Five Years On

Today was another thoroughly wet one, so I decided to try a bit more than a test print with my new Epson.

It was in May 2014 that we took on the neglected jungle that was our garden. Soon afterwards I began to compile a kind of before and after record of the project, in extra large photo albums.

Now, five years on, I have decided to update this work. I began with the Back Drive. Here, for comparison is what it looked like in June of that year.

Today I printed a collection of photographs from May,

June,

September,

and October, this year.

Jackie’s borders contain asters, foxgloves, geraniums, hostas, poppies, roses such as Doris Tysterman and Ernest Morse, viper’s bugloss, and Virginia creeper, all of which can be seen in these photographs; and much more.

This time in 2014 we were burning so much on this space.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s tasty sausages in red wine; creamy mashed potatoes;  crunchy carrots and cauliflower with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Patrick Chodot Fleurie 2018.

 

81 comments

  1. how beautiful! – the two of you have the garden-Midas touch
    – and the second to last photo of the fire was really cool – with the smoke and lines –

  2. You have made such a difference in five years and the garden must give you and Jackie such a lot of pleasure…as well as your readers.

  3. A well spent five years Derrick. I have to say I would never have looked at the original jungle and envisioned the orderly yet colourful outcome. Not to mention useful. Jackie is an artist! And don’t you just have to love a Virginia Creeper in the autumn!! So pleased the printer is working well for you.

  4. A huge difference! Interesting to see the work and the accomplishments in just 5 years! Great work! 🙂
    Thank you for making the world a more beautiful place!
    HUGS!!! 🙂
    PS…the sausages sound so delicious! Now I have a bunch of sausage puns in my head, but I don’t want to be a brat, or perceived as full of baloney, or leave the wurst comment, so I won’t share them. 😉

  5. I enjoyed seeing the differences in the five years. I’m like you, I always find I never have enough before photographs, or I’ve completely forgotten to take any!

    The garden looks beautiful today, you’ve both achieved such a lot.

  6. You have got a marvellous printer there! Before and after images speak volumes of the work that has gone into creation of your garden. The last two photographs pull in immediately with the swirl of flames under the supervision of the Head Gardener.

  7. I remember how much work you, Jackie and Aaron did to clear the area and do repairs!! You brought both the house and the garden back to life!!

  8. As your other readers have commented, it’s an incredible transformation! And I know from many personal miscalculations in the gardening area how much knowledge and skill it takes to know what to plant where in order for the plants to thrive.

    1. Thank you very much, Liz. Even Jackie, who has the knowledge, struggles with some plants. We have had a Phantom hydrangea for about four years planted in full shade. It was moved a few weeks ago to provide more sunshine.

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