Friday 29 January 2016

My Garden In January

 
 
 
I'm joining in with Sarah who is going to record her garden throughout the year...she's calling her series 'Through The Garden Gate' which is lovely, but if you look at mine, well they hardly conjure up a beautiful garden feeling, do they! So my series with just be called My Garden In...
 
Sarah's garden is much prettier than my own...in fact mine is in quite a state, this is going to be a 'warts and all' record of my garden through 2016, and there are rather a lot of warts!
 
There are some areas I just love, particularly the lower garden area, where the studio and raised beds are. It's a south westerly facing garden so we get the sun most of the day, and as you can see from the photos, it slopes down rather a lot too. It's not particularly overlooked, and even if it was, we are lucky that we have fab neighbours.
 
The top patio, that we had done several years ago now, wraps around the conservatory and kitchen. It gets lots of sun, but I've never made the most of this space, as you can see from the last few photos. Basically, it's become a dumping ground! Every spring I clean it up, but by January it looks like this again. I've taken these photos about an hour ago, the wind has blown stuff all over...nothing 'staged' here, yep a mess! The lovely bright orange shed is new, and it will be painted, then I might put it a right angles to the fence, stop the wind tunnel that blows down the side of the house and makes sitting out there, well rather blowy! I've got my eye on some lovely garden furniture for this area too, something comfy.
 
Sadly the quote for the garden path and steps was way above our budget, so I need to have a rethink there. We had a quote for everything that I really, really wanted, including a retaining railway sleeper wall...and a quote for the basics. Even the basic one was more than I had in mind. So more saving will be needed. And as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day!
 
My little green house looks very neglected too, shameful really. But she scrubs up well, and come April I'm hoping she will be stuffed full of plants ready to be planted out in those raised beds. My big greenhouse plans will also have to wait, as we really need the wall building first. The area I want it sighted slopes so will need to be levelled.
 
The spring colour I had in mind isn't really there, that's because I never got my act together to plant out bulbs, but there is some signs of life. Otto loves those signs of life and enjoys chewing little green shoots, we may fall out over this! The tennis balls all over the garden are his, no I've not taken up tennis. He runs after them, and will even bring them back to you, but he's not too keen on letting them go!
 
So that's it for now...and my list of garden plans for 2016...
 
1. Save, save, save...get those steps, and wall in 2017!
2. Fill the raised beds with lovely food to eat, and some flowers too.
3. Finally make best use of the top patio area...some protection from the wind and comfy seating.
4. The two top flowerbeds really need a revamp, some things have over grown, and some plants I really don't like, so perhaps it's time to remove them. This will require the help of the man of the house, and as he hates gardening, this may not get done!
 
 
So that's it for January. What are your garden plans for this year, I'd love to hear them, and if you post anything on your blog please let me know so I can have a peek...thank you.
 
 
 
Have a lovely weekend,
 
 
Amanda :) xxx
 
 
 
I tried to get a shot of her in the garden, but she wasn't having any of it, too cold and windy ;) xxx
 
 
 

 

22 comments:

  1. You're right, it will all look so very different in a few months. I shall look forward to following your garden journey this year. CJ xx

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    1. It always amazes me what seems to come fro 'nothing'. This will be a great way for me to record what is where also, the amount of times I forget what's in the garden! ;) xxx

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  2. Not too many warts and lots of beauty spots. I'll look forward to seeing it change over the seasons. xx

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  3. Your garden looks pretty good for January! You can see where you are creating structure and layout and the plants will come in due course! You can really see the slope when you look back towards the house, the path and steps will make a great difference when you get them, I imagine that bank is quite slippy to get down right now. Enjoy your garden! xx

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    1. Oh Amy, I amount of times I've had a wet/muddy bottom after slipping, luckily it's a soft landing...not sure if that because of the grass or my bottom cheeks mind! ;) xxx

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  4. Your garden is lovely, so big and green! I always try to give our patch an overhaul in the Spring, but it always looks a mess again by now xx

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    1. I did quite a bit of tidying in November which I'm pleased about, it's been so mild the weeks have continued to grow! :) xxx

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  5. Think I will join you in showing my garden at the end of the month. This time last year we were in the garden virtually every day digging out brambles and cutting back, but this year just walking in the garden is squelches with water, unable to tidy the garden. Last year we had bright frosty fresh days, but this year so far it has rained nearly every day so depressing.
    Julie xxxxxxxxx

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    1. Fab Julie, I'd love to see that...squelchy mud, yuck, have you thought about keeping pigs?! ;) xxx

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  6. I see you have daffodils out, I found 2 minature ones in bud in my garden yesterday, worried a cold spell will kill everything off, see lots of new growth and rather envy you that summer house. Shame re the steps etc but you will get them soon I am sure maybe you will have to stop buying wool fora while!! no that is too drastic. Take care and do not overdo it in the garden remember to rest sometimes

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    1. Shock, horror, no yarn! Seriously though I'm going to have to save hard to get those steps so sacrifices will have to be made! I feel very lucky to have that space Margaret, very lucky indeed :) xxx

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  7. I will enjoy watching your garden evolve. Gardens always take time to mature. It is a shame the estimate was not right for you.

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    1. Thanks Alison, I was disappointed too I will just have to have a pulley to take me down, and back up again! ;) xxx

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  8. It is very big, so it asks lot of work! ;-)) But it will give you lots of satisfactions...and now enjoy the daffodils.
    Have a nice w.-e.
    Miriam

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    1. Yes lots of work involved, I'm never, ever weed free! ;) xxx

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  9. Beautiful Hellebores & I'm very envious of your lovely studio. Look forward to seeing your garden throughout the year.

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    1. Hellebores are beautiful aren't they Jackie :) xxx

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  10. a wonderful garden that will blossom into the ever changing seasons...love your studio and raised areas. i want to capture my new garden as i start to make it my own, there has been so much rain at the moment that its hard to access the higher levels of it due to the mud! and gets very slippy on the steep hill steps...cant wait to start planting and creating a meadow part. Ive always dreamed of having a proper garden as for years i had a small court yard garden and mostly concrete. enjoy viewing your experiences with yours and your wonderful pics! xx

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    1. How exciting Kaz, your first 'proper' garden, any green space is good but it's lovely to have a bigger plot too. Looking forward to seeing how yours develops :) xxx

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  11. Hi Amanada, I'm so glad you are joining me each month with a tour of your garden. Your garden gate hides a wonderful garden to discover and enjoy. I love your raised beds and studio. Your hellebores look fantastic, we have had some daffodils and snow drops appearing this week. I should have waited another week before writing my post! Looking forward to seeing your garden throughout the year. Sarah x

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    1. I'm hoping it will motivate me to make those changes I've been meaning to do for a while now! ;) xxx

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