Herb Garden Progress

Chris's Curves

Chris's curved studio steps

Despite underestimating the numbers of skips required and their sizes (ahem!) Chris continues to make huge leaps forward with the (sunken!) herb garden.  He doesn't seem to mind all these progress photos but doesn't much like posing himself!  There has been much grumbling about the lack of plans but the fact is: we like his ideas far more!  The idea is to make it secluded but sunny.  Chris realised from the outset that there would be a requirement for drainage and has laid pipes beneath as well as conduit for electricity enabling me to have a water feature/light or some sort of ornamental feature in the centre.  I had this idea that maybe it would be possible to drill through the very biggest piece of rock we quarried and have water bubbling up through its top.  Chris doesn't seem to think that drilling a massive piece of rock would in the least difficult!  However, he was quite strict about the base of the rock needing to be small enough for the water to trickle into the sump beneath in order for it to circulate.  Mmmm.  I hadn't thought of that one!

Brick & stone combined

We're very pleased with the stone and brick combination - an idea I spotted in Jersey. The plan (or lack of!) is to have trellis at the back and natural timber planks above the wall on the right.  It turns out that the Prunus is exactly central to the little Draycott gate. The jury is still out on what style to have in the curves.  Maybe estate fencing to match the gate or even thin chestnut posts.  Anyway; tomorrow a bulk bag of pebbles is expected, a delivery from Lanes and yet another skip - let's hope they don't all arrive together!

New Laurel Hedge

Chris nails on the last rail

Saturday saw the fencing and the new Laurel  hedge finished.  Being behind the camera means it appears that Chris does all the work alone.  Not true! We also removed a relic of a variegated holly.  It was a shame because it provided such  superb winter colour but was a really bad shape and in the wrong place, Hopefully, we can plant up our now enlarged border next week.  I will need to set up a seep hose in order to keep it well watered for its first year.  Now - all it needs to do is GROW!

The finished project

Gale Damage

A man of very many skills!

They say a change is as good as a rest and so Chris took a break from building and plastering and kindly welded the base for the bird feeder which had partly rusted and then blown off in the gales.

Late Chilli Harvest

Better late than never but, having been left hanging to dry in the greenhouse,  chilli storage was a tad overdue this season.  That being said; the yield was excellent and a night on the top of the Aga meant they were thoroughly dry.

These little Apache's really are very seriously hot!

Hedge Replacement

As if there wasn't enough going on with interior painting and decorating running alongside fairly major garden projects; a decision was made to replace the front hedge - which as you can see was mainly ivy and brambles with little left in the way of actual hedging.  We decided to go for Laurel as it's evergreen and grows a little quicker than Yew.  It meant moving the rabbit wire and erecting posts and rails first but over the weekend, a good start was made.

There were some miscalculations and, as a result, we ran out of both rails and Laurels!  This weekend should see the job finished and afterwards the - now much bigger border needs a major overhaul!  We have shrub roses heeled in the veg plot and some sale bargains in the form of 3 Hydrangeas plus a Pink Hawthorn and a Skimmia all in need of homes!

Herb Garden Beginnings

Despite the inconvenience of Bank holidays, Christmas & New Year; much progress has been achieved all very largely thanks to Chris who has been starting and finishing his working day in the dark and resorting to artificial lighting at both ends of the day!  The new creosote yard is not only finished (and beautifully dated) but being used!  The new log store access path is also finished.

Staffordshire blue pavers and cobbles

'Raking out the joints'

Working in gale force winds, Chris built the first brick pier (and I was allowed to rake out the joints!) This really highlights each individual brick. The idea is to enclose a new Herb Garden and, although we both came up with a design; Chris's was by far the best!  I didn't dare suggest anything so ambitious.  The idea is to use and incorporate all the materials we have on the premises - which includes an oak water butt (overlooked by me) a cast iron Victorian manger with hay rack and reclaimed sets/bricks/path edgers and still retain a rustic appearance.  He and Al have already filled one large skip and another smaller one was delivered today. 

Chris capping the pier

Joints finished!

Whilst doing some quite major repairs to internal plastering, not only has Chris found more hidden oak beams but, also the remains of an original bread oven.  This means that outdoor work has come to a temporary halt!


Hopefully a herb garden will  prove more practical and useful than a rain garden - to which thought was given.  It will mean moving around much topsoil and hopefully providing good drainage as well as shelter.  

The beginnings of Al's new store with verandah

WHODUNNIT?

Sabotage or experimental Bonsai treatment?

Chris is wondering: is this sabotage or a pioneering new Bonsai experiment by Chris G??  He was very quick to spot that a nail has been driven into his personally sculpted and much treasured Bay tree.  To make things worse; the Field Maple was seen to have suffered severe damage to it's bark which explains why it has never thrived.  Further investigations revealed that the heartwood had suffered a fungal infection so, alas, it's been felled and the roots dug out.  Well! When I say felled, I mean, literally pushed over - by Chris.  Chris G has knocked down the wall and dug footings for the new wall.  The oil tank is now totally exposed.  The rest of the site has been cleared of the Roses, Dogwoods and Aliums and looks more like the Somme.

Meanwhile investigations into possible sabotage continue...........................

After!

Before