[paulo73]

Congrats on the new place. I hope that you and your family are very happy in there!
Thank you for sharing your project.
I am not experienced in any way but i can see plenty of good advice coming from our fellow growers.Let me drop my 2p as well.
Raised beds are a great way of raising yields while reducing the amount of labor going into it.
Medicinal/cooking herbs are another essential in my opinion and please don´t forget to build a composting area. Very good to dispose of any unwanted organic matter while making some sweet compost for next year.
ATB

[Big Eggy]

A small update.

Things are going slowly as i only get a few hours here and there when the kids are in bed but have managed to dig out a space that will make the foundations for the shed.. the plan is to make it bigger than needed so i can upgrade the shed one day when i'm not so poor and also use it as a potting down area.



I'm pretty shocked how much dirt was in such a small space but the garden needs re-leveing so this will save on paying for top soil.



Have also planted up the bed i made.. have put the verbena's, a tyme, lavenda and a rosemary, have also added some Saxifragra's near the front. just need to decide how to plant up the berbris, and a small Chyosia Aztec pearl (only cost me £2.50 very happy). Forgotten the name of the white bedding plants but they will fill in the gaps at the front for a bit of summer colour.. just trying how to plant them so they don't look too formal.



Thanks for all the comments and rep guys.. you'v all been a great help.

Eggy

[Rednick]

Cool plot.

But might I suggest power tools.
Somebody has got to be renting out a back-hoe or front-loader out there.

I seen this labor of love before, and it's more labor than love.

[Big Eggy]

Hi Rednick,

Love your location! we used to smoke in a clearing in the woods where three trees and fallen into a triangle creating nice seating area for 6-7 people.

"Fancy going to the Triangle for a Smoke?"

Have looked into renting a rotivator/cultivator but the only ones in my price range at the moment are suitable for previously worked ground.. so it's hand tool all the way. The bonus is now when i'm down the pub my office accountants hands look more manly.. lol.

Thanks for stopping by.. this is gonna be a long one.

Eggy

[Rednick]

'The Rectaltangle' is Colorado, USA.
Not the Emerald Triangle.

London is the only place I been out there. Let's just say it doesn't pay to be an alcoholic in England. $9 a pint! Dear lord.

I had girly hands when I was accounting also. Definitely need an outlet when dealing with spreadsheets all day searching for the lost transaction that is keeping you from balancing.
Now knowing that you are an accountant, dig by hand, I can identify with the need for physical activity.

[Big Eggy]

I'm a South London Boy originally but moved when we had the kids.. dont wanna bring little ones up in Peckham.

Colorado of course.. the rectangle! or Rectal as you put it lol.

have done a bit of traveling around the the US but mainlly Cali, Nivanda, Arizona & Texas (Houston is scarriest place i've ever been in my life ) if i ever get the chance to go back i'd like to do some camping in Colorado, Oragan, Washington.. and maybe a trip to vancuver for a sample of some BC Bud.

if you ever go back to london i can give you some City pubs that are fairly reasonable.. more like $4.00 - $5.00 a pint.

Eggy

Originally Posted by Rednick

'The Rectaltangle' is Colorado, USA.
Not the Emerald Triangle.

London is the only place I been out there. Let's just say it doesn't pay to be an alcoholic in England. $9 a pint! Dear lord.

I had girly hands when I was accounting also. Definitely need an outlet when dealing with spreadsheets all day searching for the lost transaction that is keeping you from balancing.
Now knowing that you are an accountant, dig by hand, I can identify with the need for physical activity.

[Big Eggy]

Just a quick update to keep this thread going.

Have started filling in my hole in the ground with hardcore.. i'm breaking it up my hand with all the old concrete found while clearing the back of the garden. I've got all my pegs in and leveled (Thanks to Lizzy) so hope to be in a possition to put the sand in next week. Do you like my DIY compactor? gonna look like PopEye when i'm done.



The bed i made at the top of the garden looks really nice now.. glad i left the sweet peas there.. had to leave one sunflower in for my son as he is very excited about it.



will be doing another bed to the left of this one with a lavender and tricolour sage.. did buy a curry plant but not sure i want to smell curry everytime i walk down the stairs of the decking.

[paulo73]

Looking lovely.

nice one!

i have been the last 4-5 years working on our garden. my garden is quite big and it has needed so much work sometimes it feels it wont finish ever also i understand you on the money thing also. its damn expensive! just lorries full of pine bark for mulching costs a small fortune, not even mentioning what specific landscaping objects like big stones and such can go up to.

i have a bunch of huge medieval bridge stones decorating parts of my garden. it was propably the most costy and heavy things to organise.

the best reward for any gardener is when ppl stop their cars in the street to take photos of ones garden. just a moment ago i had a couple hanging on the fence pointing and talking about it. it makes one feel good.

the downside is i cant grow nugs outside :(

good luck and have fun! im sure once your garden is done you will know it was all worth it!

[Krull]

Nice thread Eggy!
I would like to have a fraction of your outdoor space sooner or later...
Plant some herbs for cooking and medicinal use and some hot peppers for fun, they look nice & everyone here loves them

Keep up the good work

=K