Starting to look like a garden!

It's starting to look like a garden!

The building work started pretty slowly, but they have now picked up the pace and got cracking with things. The patio is really taking shape. I'm pleased with the look of the bricks and how it's being finished. The turf was laid today and I can't believe how big the garden looks now! I imagined it all so much smaller in my head so I'm a happy bunny. The borders are sitting empty and I am just aching to get some compost turned in and to get planting! 

I've been drawing up different plans for the plants I've bought and even tried a drawing a coloured picture of what the end result will look like! I've concentrated on what the heights will be and how the plants will complement each other. What I didn't do, was think about their positions and how much sun they will get, which I think I may come to regret. It's a west-facing garden, so each part does get direct sunshine at some point of the day, but the side gets much more of it than the back. 

I've bought 4 climbing roses. The two which I will plant by the house are called 'Blooming Marvellous'. The tag shows it to be a rich pink colour, but I Googled the name and it says it's a deep red rose? Can you have different colours with the same name? I hope it's not red. Don't get me wrong, I do like a red rose, it's just that I want pink ones. Oh, I'll be gutted if it blooms red and I know I won't have the heart to dig it up once it gets going. But no point in worrying about it. Let's wait and see. At least the two I bought to grow up the shed at the back of the garden are both pink and these are the ones I will see more. They are Pink Perpetue and Dorothy Perkins. Ha ha! Dotty P - it had to be done! 

Day 4. No work done.

Day 5. New manhole covers are in place and the base for the patio is down.

Day 6. Patio starts.

Picking up the pace

Day 7 Patio is getting there and the garden is completely dug over.

Day 8

Day 9

Yay! 

Got the builders in

I'm pleased to say that I've got the builders in! They arrived at 8 o'clock sharp on Monday morning and work on the garden has begun! Horrah!

They are here to refit a soil pipe and build a patio area for me. They will also aerate the rest of the garden and lay some topsoil and turf. The planting and everything else will all be done by moi! 

I want an old cottage style garden so I've opted for old looking bricks for the patio rather than modern limestone rectangular slabs. 

Now that the supporting wall for the patio is done, I can really get a sense of what the finished size will be. It looks a lot bigger than I expected! We want to get a table and chairs and I think a 6 seater will actually fit nicely. 

There will be a step down to a new lawn and there will be 2 borders, which I aim to fill with typical cottage type plants, mostly perennials. 

The landscape work won't be finished until the weekend at the earliest, but I have already started shopping for plants this week! I know, I know, but I couldn't help myself as I am so excited! Thankfully my parents live opposite so all my new garden babies are sitting in their pots over the road, getting ready to move in.  

One or two of the plants were bought because they remind me of when I was little. For example, the hydrangea (I've chosen a young King George). We used to have one in the front garden and I remember laying on the grass next to it, in the warm sunshine during the summer holidays, fascinated by the huge round balls of tiny petals. I knew I had to buy one!

I loved being outside and helping mum and dad in the garden when I was little. Dad used to grow runner beans all along the side fence. I wish I could do the same, but I don't think ours gets enough sunshine. I'll have to make a point of checking this. He gave me and my sisters a little plot each to grow anything of our choice. I chose radishes of all things! I remember the excitement of planting the seeds and then seeing the first signs of green peeping through the soil. When they were ready I ate the first one as soon as I pulled it out, dirt and all. What satisfaction!

I want our daughter to experience all the joys of gardening too, just I did when I was growing up. She is  nearly 17 months old and loves being outside. She has a mini garden tool set and loves to scrap at the dirt and pass me stones, soil or worms! 

I'm so glad the garden plans are finally underway so we can enjoy the summer outside this year in a nice and safe place! 

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3