I have started...... So I will finish! (Pictures).

Chopper - wonderful job. I am full of admiration for what you have done. :gnthb:

I love the poly-tunnel. It looke pretty empty now. But I am guessing that it will get fuller and fuller over time, as you will be able to overwinter all manner of good sized tender plants. My own experience is that although you might start with perennials, it probably won't end there. :hehe:

 

Well done, Chopper......you definitely have been busy!!

 

You are doing an amazing job there, Chopper! I am full of admiration for all you (and Mrs Chopper) have achieved. Don't lose the vision now you've got this far!!

We had one big problem when we moved down here in 2007 - yes, also the garden! OK, it's much smaller than yours, but we're both in our 60s and suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, so we are still proud of what we've achieved.

The only help we had was from the guy who took away all the rubble, plant material, bricks, broken slabs, old shed and its contents, etc. We recycled everything we could from what was left for us - from slabs, monoblocks and old sleepers to the brick planter and using the base of the old shed as sub-floor of the new summerhouse, etc.

This set of pics shows the first year's changes. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nm8/sets/72157608350836768/with/5133920794/ (It has further improved two years on).

Recording change by taking pics DOES spur you on to get it finished and keeps your focus on what you want to achieve. I hope that this winter will be better than last so you fulfill your dream very soon!

 

Hi Peter

Thankyou for your comments.

WE (mrs Chopper and I), made the decision to invest a lot of time and money in the garden after I had been rather ill following a heart attack. I got the gardening bug while recovering. I found I was not just interested in routine stuff like cutting the grass. I really found it interesting to go for the whole experience of creating a new garden from what we already had.

I had seen some local gardens where the owners clearly took great pride in creating beautiful gardens and looking after them. I have that same enthusiasm for building, maintaining and riding big custom bikes and trikes.

The same principles appear to apply to creating the garden I/we want. The polytunnel was the biggest cost financially. The rest is mostly hands on work. I have used a lot of recycled materials, just the same as I do with the bikes. The tunnel may seem a little empty at the moment, but I do have plans to fill it up and make best use of it.

I have not finished the design work yet. The plan has changed several times already. I am very new to gardening and my gardening knowledge is very limited. I have been reading as much as I can and paying attention to those I can see have years of experience and skill. I check in here a couple of times each day and often read the same thing a couple of times to make sure I have the facts.

Most important things I have learned about it all so far?

Gardening is BRILLIANT therapy. I cannot be angry when I am doing something in the garden.

The garden never stops and waits for nothing.

You never stop learning.

Many keen gardeners are also friendly people only too happy to share knowledge and quite often generous with gifts of cuttings, seeds and produce.

Whole new experience for me and one that I am thoroughly enjoying.

Chopper.

 

I look forward to seeing your entry in the National Garden Scheme yellow book Chopper!!

 

Can certainly see you've been very busy, good for you.I'd just add to your comment about "I cannot be angry when doing something in the garden" I could always tell if Husband had had a bad day at the office. He'd suggest he did something, heavy manual, in the garden...sure fire sign! I'd give him a task of moving a tree or similar. Wow the tree would be out in record time and 10 bells knocked out of any turf laid to fill the resulting hole. I did occasionally ask who the poor turf was representing, sure enough it would be some individual who'd annoyed him. Good therapy tho and at least no deaths resulted!

 

Not sure of you are taking the mickey or are serious? Either way, I doubt my garden is worthy of visitors that probably know a hell of a lot more than I do, (Not difficult).

I am a complete novice Kristen, this is my first attempt at creating a new garden. I have a pretty good idea of how I want it to look and what I want from the garden, but there has been a hell of a lot of mistakes and even more trial and error so far. Pretty sure there will be a lot more mistakes before I get to the standard where folk might want to come and visit.

Chopper

 

"Not sure of you are taking the mickey or are serious?"

Take your pick Chopper! But for those folk who are happy to have peoples-unknown wander around their garden my guess is that it is a "target" to aim for as it must give people enormous pride that their garden is considered worthy of inclusion in the Yellow Book by their gardening peers. I am planning to visit several local gardens this year that are in the Yellow Book to have a nose around but I don't (as yet) have any aspirations of putting my name & garden forward for consideration.

I was watching some repeat (of only a few years ago) on Blighty recently following the fortunes of some gardeners who were asking for inclusion in the NGS. Half of them were included, the other half were re-inspected a while later (and I would guess were included the following year).

I'm waffling, but the point I wanted to make was that one of them had what looked to be a "standard" sized garden behind a terraced house - so quite small. She had no knowledge of gardening, but (for whatever reason) had gradually removed the original (boring I expect!) garden borders, and the lawn too, in favour of pots. Her whole garden was full of pots - mostly terracotta, not overly ornate, but intriguing and her garden was "stuffed". I think she said she had only been gardening 3 or 4 years. Anyways, whatever ... her garden sufficiently impressed the local NGS co-ordinator that it was included - well done her! So, although said tongue-in-cheek, its worth considering as a possibility Chopper :thumb: one thing for sure ... if you put your name forward the amount of extra work you will have to do that season will mean that the garden is in tip-top condition for your and Mrs Chopper to enjoy for the rest of the year

 

A sandwich eh Shiney? I reckon you aren't that far away after all!

"Kristen, I'm sure your garden would qualify with no trouble at all"

My garden is not visitor-ready at all. Its ready for strategically-angled photos though!

I did wonder about opening on the basis of "visit us every year for 10 years to see a garden in the making", with some sort of concession on price for future years, but there aren't enough Gullible Nuts in the world who would want to buy that offer!

 

Ha-ha! ... I'll have "bring a plant on this list, entrance is free" open days ... in fact bring 5 plants on the list and I'll open "by appointment" :D

 

Hmm...

I bet that is a successful as a "painting party," those that come, eat the food consume the drink, stand around talking all day and precious little gets done!