More Stone Progress

Following Friday's wall progress; today saw more work  on the steps.  It's a pretty painstaking process laying paving stones economically and fitting the shapes together whilst at the same time trying to show the best facing edges and ensuring the upper surfaces are as flat as possible to minimise puddling.  They have to be built few at a time as they need to set hard allowing them to be stood on to build them up higher.  It's taking far longer than I imagined and work continued after dark - courtesy of Al's inspection light!  After pointing, Chris brushes the mortar before it sets hard in order to reduce its slick appearance.  It blends in with the stone better and looks much 'softer' on the eye.  We have only 2 steps to finish before starting on preparations for the studio terrace.  So far, the weather had been on our side but tomorrow is looking decidedly worrying!

The Aspen Project

Chris secures a rope to the Damson sucker

Pulling hard!

Stone wall building continued today by Chris Genever and it's looking FAB!  He even planted odd Violet, Thyme and Alchemilla Mollis seedlings between the stones as he went.  Simultaneously; serious work on the 'Aspen grove' commenced by the other Chris.  An earlier decision had been made to remove the relics from the orchard border ie. a big old damson sucker (more light for the 3 silver birches), a Lonicera and a Mahonia etc to make room for a grove of Aspens (Populus Tremuloides).

But it actually took both Chris's to pull it down

Having seen so many quivering Aspens on our travels, we thought we could have some of our very.  Hopes Grove Nurseries in Kent came up trumps and delivered 8 x 6 foot trees today (one for Chris builder) and seven for us.

This is the look we're aiming for but with only 7 trees!  

All this going on AND stone wall building!  Felling the damson meant logging, lugging  and stacking as well as sorting and moving rubble, soil and stone.





When it was too dark to see any more, we all called it a day.  Luckily, with the oil tank now filled again, the boilers relieved of their air locks (MAJOR oversight by Total Butler - ahem!) and the Aga re-lit it was nice to come in to a warm kitchen at the end of a very busy and cold day - yawn.

Stone Progress

Having taken delivery of 10 tons of the stone we'd dug out and loaded the day before, it all looked very different.  It had rained overnight and the sticky clay was very apparent.  This meant that an entire day was spent washing both sides of every single piece of stone with high pressure washers (and cleaning up the drive which resembled a river bed!)  

By the end of the day. we were all splattered in water and clay from head to toe!  All totally worthwhile as the colours of the stone are now revealed in all their glory.

The stone was also barrowed to where it will be needed for building and from in front of Mellings's garage door allowing him access in and out!

Today, Chris began on the (former) grass steps and now we have natural stone and not (cut) flagstones, we can retain the original curved shape of the steps.

Pam & Chris go quarrying

When a project demands stone; the very best way forward is to go and quarry your own! That's what this very gardener spent a whole foggy  morning doing!  Of course with a new birthday camera, she doesn't appear in any shots but I do assure you she was very much at the forefront in loading 10 tons of stone ready for collection and delivery tomorrow.  Help was on hand from Mr. Carter who tipped each bucketful into his 5 ton tipper trailer for lugging up to his yard and of course; Chris Genever who will be doing the building!  Whilst not exactly used to having to quarry for his own materials; he was able to make his very own selection!  I got to ride on a tractor for the first time in a few years!  This one was very well appointed and with its eighty-something year old driver was handled with the utmost ease, skill and expertise. AMAZING!

For more pictures - including magic mushrooms in the field look at:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/PamGoesQuarrying

Garden Blogger Returns!

Acer Palmatum Seiryu

It was nice to see that not all the colour had disappeared from the garden when we returned from our hols!  How different this country really is from the mountains, rain forests, deserts and volcanoes we visited!  

Lower lawn

Having caught up on office jobs, laundry and sleep; it was time to commence the next garden project - namely TERRACING!

The greenhouse path border was duly emptied of all plants and shrubs. Excess turf was removed and all were laid in, on and around the vegetable patch.  In fact, it no longer looks like a veg patch at all.  

Veg Patch?

After a worrying few days not being able to find any really flat walling stone anywhere and being quoted silly prices for less than ideal material; we came up trumps!

Border awaiting terracing

We found the most perfect stone only a stone's throw away - at Beach Hay, Far Forest!  It's so perfect that Chris builder and I plan to go and choose pieces ourselves on Monday morning at 8:30am - yawn!  We reckon on about 10 tons.  Yes, I know it sounds a lot but it's heavy old stuff and Chris is re-doing the grass steps in stone as well as the terracing and greenhouse path.  Besides, it means the rest of the York stone flags can go round the house.

For the followers who are wondering where we sneaked off to, have a look at:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/CalifornianCoastCanyonCountryDeathValley2011

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/RainyRainForests

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/OregonCoastRoute2011

Latest in Outdoor Seat Cushions

Phillipa's garden furniture set

Sempervivum cushion

What else would you do with worn out garden furniture? Well, since Phillipa was the only person who believed I was the only person who could make use of her kindly donated garden furniture set, I had to prove her right!  After all, it had seen better days!  Sempervivums were my idea for winter.  They replaced the summer Aeoniums and actually are much more cushion-like.  Pity the table construction doesn't allow me to sink the planter through the weave as I was able to do with the chairs.  The chair 'cushion' pots are actually resting on the metal frame beneath.

THE GENEVER STONE

Elevated Octavius!

Haven't had him five minutes and already Octavius gets a new stand.  A present from Chris Genever; it was a former lamp post base.  Now he stands at the perfect height and what can't be seen is a common (or garden!) concrete slab laid on sand and cement cunningly concealed beneath it.  I bet Chris wouldn't have imagined it would pressed into use as soon as he left!  Sadly, I can't claim the credit for such brilliance as it was the other Chris's idea! The column just wasn't tall enough.  Note the ivy planted at the base.  How lucky that the stone is so similar in colour!  The base is of far superior quality to the actual statue!

The original lamp post base