Busy, busy, busy - Garden update.

I don't seem to have had time to sneeze, let alone update my blogs.

The reason being that I/we have been doing a makeover of the garden - and it's taken me ages, as I can only do it when the sun goes in.

In the last post here we had had the pergola taken down, 18 turfs laid, the fish pond cleared of excessive plants, and the new pump fitted - oh and some wood attached to strengthen my somewhat 'Heath Robinson' home made chicken run - which is now my fruit and veggie cage.

Patrick and myself took down and cleared and dumped the Gazebo, and tidied everything up.

Here are some updated photos - for my records really - so that I can look back at everything that has changed.

The tiresome job each evening of watering the turf and transplanted tree and plants.

This was six days ago - and still no rain - just hot sunshine all day.

I will be out there doing my rain dance this weekend - goodness knows what our water bill will be!

The new turf is suffering despite the nightly watering, but the pond area looks heaps better without the net and there is a lot more bird activity around it now that they can drink from the pond.

Not the chooks though - thank goodness

The grotty corner where the gazebo was. I have painted one fence panel, but had to stop to trim back all the shrubs and vegetation to get to the rest of the fence.  I was really cruel and cut everything hard back - with a view to making topiary trees out of the laurel hedging.

Poppy strutting her stuff.  Her new flight feathers are just starting to grow back

A bit of respite - to look at the plants coming into flower - Aquelegia is everywhere having self sown and in all different colours - from 'Black Knight' to palest pink

These were taken late evening so not very bright - best stick to the makeover pictures

Well as it had been too hot, and sunny making it impossible for me to go up the allotment field.

I persuaded Pat to bring me a couple of raised beds back for the garden.

He was not amused, but he knew that if he didn't - I would just do it myself.

So whilst I was clearing another part of the garden, he dug out the bed for me.

Rather reluctantanly - but he did it bless him

As soon as he was finished, I put in the raised beds,  filled them with top soil and well rotted manure, and laid turf around the rough area beside them

The chickens joined in, and in turns, all jumped in and mixed it all up for me, whilst I got back to the boring task of clearing the fence panels and pruning

It's going to be worth it!

There was so much to do, but already it looks better

It was a horrid job, but it had to be done, and Patrick couldn't do it, but he is going to dump all the sacks of prunings for me.

What's that saying?

'The couple that play together, stay together'

It sure works for us!