Before & After the Aspen Project

Before

Due to an oversight last Thursday (!) Chris was able to come and help with the Aspens.  Having already cleared the border of the ill spaced old relics, we reshaped and enlarged it.  Instead of the boring straight line parallel with the hedge; we introduced sweeping curves, removed the turf and dug it over.  We then spaced out the Aspens and underplanted them with the red Dogwoods (Cornus Sanguinea) salvaged from the top orchard border.  In order to keep the weeds down, we rang Tom and order another load of wood chip.  50 wheelbarrows later, it was all in place and raked level.  The chickens had a top up too.  What's needed now are some woodland plants!  Now, let me see - what do we fancy?  How about some wild garlic, wood anemones, bluebells and celandines???

After

Tom's wood chip

Hic! Slurp!

• Question: How many bottles of apple juice were made from our 2 wheelbarrows full of apples?

• Answer: 88!  

How amazing is that? In case you're at all doubtful, here's (part of) the proof:

All bottled sealed and pasteurised and can be kept for 2 years - not much chance of that!  It's absolutely delicious. Many thanks to Colin and Val who collected them for us and lugged them all into the garage (and then forgot to take any samples home to Essex!)

Bottoms up! 

Another Day of Graft

The helmet is being worn to keep off the rain

Another day of work means that the stone steps are now finished and the grass which has inevitably taken a bit of a beating has now been raked and aerated.  The new terrace has now been concreted and the flag pole moved and although I think that certain persons dictated it be placed too near to the path edge, at least the flag won't get snagged on any trees!  Perhaps I should just mention that a large delivery (courtesy of the legendary Gary) of 4 bulk bags of differing types of sand, cement

Concrete being laid prior to stone paving

and rails all had to be barrowed into place at an early stage!  Much of the working areas are looking pretty messy - hence all the photos!  It should be noted that work has continued until after work most days and even by artificial lighting. 

 

How messy does this look?

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