The New Well Path & Steps

Steps leading up to the conservatory...

..and down to the well

Work on the well path has not only begun but it is pretty much finished!!  Chris G began by making new York stone steps leading from the terrace to the well path.  Where there was one single - rather high and difficult step; there are now 6 elegant steps which are much easier to negotiate.  Having done that, he then lifted all the modern pavers and we cleaned off all the old mortar before stacking them on the wall by the creosote yard.  (Chipping off the mortar was a way of keeping warm for me!)  Chris placed 3 York stone flags and I laid out some pretty old reclaimed bricks around them.  Having got the path all laid out, Chris then lifted each one and laid it on a concrete mix.  I followed behind packing the cement between the bricks and stone.  Having done that, Chris did all the pointing and, before it dried too much - in the icy easterly winds, I brushed off the mortar.  Result: a vastly improved path which is much more in keeping with the surroundings.

Chris's Ebay Urns

A surprise visit from Chris last Sunday meant even more surprises with a delivery of amazing garden goodies in the form of a pair of rather grand looking garden urns and 3 other jardinieres plus 2 shrubs - a lovely Spirea nipponica Snowmound and a Philadelphus Virginal with has double flowers both of which are sizeable, mature plants and both with an RHS Award of Garden Merit.  All very exciting!!  Of course, I couldn't wait to have the pair of urns set up in position so when the other Chris G. arrived, he made plinths for them and cemented each urn to its respective plinth either side of the arbour path.  If it wasn't for the FREEZING weather, I'd have planted them up but, as things stand meteorologically, it would be sheer folly.  Most of the pots and urns were EBay purchases and team negotiations!  Just to smarten things up, Chris P. made a rather splendid job of weeding and forking the border - after this photo was taken!

Home Made Plant Stand

How simple is this?  An old broken gully pot inverted and cut off level (with help!), an old tile and a square pot.  Perfect use for old bits and pieces kicking around!  I'd actually been balancing a pot on it for years before it was cut level. It looks so much better now I'm able to place a tile under the pot.

Hen Party

Poppy getting ready!

Off to the party

Lulu, Black Betty and Poppy with a few party moves!

Wintry Well Work

Don't be fooled by the sunshine - notice the layers!

With the drive all spruced up, it was time to move round to the well.  We removed an old stone trough which used to protrude from underneath the pump spout actually through the circular wall.  I say we but, it was of course Chris G. who singlehandedly manhandled this monstrously heavy trough up to the terrace.  He then bricked up the gap left in the circular wall and, where the pump handle is raised and lowered, Chris reduced the height of the capping bricks by building in a section of half round blue pipe.  This extra bit of cleverness has had the effect of increasing the gap between the bricks and ones knuckles!  Raising water to a height of 50 feet requires very vigorous use of the pump handle.  It was just far too easy to smash ones knuckles on the blue capping pavers!  Wouldn't 'Health & Safety' be proud of us!

Knuckle crushing prevention!

Arctic Easter

The remains of Matt & Sarah's snowman - in April!

A much tidier drive!

Most of the Easter break has been spent grafting in the garden with help from both Chris's and trying to keep warm.  Snow remains in sheltered areas and ferocious night frosts.  Undeterred, Chris P finished off the drive by levelling and raking gravel up to the newly laid retaining bricks and burying light cables.  It's all looking very tidy and a big change from a muddy drive, building materials everywhere and a skip full of rubbish. 

Refurbished Cold Frames

In these glacial temperatures, they should be called freezing cold frames!  Anyway, the old recycled window lights eventually rotted through and the panes of glass began to fall out - so, Al made new ones using Chris's patent design and reinforced safety glass.  Hey presto!  Very smart (freezing!) cold frames which actually allow even more light in!  We decided to retain the original methods of securing the lights open by using the nylon ties threaded through staples in the sleepers.  That way, they can be left open both individually and/or at any angle.