Although it's still a work in progress and will be for a while, I have to admit that it's been thrilling this year seeing the progress of what I planted last year. And last week I cooked my first ever homegrown potatoes and that was truly satisfying - even though, to be honest, I don't much like potatoes
I've been charting my 'progress' over the last year, so this is the garden as it was at the end of April 2012
This is after addition of some trees, a top border and my 'grave'
and this is early this year.
Still lots to do but considering I work full time and am a very petite woman, I think I've achieved a lot of physical labour in one year and things can only get easier from now on.
What a change you've made and it looks really great. Surprising what us 'little women' can accomplish isn't it. I've shifted 19 bags of rubble from one piece of my garden this year, much to the amazement and amusement of my family. There's life in the old girl yet.
Love your story Mcavity, really made me laugh! Some really enjoyable posts here, so here goes with my story.
I have always had a bit of an interest in gardening and our flat in Cheltenham came with a very large garden. However it didnt get much of a look in for years, as my spare time was taken up with my horse, who sadly passed away 3 years ago now. I decided not to replace him due to costs and time, but loving the outdoors and being artistic, my blank canvass of a garden was beconing!!
Hubby bought me a mini green house to start with and within a year, I got a second hand "real" one cheap online. He also built me some raised beds for the veggies.The best bit is, hubby, who is an interior designer,
has also got the bug and we are finally sharing a hobby. He likes doing all the design and stuctural side and I do all the plants. It has also inspired my Dad, who is 84 to get out in his garden again and we chat for hours about it, which is lovely!
My Dad was a part time gardener for a 'big house' and he used to take me with him during the holidays - I would turn on the water pot in the middle of the hugh pond and sit and watch the birds 'dipping' - quite magical. We had a garden at home an an alotement but they were both full of veggies and chickens (well it was the war!) so I knew that when I grew up and hopefully got a husband and a house (got both) I would fill it with plants and a water feature which I did......................
Thanks KEF, I'd not have known this thread existed otherwise and I think its a fab one
I've not long been into this gardening malarkey. a few years ago I'd had a foray into growing tomatoes and cucumbers in my garden. Just pottering about really.
Then I went on holiday to Crete, and where I was staying, they were pretty much self sufficient- grew all their own salad, veg and fruit and I wanted a bit of it, so when we got home, we got straight on eBay to look for a secondhand greenhouse. We got one, and grew tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers. That was last year.
I put myself on the list for an allotment and in the meantime, I'd taken over quite a large part of my parents garden to grow the things there that I couldn't grow at home, or at least try lol. I'd bought fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries and blackcurrants and pit them in pots in the garden. Being a rented house, we have to try and be a bit respectful that it's not our garden!
We went back to crete again this year and got even more addicted. we went in May, having already started growing potatoes in bags on the patio. We had tomatoes, peppers, chillies and cues in the greenhouse. We spoke to the hotel owners at length about all things growing and came home determined to have a better go at it ourselves.
A week after getting back from crete, I had a phone call from the council asking if I was interested in an allotment still. This was on the Wednesday, I viewed it on the Saturday and collected the keys on Monday! Because it was so "late" in the growing season, I had to plant as I cleared so ended up with all sorts, really quickly, without any proper time to sit and plan anything.
We have now got a second, smaller greenhouse in the garden, one fully established half plot, another half plot which is in so much better condition than the first one, but can take our time over getting sorted. There will be chickens on this one so they will be the first thing to be sorted and we can work the rest around them.
Next year, my garden will be a veg free zone and we can concentrate on flowers! Well, that's the plan anyway lol
its given me such a different outlook in life. I love it and wouldn't change it for the world. My biggest regret is that I didn't do it sooner!
Posts
Although it's still a work in progress and will be for a while, I have to admit that it's been thrilling this year seeing the progress of what I planted last year. And last week I cooked my first ever homegrown potatoes and that was truly satisfying - even though, to be honest, I don't much like potatoes
I've been charting my 'progress' over the last year, so this is the garden as it was at the end of April 2012
This is after addition of some trees, a top border and my 'grave'
and this is early this year.
