposed to be coming next week, fingers and toes crossed!!!!

Oh I'll cross my fingers and toes for you to have the builder working in your property next week too, SK.... :)