Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Garden Progress - Buster - Another Visitor


Me and Cheryl, my latest visitor - on the meadow.

Garden

It seems a while since I updated you on our garden progress. We have been working on the back yard recently, which we want to grass through to join up with the arboretum. It has long grass growing on it so that has to all be removed, the site levelled and then the grass seed sewn. Oh, and all the stone removed.


Here's Jim digging up one of the huge rocks from in front of the new wall.


I spent some time removing stones from under the huge tree and levelling the ground.


On the left you can see some of the grass that has to be removed. The new lawn will go through and join with the other grass, through the narrow gap. Where the pile of stones is will be a small herb garden.



I have just found this photo from September 2009. This is taken looking at the place where the new wall is now situated.


Here is the whole of the back yard taken a day later in September 2009. The yard looks so small there. At the end is a distinct lack of wall!

Here's the new wall, almost finished.


The part that needs finishing. As well as raising the wall height a little by the house, we are making a flower bed in the gap. We are also going to make steps from the gap in the wall to the concrete part you can see outside the patio doors. It'll make a nice feature.

Now the wall has been finished and filled with soil, and even has a few plants in it too. I am so pleased with it. The 'steps' have only been roughly placed and will look much better when finished. Jim dropped the top one on my finger! It bled rather a lot. That top stone is the one Jim was digging out of the ground in the top photo!


Some of the plants.


The wall from the other side. We will make some steps this side too.

Visitors Yesterday

Yesterday, Tuesday, I had a pre-arranged visit from a dear schoolfriend of mine and her husband. We have known each other since about 1961 I think. Cheryl now lives in a beautiful converted barn not far from my son Jason in Suffolk!

The time seemed to absolutely fly by. We sat in the sun room and drank tea. Jim had made home made soup and home made bread which we had for lunch, followed by cold meats and cheese and more bread!

We chatted some more then went for a walk down to the lake, the quick route as Cheryl and Pete didn't really have the footwear to go through the wood. It was a pleasant day weather wise. We also took a walk around the land of course and Jim took a couple of photos when we were at the top of the meadow:


Me and Cheryl with Lough Graney and Flagmount behind us.


It got a bit windy! She is a lovely person, as is her husband Pete and we had a fabulous time.

We had coffee in the afternoon with a lovely swiss roll that Cheryl and Pete had brought with them! All too soon it was time for them to go. Come back soon you two.

There was still a couple of hours for me to pop out into the garden and do some weeding and stone moving. Chicken curry for dinner (Jim's of course), a bit of television watching then it was a flop into bed.

Today it has rained and the sun has shone alternately. Rather like a Spring day. Jim worked in the kitchen and I managed to get outside a bit and edge the rose bed, which I weeded a couple of days ago.

Buster

We have been working hard to fatten Buster up after his 5 days away. He has been much better lately. Even when Max has visited and they've gone off to 'play', he has always come back again - although once it was at 3.30am!

I bought him a new red collar and an identity tag with our phone number on it in case he goes missing again:


Buster fast asleep with his new red collar.

Jim bought me a black bamboo for the garden. It's something I've wanted for a long time, having had one in the UK a while ago. Here it is in its pot:


The hosta is now in the wall. We have yet to work out the perfect spot for the bamboo.

So there we have it. Another catch up. When Jim's finished the next section of the kitchen I'll show you what he's done this time.

Have a good week everyone.

15 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

All of that back breaking work in your garden is paying off. The wall looks beautiful. I am sure you are sick of rocks but I just love seeing them when your & Jim's artistic hand has placed them. What fun to be able to entertain old friends. It looks like you had a great time. That Buster does need to gain a little weight. He just wears himself out.

Mim said...

it all looks gorgeous but I'm exhausted just watching you !! love the shot of buster- he is such a doll

Bea said...

Wow, what a lot of work you guys have done this year. I'm glad you had an old friend come to visit and give you a rest and let you show off your beautiful home and all the wonderful things you have done to it. :)Bea

Shirley said...

All that hard work is coming to fruition. I love the wall! What a cutie Buster is! Thanks for the tour.

BT said...

Hi Lisa. We're getting there very slowly but I am pleased with all the results now. We have so many rocks we don't know what to do with them! There are piles everywhere. I do love them though.

Buster does need to gain weight and we feed him 3 times a day mostly, but he still isn't really getting back to how he was. He hasn't got worms. We just keep on trying.

Hi Mim, lovely to see you. Ha ha, we do rest a bit too! Buster is a doll but a pain too!

Hi Bea, I've emailed you.

Hello Shirley, I'm glad you like the wall. We've never done one before and are both really happy with it. Jim did the lion's share but I did some too! Thanks for dropping by.

marianne said...

Great pictures Gina!
Love that wall!

Please be careful with that bamboo!
Looks like a wondering bamboo to me...... They can lift paths puncture pond (foil) etc. and once they are settled they are nearly impossible to take out, but I guess you have a good spot somewhere, you have so much space!

Have a nice day!!
>M<

Rachel Green said...

What a splendid wall! It all looks wonderful.

Anonymous said...

John and I really admire your rock wall and steps. So nice of your friend and husband to visit and sounds like a lovely day for a visit. I hope Buster will not run away and stay gone again - he looks so sweet asleep!
You and Jim certainly have accomplished so much in your home and garden - it is lovely.

Heather said...

All those lovely rocks and stones - just what I needed to go round our pond a few months back. The wall looks wonderful and I love seeing them with plants growing along the top. You both work so hard and are turning a building site into Paradise. Lovely to still be in touch with school friends - glad you had such a good time.

Jason said...

The wall looks great. A real feature. Be lovely when all the plants start to establish.

Lovely pics of Cheryl, looks a delightful visit. xx

Bella Sinclair said...

Goodness gracious, that rock wall is beautiful!!! So straight and even and well built. Wow, you guys are such skilled landscapers! I LOT of hard work, definitely. I'm really amazed that you are doing all of it by yourselves. Isn't it great, though, to have a vision and a dream and to see it all grow together piece by piece???

Awwww, Buster....... :)

DK said...

wow, the wall looks amazing!! Good job :-)

Love and miss you momma, glad you had a smashing visit xxx

BT said...

Hi Marianne, thanks for the bamboo info. I have had some before but it was quite slow to grow so fingers crossed!

Thanks Rachel.

Hello Mildred, I'm glad you and John like the wall and steps. The steps have to be 'fixed' yet and will look better then. Buster is a character. He has been coming back every day for some time now, albeit at 1.30am this morning!

Hello Heather, lovely to see you. We have so many rocks we could have done your pond surround several times! I'm glad you like the wall, it has even more plants in it now and is something colourful we can look at from our misnamed 'sun room'!!

Hiya son. The wall is super isn't it? I'm so pleased with it. We've just put the plants in for some colour at the moment. Will add more permanent ones next spring probably. Loved having Cheryl and Pete here. See you on the 29th.

Bella, I've emailed you.

Hi K, we are so pleased with it too, looks even better now with more plants in it. See you in December!

DayPhoto said...

You world is just lovely! And your home and yard equally so! I plan on visiting you often!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

PAK ART said...

You two are the hardest working people I've ever seen! The garden is beautiful though so all your hard work is paying off!