Period garden (path) progress!

[mims&pip]

Hi all,

As it's been such a lovely, sunny, warm day today I thought I'd get out in the garden and take a few pics of path and planting progress As you can see, we haven't quite finished yet.......when do we ever finish a period project, lol?!? Almost all the smaller plants - herbaceous perennials, ferns, roses, peonies etc - are new purchases this Spring. Can't wait to see it all in bloom!



Please excuse the garden tools, broom etc left lying about - evidence of our labours :wink: Also, I should have taken time to sweep the path before photographing, as our two mad dogs had just scattered compost everywhere whilst scooting across it - so much for avoiding a mud bath (it was meant to deter them from using this route as a shortcut from terrace to upper lawn) :roll:

Will add some more in the next post......

Mims x

 

[mims&pip]

These are more general shots, showing the veranda with soon-to-bloom gigantic wisteria and the weathered Lutyens bench we bought last Summer! Also, my 'flock' on the lower lawn :lol: The last one is a glimpse of the 1920s raised pond in the walled garden......I love this area, it's such a sun trap

 

[mims&pip]

The last two show a better view of the walled garden and an arty shot (for me, anyway!) of some of the new planting. We've spent a small fortune on plants etc the last couple of weeks - considering I thought this was going to be a less expensive option than re-turfing this area, it has turned out quite the opposite :lol: Not finished yet though, as we now need to buy stuff for growing between the flags......

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Absolutely lovely---spurring me on ----mind you, having the framework of a period property helps a lot, whereas, for the first time in my life I have had to deal with a bland, overgrown 1989 build. I must try to find time to transfer pictures from my phone into the computer to upload on PPUK.!!

 

[mims&pip]

Absolutely lovely---spurring me on ----mind you, having the framework of a period property helps a lot, whereas, for the first time in my life I have had to deal with a bland, overgrown 1989 build. I must try to find time to transfer pictures from my phone into the computer to upload on PPUK.!!

Thanks Jocelyn! The warmer (and drier!) weather certainly makes me feel better about stuff and gives one renewed energies to get things done - I think it's all those plants putting out new shoots that fires me up We were fortunate here to have inherited the bones of a good garden from the PO, but I'm forever cursing that he stopped paying the gardener while the house lingered on the market for over a year. In that time so many plants were lost through the old 'survival of the fittest' (think masses of holly and weeds.....grrr!) malarkey The photos of the garden in the EA details looked like a completely different garden to the one we encountered when we viewed the house.

At other houses we've had to start from scratch in the garden, so appreciate what that's like.....you have great taste though, so I'm sure whatever you do there will be wonderful! Look forward to seeing pics, btw!

Mims x

 

[88v8]

Lovely.
You have a real flair for design.

Ivor

 

[angrybird]

That looks lovely! The flock what a great idea! Much better than chickens roaming free range and digging out every plant that looks edible! we won't mention Mr Angrys prize lawn they have destroyed :lol:
Jacqueline x

 

[plasticpigeon]

That does look very tranquil and romantic. Is that a gryphon I see. What next, a couple of unicorns in the stables? It is a fairytale garden, not one I would expect just a minutes from Wolverhampton!

 

[mims&pip]

Wow! Thanks for the lovely comments guys - you've put a smile on my face on this less than perfect Spring day

Tbh, those pics show the current better bits - although last Summer (our first here) we were pleasantly surprised by the riot of colour and profusion of blooms in a space that had been neglected for some time and I do have some pics where the overall effect is better than what is on view at the moment.......but it's early in the season so hopefully it's onwards and upwards from now! I do seriously need to "pull my horns in" as my dad would have said - we've spent way too much money on the garden (in excess of £6k iirc) - and now need to devote some cash (and time) on the inside!!!