Still lots to do but considering I work full time and am a very petite woman, I think I've achieved a lot of physical labour in one year and things can only get easier from now on.
What a change you've made and it looks really great. Surprising what us 'little women' can accomplish isn't it.
I've shifted 19 bags of rubble from one piece of my garden this year, much to the amazement and amusement of my family. There's life in the old girl yet. 
Great story Macavitythecat
The story of how I got into gardening originally is oo long to post on here and I cannot find a link to where it is online......yet.
Found it
http://palustris.blogspot.co.uk/2007/05/chapter3.html
Love your story Mcavity, really made me laugh! Some really enjoyable posts here, so here goes with my story.
I have always had a bit of an interest in gardening and our flat in Cheltenham came with a very large garden. However it didnt get much of a look in for years, as my spare time was taken up with my horse, who sadly passed away 3 years ago now. I decided not to replace him due to costs and time, but loving the outdoors and being artistic, my blank canvass of a garden was beconing!!
Hubby bought me a mini green house to start with and within a year, I got a second hand "real" one cheap online. He also built me some raised beds for the veggies.The best bit is, hubby, who is an interior designer,
has also got the bug and we are finally sharing a hobby. He likes doing all the design and stuctural side and I do all the plants. It has also inspired my Dad, who is 84 to get out in his garden again and we chat for hours about it, which is lovely!
Looks lovely gina, gardening has definitely brought me closer to my dad also, like you we chat about the gardens and his allotment for hours.
This got me all nostelgic.....................
My Dad was a part time gardener for a 'big house' and he used to take me with him during the holidays - I would turn on the water pot in the middle of the hugh pond and sit and watch the birds 'dipping' - quite magical. We had a garden at home an an alotement but they were both full of veggies and chickens (well it was the war!) so I knew that when I grew up and hopefully got a husband and a house (got both) I would fill it with plants and a water feature which I did......................
I've brought this thread back so that all who want to talk about gardening and the effect it has had on their lives can happily participate
Thanks KEF, I'd not have known this thread existed otherwise and I think its a fab one
I've not long been into this gardening malarkey. a few years ago I'd had a foray into growing tomatoes and cucumbers in my garden. Just pottering about really.
Then I went on holiday to Crete, and where I was staying, they were pretty much self sufficient- grew all their own salad, veg and fruit and I wanted a bit of it, so when we got home, we got straight on eBay to look for a secondhand greenhouse. We got one, and grew tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers. That was last year.
I put myself on the list for an allotment and in the meantime, I'd taken over quite a large part of my parents garden to grow the things there that I couldn't grow at home, or at least try lol. I'd bought fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries and blackcurrants and pit them in pots in the garden. Being a rented house, we have to try and be a bit respectful that it's not our garden!
We went back to crete again this year and got even more addicted. we went in May, having already started growing potatoes in bags on the patio. We had tomatoes, peppers, chillies and cues in the greenhouse. We spoke to the hotel owners at length about all things growing and came home determined to have a better go at it ourselves.
A week after getting back from crete, I had a phone call from the council asking if I was interested in an allotment still. This was on the Wednesday, I viewed it on the Saturday and collected the keys on Monday! Because it was so "late" in the growing season, I had to plant as I cleared so ended up with all sorts, really quickly, without any proper time to sit and plan anything.
We have now got a second, smaller greenhouse in the garden, one fully established half plot, another half plot which is in so much better condition than the first one, but can take our time over getting sorted. There will be chickens on this one so they will be the first thing to be sorted and we can work the rest around them.
Next year, my garden will be a veg free zone and we can concentrate on flowers! Well, that's the plan anyway lol
its given me such a different outlook in life. I love it and wouldn't change it for the world. My biggest regret is that I didn't do it sooner!