OK, so I have been really rubbish for the last siz months or so - I have not posted anything for a number of crap reasons. Sorry but there you go shit happens. Anyway the second half of 2007 passed rather uneventfully in the garden, with few changes to the design and layout of the rest of the garden except that is for building a recycled plastic deck with a recycled oak post gazebo, a recycled plastic dual compost bin and a new fence (not recycled plastic unfortunately) which we have very gratefully received from donations from our lovely friends and family as a wedding gift. I don't know how we will pay for the other one - I guess we will have to get busy making a family! A few purchases for the garden have included a fig to be trained along the fence (Grise de St Jean, from Read's Nursery), a red grape to grow over the gazebo (Boskoop, ditto) and a hazel (Di Giffoni, from Chris Bowers & Sons). Apart from these little projects we have both been very busy at work so we have not had the time to spend in the garden we would like. As we look forward to 2008 some of the main projects we would like to carry out include:
- Laying a new lawn with recycled brick paths - I have already bought the grass seed for this so I really have to do it!
- Building another willow screen / barrier for...uhm...safety reasons.
- Putting up a new fence on the other side of the garden to act as a cat deterrant.
- Most importantly, working with my good friend Steen, making a PondCam to show the antics of the various denizens in our pond. We are keen to power this entirely using renewable energy and Steen already has a camera so this should prove to be an interesting project. The main problem (apart from all the technical issues, which I am leaving to Steen...) will be the continuing swamping by blanket weed and Duckweed in the pond. I will have to keep this under control but doing so without affecting any other pond life will be a challenge.
2008 has started well with the usual vast selection of tomato seeds already sown, a new almond, blackberry and tayberry planted and have made a monstrous recycled plastic base to lift the 700l water butt we have to a height that means we can actually get a watering can underneath the tap. And with all the rain we have had in the last few weeks, it is filling up fast. But you can guarantee there will be a hosepipe ban this year... as there should be I guess.
The more observant among you will have noticed that I have deviated from my initial plan to document the development of the meadow to include the whole garden.This has just happened as a consequence of my inherent desire expand upon, digress and generally waffle. So to all those dedicated die hard meadow watchers out there (it's ok i know nobody reads this, i'm just talking to myself really like all the other nerds on the net). So I'm just going to get on with it and post stuff. It's not like it's very important really is it?