This morning Jackie continued her winter planting, such as this hanging basket and I pruned roses.
Here are today’s offerings from the rose garden:
Laura Ford,
and the climber, Golden Showers.
Following yesterday’s post, Jackie has given the Gazebo Path its correct sign.
This afternoon Jackie drove us to New Milton for me to visit the bank and to buy a return ticket to Nottingham in readiness for my trip to Louisa and Errol and the girls on Sunday.
I then prepared the next section of the saga of the garden, namely the Brick Path.
On 15th April 2014, the cracks were full of weeds, and the urn had yet to be planted up.
By 21st, Jackie had made considerable progress in eradicating weeds on the urn circle;
and by 30th, made her way along the composite brick section.
We tackled the older, original length from opposite ends. It was then that Jackie uttered the phrase: ‘Last one to the chimney pot’s a sissy’.
Some of our visitors, such as my Mum, need sticks for walking. These original bricks had become rather uneven over the years, so we asked Aaron to reset them. On 9th August 2015, his friend Lee, the carpenter who had fitted our stair rails, made a start with him. The following week Aaron finished the task alone.
By this time, the overgrown foliage that had bordered the path on 31st May 2014 had been thinned somewhat.
Two roses and a Virginia creeper were meant to be supported by a rickety wooden structure, most of which had fallen into the undergrowth. By 14th June that year we had bought and installed a new Gothic Arch, retrained the existing climbers, and added a couple of clematises.
This was the south easterly view from this point by 28th September 2015,
by which time the path had mellowed, and an owl had taken up residence in the dead snake bark maple.
Beyond the Gothic Arch and nearer the house, Wedding Day, a huge rambling rose, romped confetti-like across the red-leaved Japanese maple and a mature hebe. It needed some special support. We provided this in the form of an Agriframes Gothic Arch, installed on 30th October 2014.
Even this is insufficient for the prolific climber. It received further heavy pruning on 2nd October 2015.
This evening we dined at the Royal China restaurant in Lymington. Taking the advice of our friendly waitress we halved our order from last time, and just about managed to finish everything. We both drank Tsingtao beer.
What a mammoth task! I feel like a Tsingtao after reading about it, even if it’s not yet eight in the morning. 🙂
Thank you, Mary.
I do love the photo of the owl in the dead tree! Jackie did a great job of weeding the bricks – it must be a mammoth task keeping it weed free!
Thanks, Pauline. Like the Forth Bridge
So much work. But worth it. What a lovely garden.
Thank you, momus
For some reason, my computer wouldn’t bring up your pictures, but without them, I concentrated on your story and continue to marvel at your rescue of this house and garden!
So sorry you can’t get the pictures, Lisa; thanks for your perseverance.
Dedication and perserverance are paying off. Beautiful. Restful.
Thank you, Joanne
Just when I thought nothing more could fit into your garden space…
Thanks, Bruce. Nearly done
I love the magic of twists and turns, but I am still disoriented as to what is next to what…it’s like a wonderful amazing maze! ( I think I need a bird’s eye view!)
Thank you Cynthia. I’ll hire a helicopter 🙂
There is a map Cynthia, it could help? It is in the blog of June the 13th. I love that this garden is all twisted paths and as you say, like a maze. I love to choose a route to the other end of the garden and back, rarely travelling the same path twice.
I’m going to check that out, Jackie, then when you refer to a particular section by its name, I’ll have some better idea. Thank you! I think I would love to choose a route the same way you do…just be like that old song “Ramblin’ Rose.” 🙂
Hope it helps, the other thing that I sometimes think could be disorientating are the buildings around us, altho’ not close, our neighbours houses often appear in the background of the pictures, the thing to note is that our house is blue the only one in the village! (not surprisingly). If you see a blue house (not our choice of colour by the way!), then the camera is pointing north. Apart from the sheds all other roofs belong to next door neighbours.
Outstanding, Derrick. I do so enjoy the before and after effects. Also – today, Ian The Emu had a fantastic video that fit your site to a tee!! Please take a peek –
https://aussieemu.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/english-country-garden/
Thanks, GP. Great video. I remember the recording well.
Glad you enjoyed it, Derrick. I thought you and Ian might get along as well.
I think you are right. I’ve followed
Absolutely beautiful!
Many thanks in567
A wonderland! So delightful to spend time in the morning wandering about your magic place.
Thank you, Seedbud
A great series of pics. I liked the urn circle shot especially because it caused me to ponder just how much did the circle earn?
Thank you John. Pass
‘Bout the same as a Greek?
Actually with the Greek economy like it is I think the circle would be worth more.
Running out of words to describe your garden – particularly now you tell me you need a map to get round it!
Thanks, Quercus. Actually the map was produced by bloggers’ popular request
That is quite the undertaking, and I have to say that the results look fantastic! That beer was well deserved. Also – I do love your owl – very time appropriate – at least it would be over here, with Halloween around the corner! 🙂
Thank you Anna. Every time I turn round there has been a new owl added 🙂
Almost done? Oh no! Well, you’ll just have to shift gears on this blog and post your Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Supper meals out in the garden!
Thanks, Oscar
There must be so much wisdom floating about the garden with all the owls around.
Thanks, mostly – 🙂
Derrick, this is heaven? 🙂
We think so, Monica. Thank you