Cumbrian Garden Project

Anne and I moved here at the end of May 2007, to this blank canvas. We brought a few plants from our previous garden and quickly planted them in the one flowerbed there was, and quickly dug another along the back fence for a couple of roses and lillies. Here are a few photos from before we moved in. The garden has a southerly aspect and is right now undergoing some major landscaping as the first "real" work starts. There will be more photos in the next few days so that hopefully you can follow along. We are up here in Cumbria and we can see the fells from our front door, shots of that to follow too.













Yes we live right next door to a Church!

Hopefully you'll notice a change or two over the next few days.

Steve...

 

Keep us posted Steve. Having just completed the hard landscaping part of a major project myself, I am always interested to see what others do with areas like this. The hard bit is over the next few days (and weeks) then a couple of years of waiting for the plants to integrate. Good luck.

 

The start of the hard landscaping, here is the building site we like to call "The Garden" ..at least a few Tulips are adding some colour...



Steve...

 

:thumb:Coming along nicely Steve...rather tricky those heavy puzzles aint they:confused::D

 

Hi Steve, hope you & Anne are enjoying your new house. Your garden looks about the same size as mine (hard to tell really) but i would love your little bungalow just right for 2. And Cumbria is lovely. We were at Port Carlisle 2 years ago.

Good luck with the 'project'. Keep the photo's coming. We're a nosey lot on here - in the nicest possible way

cheers

 

Work has continued this week on and off and the patio is complete now, I hope to replace the large paving slabs at a later stage to be more in keeping with the crazy paving and wall behind it.

The crazy paving has a story and a lot of history behind it...its 200+ years old Cumbrian sandstone paving from John Peel Farm here in Cumbria. John Peel is perhaps the most famous Cumbrian and he died over 150 years ago, he was a major figure in the hunting scene and by all accounts was also a bit of a rogue towards both his family and farm, not caring much for either of them..his mind and thoughts where for the next hunt. He even has songs and poems written about him, some of you may recall the lyric "D'Ye Ken John Peel" from one such song.

Anyway, I had advertised on a recycling site for paving slabs and stone and received an email from a lady who said she had some broken paving, I had no idea at this stage what it was but went along to the address given where the whole story was given to me. Now when all is done in the garden (is it ever all done?) and I'm sat out there with a drink in hand I can now half shut my eyes and visualize all the foxhounds and riding boots walking over the patio that I now sit on.

Its the wall I'm currently busy with which should be finished this weekend time and weather allowing of course and the stone was also obtained the same way..from a recycling site. The way this site works is that people advertise things that they no longer want or need and the aim is to potentially stop things going to landfill needlessly.The wall is old too but I have no history attached to it that I know of, but I do know its old from the wear that is evident and the hand tool marks that are visible on some of them.

Behind the wall to the fence will be all planting area save for a stepping stone walkway between fence and wall, over this I plan to erect a gazebo for climbers such as Clematis and Roses to inhabit..the gazebo is a project for later on though.









This is the bit I'll be working on this weekend which is a raised bed idea, you can see where the wall will go by the shallow trench.







There we are, all up to date. One more coffee and I'm back out there..

Steve...

Oh BTW...the little "hole" in the patio is there for a reason..I intend to put some sort of inscription there about John Peel.

 

Steve you have done an amazing job so far now all you need is for the warmer weather to come again so you and your good lady can enjoy your hard work.It's beautiful well done.Hel.xxx.

 

Hi Steve, was wondering where you were after your first posts. How lovely that you are doing something a bit different with your garden. It's going to be really nice in a year or two isn't it? Good on you. I'm boring with my things i think but i still love them. The thing is to go out to your garden every day - you just enjoy it. You are also putting a little history into yours. Good for you. Keep us up to date with comments & pics.

cheers

 

I've finished the retaining wall now and actually filled one part with broken down soil (not fine tilth yet) although I use the word soil "loosley" as its 90% clay. More soil to go in behind the long wall tomorrow and be broken down, then I ca add the compost and well rotted horse muck to give it some oomph..and next week...planting. Here's a shot from today.



Steve...

 

Hi Steve

Just wanted to pop in to say that I am very impressed with your stonework so far. The crazy paving looks really well done and the wall has evolved into what will be a real feature. It is no easy thing choosing the order of laying non-uniform pieces of paving to look aesthetically pleasing with crazy paving and getting a natural look to a stone wall where all the pieces of stone vary in size and dimension is a real achievement. Well done.

PS I am extremely envious of your backdrop onto that beautiful church. The boundary wall with the church is lovely and I don't know what you have planned for that area but I can just imagine honeysuckles, ivies, rambling roses and delicate clematis wandering all along that fantastic stone wall next to the churchyard . Lovely. Would really like to know what you plan for that stretch of your garden!

 

Hi Cookie Monster,

Thank you for your comments, its been a labour of love so far and hard work too with lots of trial and error.The activity of this topic has I have found helped also, as whatever I do in the garden will end up on these pages..warts and all!

As for the Church wall area, plans are only loosely made for that area so far. Its in shade all day long and quite wet too (something to do with and old underground stream bed.I've a couple of things planted there at present, Rosemary, Bay, foxglove, fern and a couple of small shrubs I've long since forgot the name of. But I have on a couple of occasions found frogs in there so a project for next year will be a water feature/waterfall and pool for them (and us) made in local slate (The famous green slate from Honister). I've no doubt that the planting will be pulled and we'll start again with it there, so its possible that that the plants you mention could well go in there as I do plan a small fence down the side of the house, this will be just a 12 inch high trellis and will only be down the side of the house as we want the view from the back garden unspoilt.

In the last pic I posted you can just see the pile of stacked slabs top left corner, they will make a meandering snakelike pathway between the stone wall above and the fence behind it, in time that will be covered with a gazebo to hang roses and clematis on etc, underplanting not fully decided yet but for this year it will be bedding plants/annuals. And if I can get hold of an old greenhouse before years end I'll start taking cuttings and propogating stuff for next year.

I already have the materials for the trellis fencing and the gazebo (all recycled) and its just a time factor to get the jobs done.

The overall aim is for a truly organic/recycled garden in a cottage style with a Cumbrian twist.

Steve...

 

Steve you are doing so well! I absolutely love the fact that you are embracing the recycling part too, and the stories behind the materials make it all the more special

I'm really looking forward to seeing more of your progress.

 

Your vision for the damp and shady area sounds very appropriate and should provide you with a great tranquil area. If I were you I would collect plenty of seed this year from your existing foxgloves and dig up and pot the ferns to go back after you do the waterfall. Other good plants which like the shade and damp are astilbes - they do really well in my shady damper areas. Maybe think of hostas too but be SLUG AWARE!!!!

I don't think any of the climbers I mentioned would do well in total shade - they really need a good sunny spot. Is the church wall due North facing then?

Cherish your frogs! You are lucky having them already. I am not sure if they would spawn in a pond which had turbulence from a waterfall in it though???? They may require still water for that - but I'm sure there are froggy experts out there who could advise!

It is great to see the garden slowly taking on shape like this - like an emerging butterfly!

Thank you Steve for sharing your progress with us - and giving us ideas too!

Kath

PS Any gargoyles on your church?

 

Hi Steve - found this link to shady plants for you. Hope you get some ideas. I'm tickled pink to see some of my suggested plants in the list - I must be learning something! I promise I didn't see this website before my last post!

http://uktv.co.uk/gardens/stepbystep/aid/187

What sort of plants does Anne like?