Our Garden Re-Design – a project underway

I want to make changes to our garden. Quite big changes. I see this as the start of a project that, hopefully, we’ll finish by the start of next summer. I thought I’d share with you our progress over the coming months, not only on the garden itself, but also on my knowledge and enthusiasm for gardening.

View from the back doors
View from the back doors

I’m not a keen gardener. My mum really is, though, so she sorts our garden out for us. I do have input, but I run it past her as she understands what she’s doing and what can be done. I’m hoping that over the course of this project, which I will do with my mum, I’ll become much more confident out there. I’ve noticed a change recently already, as I’m finding myself increasingly interested and, a little!, excited about plants, and as you’ll see from my plans, other aspects of gardening. My favourites have long been David Austin roses (not really keen on tea roses), and tulips. I’ve also had a new peony for my birthday, as I love those, too. I’m getting more interested in scents appeal rather than just appearance, and thinking about how the garden will look throughout the different seasons, so it can be enjoyed year round. I’m very ‘fair weather’ and barely step out there once autumn sets in, until springtime, so I’d like that to change, too.

At this early stage, I have ideas of what I’d like to do, though I think once some of it starts to take shape, the ideas will really be able to firm up. We’ve 2 sheds and as one is rotting, we’re going to be taking one of them down. We don’t need the paved area at the top of the garden next to them – it’s basically just used as a walkway, so I’d like to make it a more useful space. I then want to flatten the rockery to open that whole area at the back of the garden up. Ideally, I’d like to take the Laburnum tree out, too, as I’m aware it’s seeds are poisonous, so an issue for both the children and the dog, it sheds annoying amounts of leaves, and it blocks out quite a bit of sunlight, but depending on the cost of removing it, that may be one item too far. Oh, and our neighbours will be replacing the fence, which runs down the side of the raised beds, currently pretty much entirely covered in ivy. This should mean the plants on the rockery will be able to be relocated to the beds as the ivy takes up a fair bit of room and there are a couple of plants in there that I don’t like at all anyway, so they can go!

This is my garden, with the pictures being taken early morning…

The unused space behind the rockery, leading to the sheds
The unused space behind the rockery, leading to the sheds
Rockery, where plants will need relocating so it can be flattened
Rockery, where plants will need relocating so it can be flattened
The raised beds, where the fence will be replaced
The raised beds, where the fence will be replaced

A few items on the wish list so far:

Alliums – we haven’t got any, and I have fallen a little in love with them..!
A fruit patch – Boo loves her new strawberry garden, so I’d like raspberries and blueberries, too
A herb garden – not huge, but a little area so I can use them in cooking
A wildlife garden – I’d love to get Boo and Little Man creating a little area to encourage wildlife into our garden. I think it’ll be really enjoyable, a great learning project for them, and lately Boo has become scared of ‘creatures’, so I’m hoping this will help her to appreciate and be excited to see them, rather than fear them.
I’d like more climbers – jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis, roses and so on across the currently bare fences on the left hand side.

I’ve no doubt that as we get going on this, the list will grow and chop and change, but I’ll update you as we go…! I’m also open to suggestions, ideas and tips, so feel free to comment and share.

Oh, and the final, quite pertinent fact about Project Garden, is that we have no budget for it. Not any money set aside for this one at all. I like a challenge! So along with updates on garden progress and my increasing knowledge, I need to get into up-cycling, so will update you on those smaller projects and on how we’re ‘growing’ the garden fund, too. Car boots, eBay and gumtree here we come…!

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28 thoughts on “Our Garden Re-Design – a project underway”

  1. Iona@Redpeffer

    A great challenge and one I look forward to following! Your garden looks packed with potential-and that’s not a euphemism, it really does!

    1. Thank you! I’m really excited about it, as much the actual progress as the journey it’ll take me on into a new world!!

  2. I think your garden looks fab though! I do like your ideas of the herb garden and trying to get more wild life in, those are great ideas and I look forward to hearing about how the fundraising goes:)

    1. Thanks very much. I’ve always been interested in wildlife, so I’m keen to get that going with the children, too. And the up cycling & fundraising is definitely going to be a challenge..!!

  3. Some lovely ideas. We are about to undertake some big changes in our garden too, though I know nothing about plants, so I’m hoping to find someone with ideas. I look forward to seeing the updates and how you get on.
    #MMWBH

  4. It’s fab to hear of your plans, we are extending your house next year so this time in 2014 I’ll be starting to make garden plans of my own. Most of the things on your wish list would also be on mine – fruit patch right up at the top! I find that local Open Gardens days are a great way of finding cheap plants – and some free knowledge too! All the best with it – and thank you for joining in and sharing x

    1. Thanks very much. I’m finding it all pretty exciting, and as I have my mum helping me, I’m not overwhelmed..yet! Look forward to linking up with more soon 🙂

    1. Thank you! It’s going to take some time, I think, but I’ll keep on updating you with progress 🙂

  5. I think your garden is looking fabulous already! I can’t wait to hear about Project Garden. Plants and flowers in bulk can be expensive so we’ve been getting them smaller or buying bulbs and seeds. It’s been nice to see some sunflowers we planted recently start to appear 🙂

    1. Thank you 🙂 It is looking pretty with lots of it flowering at the moment, but I just know there’s loads of unused space that I want to open up and get going with. Yes, I think the odd packet of seeds here and there will be more affordable and build up reserves slowly! Boo planted some sunflowers, but I’ve yet to see them, so think that must have failed..!

    1. Thank you. I think using it in different seasons will actually be the hardest bit for me, but all part of the project!

    1. Thank you 🙂 It is nice, but it could be so much more, so best get cracking out there! Thanks for hosting the Mad Mid-Week Blog Hop x

  6. You have some terrific ideas, I love the scents too, it’s lovely to just step outside on a nice summer morning and be assaulted by gorgeous smells! I can’t wait to see your plans come together x

    1. Exactly! My mum went to the David Austin Roses garden centre last weekend, and has brought back a catalogue full of them, with her own notes on the scents she likes. Will have to sneak another rose in somewhere, I think…! Thanks for reading x

    1. Thank you. I’m in no desperate rush to finish it, so it’s developing week by week, and I’m enjoying going at that pace 🙂

  7. Hi, I am doing a similar thing to you and writing about it in my blog. Good luck – it takes a lot of work but is well worth it. I’ve been working on my garden for three years now and it is going to take another three at least I think but each day is a revelation 🙂

    1. Wow, that sounds like a big project. I think a garden is ever changing & evolving anyway, isn’t it, aside from our hard work? I am enjoying the learns.

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