Garden Toil

My plan for the garden is to make a chamomile lawn, and to have a trellis with something, possibly a grape vine, growing up it-to provide privacy from our upstairs neighbours. The garden is on three levels-just outside the back door is a little yard area-which recently has become a real mess. Then up the steps to a decking area. Then up two more steps to the rest of the garden. The decking and the top part are on a level with the windows of upstairs, so don't get as much use as we would like them to, as we feel overlooked. I mainly go up there to actually garden, rather than to relax. Since the tree went, and I had the upheaval of removing the fence, the ivy and trying to dig up the tree, and then the new fence done, the whole garden has changed a lot. My approach to gardening before was to buy things I fancied, not really plan and then it all went wrong! I didn't do much for two years which is when the ivy took over. The grass was never very good and the violets were out of hand. So, my new approach is to plan, and to have a more simple approach. In addition to the chamomile I would like a small selection of other fragrant things such as rosemary and lavender. These are before pictures, of yesterday morning when everywhere was still a mess. Yesterday was spent tidying and cleaning-like housework in the garden. Today was spent digging-weeds and grass-you have to remove all grass apparently-as it will compete and win with chamomile. I have visited the tip three times-with bags of soil and grass. Tomorrow I need to continue to remove weeds and grass, and then dig the whole thing over. I then need to order the chamomile-I found a site where you can order it in large quantities-they plant it now and send it off in about five weeks-so hopefully in time for half term. I also need to get some compost and sand to improve the soil left-I have only had to remove topsoil in a few areas as there was not much grass left anyway.

The tarpaulin did not do much to stop the weeds!

This area is staying as it is-the cats love to sit here and watch me work. I need to fix the guttering on the shed-well really I need a new shed but that will have to wait. In a dream world I would like a little studio up there-it would have big windows, be warm and cosy and spider free, and would have running water, electricity, and wireless internet! Maybe in a few years time!

The messy decking.