A microholding with a big plan

We have lived in our home for a year and a bit now. Over that time, things have changed and developed to make the cottage and garden more ours. The garden was pretty pristine when we moved in and now resembles more of a scrapyard. But, as Joe reminds me, this means that projects are happening and life is far from dull.

I thought it would be good to put in a plan for the garden now, and we can see how it develops over the next year.

I am very fond of second hand, pre used things. Whether these be things salvaged from others , skips, or bought second hand on Gumtree, I rarely buy anything new. This fits well with our lifestyle really as we don't have a flashy existence. To me, there is nothing more satistfying as making something, or making something old or broken usable. One person's rubbish really is my treasure. Our home proves that really.

Where was I...the scrapyard, sorry, garden...

Here is the plan... watch it grow....

Perennial Raised Bed

We kindly got given some fruit bushes from a couple down the road that were moving house so looking for a home for a few shrub. Once we were proud owners of some autumn fruiting raspberries, current bushes, a cultivated Blackberry and a Jostaberry (Gooseberry/ Currant cross) all coming out of dormancy they needed a home!

So we set to work in bulding the long raised bed down over the french drain, making doubly sure that we wont have any waterlogging issues. Once a bit a of rubble filled in in french drain, soil back on top we added a to dressing of last years compost. The compost was really good, I have never managed to make compost "properly" before.

We then put the plants in, we also got given the old supports for the rasberries, so we installed that as well.

The rest of the bed will be summer fruiting raspberries and asparagus.

Half full bed, bit bendy

Completed Bed

Compost!

Raspberry Canes

French Drains

The lowest edge of our garden gets very waterlogged often underwater for a good part of the winter, however we have a stream at a much lower level at the bottom of our garden, so I thought, easy enough, I just have to get the water from where its sitting into the stream.

after a small amount a of research I go exited about the idea of a french drains, (after Mr French, not The French). Effectivly a ditch that you put weedmatting in, some gravel and maybe a holy pipe, wrap it all up in the matting then you can put soil back on top!

Last autumn, I took the bull by the horns and started to dig, it was very hard work and after a little while it rained very hard and filled with water, so I decided to leave it for "another day".

Today finally the "another day" arrived, and here is my drain stages:

1. Dig a sloping trench from stream to low point in garden (at least 1 degree)

2. Line the trench with textile matting

3. Put some gravel in the bottom to get a consistent gradient

4. Put in your Holy pipe if you are using one

5.  Cover pipe in gravel

5. Wrap it all up

It is a little bit more work that it sounds. . . . . . . . but hopefully worth it, as it will be there a long time draining stuff.

polytunnel day 4

After a busy day moving soil and a bit of help from Lou, there is now another bed in place and a good amount of soil shifted and we managed to get the other door frame in place. Not as neat as Jeffs work but sturdy enough, I blame the weather conditions, thermal expansion and the way the moon was alligned with jupiter. (not my rushing to get it done attitude!)

Before installing the frame, I installed our 1500 litre water butt that will be placed in the tunnel, giving easy access to water for the plants at the correct temperature and to act as a energy sink, reducing extreme temperatures both hot and cold.

Bottom door frame, water butt in place and some rubble that we dug up

new raised be on right, filled with soil from the mound

hopefully the final tree root removal!

Polytunnel day 2 + 3

At the end of the weekend of building we managed to get a door frame in place and starting to get the edging on, this will be used to secure the sheeting and netting once in place.

all arches on and most of battoning

Jeffs lovley joinery

rainy morning loaf

first raised bed, used to step ground from road to garden hight

 After a rainy start to day 3 the weather cleared up and spent the afternoon starting to build the raised beds and landscaping the ground so that it is more level.

Brody on a fence