This week in our house it has all been about
In truth it has been all about gardens for longer than a week as we started Operation Garden Renovation a few weeks ago now, but this week I am really feeling that it is overwhelming our life!
My last post about it was all about the bonfire, but in fact I am a week behind on the progress posts and the hubby and my brothers have since filled a huge skip with rubble from the 4 bits of patio that used to be in the garden. More on that to come soon!
We have been thinking a lot about the design of the garden, whether to go for patio or deck and what else we want to achieve with the garden. We have also realised that the garden actually slopes gradually towards the house and we may need some sort of step up if we want the lawn area to be level, and a better solution for drainage to avoid getting damp problems.
Because we think now that we would like a patio we have realised this is all getting beyond our skill level and have contacted loads of landscape gardeners to see how much it costs, timeframes etc. Of all of those we contacted, only one has come back to us! I don’t understand? Do people not want the work? Seems crazy to me! The one that has comes to us seems very good but it is looking likely to be more expensive than we had hoped and that it won’t be done as quickly as we had hoped. The deadline of a birthday bbq at the end of April is looking extremely unlikely.
On the recommendation of my friend’s fiancee (who is a carpenter himself) we have contacted another guy who is coming at the weekend and I really hope he can give us some good news!
We have more work planned for this weekend – another huge skip is coming tomorrow along with some heavy duty equipment. We are hiring a stump grinder to hopefully make light(er) work of the 20ish conifer tree stumps in the garden, and cultivator coming to try and dig up as many of the roots of Ivy and other bushes so that it doesn’t all just come back again immediately through whatever we decide or manage to get down.
Hopefully by the end of this weekend the majority of the work we can do will have been done, and we will have a better of idea of who will be doing the rest, and when that will be! Then my life (and blog) can get a bit back to normal and less garden focussed! It’s exciting but draining as we want to be happy with it. We hope to live here for many years and don’t want to regret the choices we make in the garden and have to go through this all again at some point!
What is your word of the week?
The garden looks so much bigger now than with all the ivy etc gone. Good luck this weekend.
thanks mama, we may need it! xx
What you have done so far looks great. Good luck at the weekend, hope you get everything you want doing x #WotW
Thank you, fingers crossed it’s another productive weekend! xx
I love that the weather is nicer I have really missed the sun. I think I’ll be heading to the garden centre later this week!
It’s lovely to have some sun at last isn’t it? makes you want to get out there! xx
Gosh, when you get set on a plan you really go for it. Brilliant! My piece of advice would definitely be patio as I’ve heard of too many people having issues with decking and rodents. I hope you get a better idea of the costs-my step dad could lay it for you but the travelling might be an issue 🙂
haha yeeeeeah we aren’t ones to do things by halves! Hmm thanks for the advice, I’d not heard about rodents before but that’s the 2nd time it’s been mentioned this week. We are pretty set on a patio now but the thought of rodents confirms it I think! aww thanks, may be a long way to come for us 🙂 xx
Ohh sounds exciting!! Good luck x
Thank you! xx
Sounds like a huge undertaking, but totally worth it to have the perfect outdoor space. Gardens are hard work. I find it challenging raking the lawn! Good luck with getting it complete.
It is hard work but hopefully it will all be worth it in the end! Thank you, think we need it! xx
We desperately need to sort ours out! I have a ridiculous fear of frogs so refuse to go near it and he’s less than keen on sorting it out either – we’re doomed!
haha oh dear you might be! Good luck with it! xx
I shall look forward to seeing how your garden develops! #WotW
thanks sam, looking forward to some more positive progress! xx
Sounds like you’re doing a wonderful job. So nice to know you’ll be enjoying your handiwork for many years to come #WotW
Thank you! That is what is keeping me going – the thought that we will just have to maintain it and there will be no big works needed for many years to come!! xx
Great word, and I should have guessed it! I’m really looking forward to seeing your progress. I’ve been out in the garden today, so we’re getting there, albeit more slowly than you! Hope you have another productive weekend 🙂 Thanks for sharing with #WotW x
Ha ha I am surprised you didn’t my blog is a bit garden focussed at the moment!! Aww but you guys have already done so much! Thank you and best of luck with yours too! xx
Can’t wait to see the transformation! We are on a garden beautifying mission at the moment too, so I’m seeking inspiration :). Good luck! Xx #wotw
Well don;t worry I will keep you posted, hopefully we will make some real progress soon and make some decisions! Good luck with yours too! xx
Good luck with the quote this weekend. There’s nothing more exciting than the beginning of a big project, just before you get bogged down in it all. I have to take a deep breath and start to tackle our garden too now, but doubt I’ll make anywhere near as much progress as you!
thank you! That’s it, it is so exciting, then the detail and quotes and blargh take the fun out of it a little somehow! Ooh well good luck with yours, take a big deep breath and hopefully you’ll do better than you imagine! xx
I really cannot understand contractors who do not come and quote – if we were still in the UK my husband would be there in a flash!
Oh I know, isn’t it ridiculous, drives me crazy! Aww thanks, would have loved it if you were! xx
Looking forward to the before-after! I was actually planning a post about our ‘garden’ as well. When you see it, you will laugh, it is tiny and I should probably not call it a garden! I am hoping for a bit of sunshine tomorrow so the children can get the bulbs and seeds out! x Mel #WofW
Thanks, me too, I can’t wait for the after but we have a way to go yet! 🙂 Aww well I look forward to seeing it, hope you managed to make the most of the sunshine today xx
We’ve been gardening this week too! (I say we, but my husband has done all of it so far). I know what you mean about tradesmen too, I’m still waiting for a quote for a new fence, very frustrating because we just want to crack on with it. #WotW
Oh it is so frustrating isn’t it? We had another guy supposed to come over the weekend but he never turned up! SO annoying! Best of luck with yours! xx
I saw some of your garden entries and the progress is awesome =)
But yeah if you have a project you constantly think of it … Goodluck on your Garden Proj!
#WotW
Thank you, we are a bit proud of ourselves but it has taken some work! Thank you 🙂 xx
Wow, sounds like you have a lot of work to do. We have a lot of work to do here as well. It’s such hard work! #wotw
It is SUCH hard work, I’m so tired of it!! Best of luck with yours xx