The garden
The house had been part of a farm but in recent time had been somewhat neglected. The challenge was to establish a garden along with the observatory and a workshop. This page shows the before, in process and after, with links to a record of the stages in each area – for our own recollections.
This garden we call the top garden was the first that we tackled, more or less as soon as we arrived in order to plant shrubs we had brought with us.
The Pieris in the centre picture was given to us by our friend Gwen in 1984.
As soon as we started to build the observatory we needed to define the shape of the area around it, working on the main garden area
Just by the gate was a large bush of honeysuckle. Underneath, we discovered, a wooden wishing well. It just seemed right to restore and keep it. It now houses some of Tina’s carvings and the controls for the Big Birds on the gateposts.
On the eastern side of the house was a rather neglected area where we created a slate bed with conifers and fruit trees.
The big bed is a favourite because it is packed with plants, which vary each year as some outgrow their space. and others are split or renewed.
At the far corner of the garden was a very neglected pond full of plants leaving little space for water. We had to contract somebody to clear it and help us create a fresh pond where we could have plants and later, fish.
Along the back of the garden we planted a bamboo hedge to screen us from the neighbours and the vegetable garden.
