Phase 1

These veg beds do look big, we cut a huge hole in the fake grass and dug it out back to soil level, keeping the paths as 'grass'. I used homemade leaf mulch, loads of green stuff and some spent compost, which was placed at the bottom of each bed. Hubby lined the insides with heavy plastic, he has used the same plastic on my other raised beds.

These look like veg beds now, it makes me smile to think of all the fun I can have, and very proud of hubby, who works hard and does not run for the hills when I say 'I have an idea'  I have planted all the veg from my previous post, already one bed is full. I used the top section of my new runner bean poles, covered with a wire net, keeps cats and foxes off the beds. Other than earthing up potatoes I don't need access to the other stuff before the spring.

We moved the blueberries, the tub looks much better here, I am looking for a rhubarb crown for the middle back, again loads of room for them to grow, they should be planted in November. Next to the post with the bird house and feeder, I have placed a huge pot, I am planting it with spring bulbs for early colour, then I will use the pot for a cucumber plant, it can grow up the pole, it's a very sunny spot. I have dug this space and added drainage and top soil, taking away loads of the clay, I have a small gooseberry bush to go in here. 

I have cleared in front of the greenhouse, the huge pot I used for tomatoes this year now has a mock orange in its permanent home and a couple forget-me-nots. Our 3 statues are here for now, I will need to store pots here whilst the ground work is being done. Next year I will grow tomatoes in my raised veg bed, this path will be kept clear, I will need to get to the blueberries and rhubarb for harvesting, and it's easier to sort the raised bed from this side. 

Even behind the garage has been sorted, I gave the area a good sweep, it's much easier to get to the tap for rain water, all the containers along the fence can be easily moved, if needed, the 2 black bins are for leaf mulch. My raise bed which I use as a cold frame, just fits in here, I had struggled to find a place for it, the plastic home made lid is pushed down for now as it is empty. This area can't be seen from the garden, but I do like it tidy.

We sunk the flower bed frame into the ground, I did not want it to be too high, the veg bed frames sit on top of the grass, All my plants have been moved, this bed is much closer to our house, so we can see all the different blooms, my shrubs at the back I will allow to get a bit bigger, I have put the gladiola and other tall plants along the railings, this is a much better spot for them, any spaces can be filled next summer. I did purchase loads of  spring flowering bulbs rather than dig out from the old bed, no tulips, they all grow in pots. I will get some bark for this bed for over winter protection. Hubby's sundial looks good behind the railings, as does my big cider pot.

All our work is done, all the rubbish left hubby took to the tip, now everywhere is level, we have popped the strips of cut out grass as a path from the back door, now the decking is gone. We both work well together, I am so relived the big stuff is done, hubby will tackle anything, with me looking on hoping it's not too much for him, he leaves the planting to me, these days I do include him more, I was going to change the contents of a pot, but he said he loved the blooms this summer, so it stays.

We have spent a few days sat outside enjoying the warm unseasonal sunshine, with nothing much to do, other than enjoy our work, watching the birds, bees, butterflies and bugs around the place. It's cool morning and evenings, so it does feel wrong to have so much heat in the middle of the day, but lovely to have time to sit and enjoy our space. Both cats have enjoyed sitting out with us, lazy slow days, perfection. 

The best bit, so far we have spent less than £350, reusing the decking for frames and moving plants around, the railings I already had, I did purchase one more. The biggest expense was the top soil, we did look local, but any going free was full of stones and weeds, and not enough for our needs. We filled 4 old compost bags with the last of the top soil, I can use it in the spring to top up the veg beds.

As always one job leads to another and we are looking to get one wall of our extension rendered, we hope to get it done before the ground work, it's a need not a want, some of it is loose, hubby's not keen on doing it himself, we are now planning a restful few days.