plans
The plan
My next step with the garden is to plan. And I have a few… I have to admit I was dreaming up ideas for our garden long before we moved in.
So here is a list of what I would like to achieve:
-Making the garden safe for our toddler is my top priority.
-We need to do some fence maintenance.
-Pruning and working out what we actually have in the garden. I think I am going to have to start a log book so I can remember. It’s a bit of a mystery until spring and then probably a until a full year has passed, but I’m trying to work it out. It’s a fairly established garden, which is nice as we can enjoy it already, but it does also mean it’s not a blank canvas and we need to work around some established plants or be brutal.
-Sorting and reorganising my allotment gear. Which has been put into our shed… in a bit of a crazy pile. (Moving an allotment is not an easy job!!) But the shed smells very authentic; just like my grandpas did.
-Working out a general plan for the space. Involving a greenhouse (this is realistically something for next year) and creating growing space for veg and flowers….
-Sorting out the soil. Whilst the garden has been cared for, it lacks the beautiful soil I achieved at the allotment. You don’t have to dig far to hit clay and rocks. Raised beds and lots of digging are on the agenda.
-A diy ‘mud kitchen’ for our toddler.
-Location for my hammock!! Although I have no idea where the bolts or actual hammock are since we moved!!
-A small child friendly wildlife pond. Bug hotel, nesting boxes and feeders.
-Pots and pots and pots for my dream container patio situation.
-I need to remove some brambles although I think they will be my new garden foe. I like the fruit, but the spikes less!
I’m also expanding my seed sourcing. Discovering chiltern seeds via an insta explore. Which has made me realise that we need proper garden plan as my ideas are running a bit wild. So I need to focus and I need to get going.
I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with the ‘garden’, but I think it’s a ‘jump in a crack on’ situation. Need to remind myself nothing is permanent and the learning has to start somewhere. I’m looking forward to the clocks changing as some evening gardening can start!
To my sweet pea
I’m a little obsesed with sweet peas, and very determind to grow them for a second year. Last year we grew a few for our wedding… So now when I see sweet peas it makes me smile! Mainly because of how much I was willing them to bloom!
Here they are probably early July… When they were in full bloom. We had been away on honeymoon for 2 weeks. So we probably missed the best blooms. But it was a nice suprise when we got back.
Here are some I collected for a neighbour
This is one of the bunches….at our wedding. These ones literally bloomed the day before the wedding in June.
We had a florist to do the house flowers. That equally became an obsession on its own right. I did learn something… That florists and I really don’t really work. I much prefer the growing!
This year I am trying to work out new ways to squish sweet peas into the ends of beds…. Then I found this inspiration image online! Which looks rather pretty!
I collected pea children from last year, and I am planning to soak and sow them soon indoors. Hopefully with a cosy start they will get nice and strong like last years plants. I’m always a bit nervous starting seeds now as they can get a bit leggy. Looking forward to getting them growing!
Some photos of when we first moved in
Here are some photos of when we had just moved in; it’s a weeny space! But based on the fact its gets some light… I hope it has potential.
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- The Balcony view from kitchen
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- Old pots with withered residents; and some of our new plants!
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- Christening the Balcony
Bloom or Bust: Alota Allotment! 