I’m having a moment of pure delight and self-satisfaction here.
Husband unearthed a photograph taken almost exactly five years ago. This photo shows what our garden looked like AFTER we (by ‘we’ I mean Husband) removed 30 colossal Leylandii trees and their associated thorny undergrowth, not to mention two skip loads of rubbish which had been dumped over that low wall. There was a day when I pulled out the arm of an old jumper but couldn’t pull the body of it from the compacted crap on top of it. I remember going cold all over and becoming convinced that I had actually discovered a body. Ughhh! I still shiver at the thought of it.
We couldn’t have taken a proper BEFORE photo because no-one could have reached the spot I stood on to take this photo. Actually, there was a block wall running from here to the corner of the house which Teenage Son delighted in demolishing. He was only twelve and dead chuffed to be trusted with a sledgehammer.
The poor box plant has recovered nicely, believe it or not! The Bay Tree you see there was moved to block the view of the clothes line. It’s much bigger now. Let me show you:
We were on beans-and-toast rations for months after we moved in as the colossal Leylandii’s were mere twigs compared to the size of our outstanding account at the Builder’s Providers. We gave each other trees as birthday, anniversary and Christmas presents. I sneaked perennials into the grocery trolley whenever they were on offer at Lidl. One clever, clever friend gave us sacks and sacks of daffodils bulbs. I foraged Buddleia cuttings, wild garlic and Crocosmia bulbs from the ditches. I stole a poppy seed head from the Ballymaloe Cookery School gardens (listen, I figure I’ve paid that back with all the plugs I’ve given them!). The Verbena bonariensis, the Japanese anenomes, the artichoke and the nasturtiums were all kindly donated by fellow gardeners. Teenage Daughter came home from a walk one day with a baby calendula plant that she scraped out of a crack in the footpath (I’ve trained her well!). It has since self-seeded and become a mainstay of the garden. Truly, this garden was made on a shoe-string budget…
I went outside and stood in the same spot, more or less, and took this photo:
Happy, happy, happy!
As Hannibal Smith used to say, I love it when a plan comes together.
Well Chapeau to you and your family m’dame. Gardens are labours of the greatest love and patience and yours is a testimony to how you can if you will even if you are Church Mice in the bank account stakes. It’s a delight and it is my delight that you share so beautifully your stories of home and garden and general stuff. My absolute delight. Thank you 😊
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Aaah, Osyth, you are the most graceful and generous of blog-followers! Thank you.
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It’s good to have a photo to remind you of how much has changed and how much you’ve achieved. It looks a dreamy spot now. I bet the garden thanks you for being able to breath again.
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That’s a lovely thought. I will cling to that when everything gets bare and mucky next month!
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What a wonderful post. I do love to see a garden created from nothing, especially done so frugally. Well done all! The clearing of the plot must have been a mammoth task. You should be very proud of all you’ve achieved. CJ xx
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I bet that was a lot of back breaking work, but all worth it eventually.
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thanks Joan. Definitely worth it!
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Well if this isn’t inspirational I don’t know what is. It just proves what can be done and on a very very limited budget too. Anyone can achieve it with pots of money and a landscape designer and a team of gardeners to do all the work, but to achieve this on your own, that’s where the satisfaction comes in, this is why we all garden, because it gives back just as much as we put into it and it is good for the soul. Bravo to you and have a lovely weekend
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That is very kind. Thank you.
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Wow! Awesome!!!!
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Beautiful garden! You must love spending time in it.
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That, in a nut shell, is what I love about gardening. All the sharing (and pinching) of plants. And then getting all nostalgic about how the plan got it together.
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Exactly!
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you have one of those yards I dream about having….blue fence and all…..its lovely and I love the before and after…..its was truly a labor or love and givings……your home is so inviting, right down tot the books on the stairs….I dream of having coffee with you in your garden one day….like they say, it you wish for it – it will happen….keep taking pictures…..kat
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Thanks Kat. I’ll be right here waiting for you!
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