PP, yes - a much loved gryphon/griffin that we bought about ten years ago from a friend's antiques/salvage place - although it's not old - and funny you should mention unicorns - we do have somewhere that vaguely resembles stabling (see attached pics of the 'arches' - five interesting and very useful spaces built into the escarpment), and unicorns have been a private joke in the family since a Caribbean holiday a few years back......maybe I should check if the people that make the sheep do a unicorn too - only kidding, lol, but yes, 'magical' is what we thought when we first viewed the house in Summer 2014 and the hope is to not lose any of that feeling in the process of breathing new life into both garden and house :wink:


Mims x

 

[jocelyn plummer]

That does look very tranquil and romantic. Is that a gryphon I see. What next, a couple of unicorns in the stables? It is a fairytale garden, not one I would expect just a minutes from Wolverhampton!

Mustn't forget a Zebra---------- :wink:

 

[mims&pip]

That does look very tranquil and romantic. Is that a gryphon I see. What next, a couple of unicorns in the stables? It is a fairytale garden, not one I would expect just a minutes from Wolverhampton!

Mustn't forget a Zebra---------- :wink:

Mmmm Jocelyn, I think our Zebra would be rather disappointed with the quality of stabling accommodation available here now that she has her own beautifully finished abode to rest her weary hooves :lol: :wink:

 

[DJH]

Lovely mims...Mrs DJH loves it too. Well done.

Doug

 

[Zebra]

Gorgeous garden.
Those stables look fine for me but I don't think Giraffe would find them quite roomy enough.
Are griffins predators though? That would put me off.

 

[LadyArowana]

Gorgeous garden.
Those stables look fine for me but I don't think Giraffe would find them quite roomy enough.
Are griffins predators though? That would put me off.

Giraffes have to have special accommodation, right shape, just needs to be taller

 

[TheRoost]

That's an Idyllic garden Mims, love it.

We are trying to come up with ideas for a winding path along our narrow garden, can I ask what type of stone you used?

It's great when a garden fills out and matures, you get to enjoy it and almost forget about all the hard work you had to do to get it there.

 

[mims&pip]

That's an Idyllic garden Mims, love it.

We are trying to come up with ideas for a winding path along our narrow garden, can I ask what type of stone you used?

It's great when a garden fills out and matures, you get to enjoy it and almost forget about all the hard work you had to do to get it there.

Thank you Roost The stone we used was actually found dotted around the garden - some from old, overgrown rockery areas (we have some humungous 'rocks' that would be impossible to shift!) and other single pieces were found lying in flower beds - one of my jobs was to hunt for pieces we could use without ruining the overall charming period look elsewhere in the garden :wink:

One huge piece (seen under the planted bird bath in the centre) was covering a manhole, but that in itself is now completely hidden by a vast bush so its loss from that location is negligible. The stone is not the red sandstone local to this area - part of our garden stands on a former sand mine/quarry that was owned by the guy that built the house in the 1850s, his land running down to the nearby canal - but is something brought in (York stone?) when the house was extended in 1924.

Do post up pics of your path when done!

Mims x

 

[Zebra]

Here's my garden path progress....

 

[DJH]

That's a good start Z. Soon be grazing on there I suppose!
Are you at a loose end today? We both seem to be on here a lot...is it raining where you are?

Doug

 

[mims&pip]

That's starting to take shape, Zebra! Can't wait to see the end result

Thanks to the great weather here yesterday Pip managed to finish off the paving while I was cracking on with the decorating......we just need to haemorrhage some more dosh at the various local nurseries and plant hunter fairs now and we'll be done, lol :lol:

What started out as an inexpensive project to pretty up the muddy former strip of lawn ruined by our dogs has ended up costing a small fortune, but it was worth it as imho the result is infinitely better than merely returfing the area

Mims x

 

[Zebra]

That's a good start Z. Soon be grazing on there I suppose!
Are you at a loose end today? We both seem to be on here a lot...is it raining where you are?

No, no grass Doug. I'd only eat it. Giraffe has requested a large acacia tree so that he can open the bedroom window and have breakfast in bed, but that doesn't really work with the flat roof outside the bedroom window, so I've vetoed that.
No, I'm not at a loose end. I've stopped work again for a bit (enjoying the flexibility of being self-employed) to do the garden. Not raining today, apparently it'll snow at the weekend!