Little Orchard Update #1

The Magnolia tree is out of it's pot with a little brute force from Lee. John the Gargoyle is guarding the patch and the little Robin likes to perch on his head. Dividing fence is down which opens it up a lot. Weed surpressing membrane is down and wood bark has been spread. I've bought a Cherry Tree and my favourite Eating Apple 'Egremont Russet'. So hopefully we can just leave this patch until we are ready to trim the hedge. We now have 9 Fruit Trees, 7 Fruit Bushes, a Magnolia and Little Weeping Cherry. I'm not sure what the bushes are, the leaves are just coming out but I think we have a Gooseberry Bush and some Blackcurrants.

Half Done, then I ran out of bark

Here we go again

All Done

Edges left clear for wood border

Left Side

Right Side

Before Left

Before Right

After

Caravan Photos

So this is the inside of the caravan. Lots of boxes to unpack for the kitchen area and just a quick clean as it is already neat and tidy. Couldn't resist buying new curtains for the 2 bedrooms and new nets for the lounge. We've also bought some replacement air vents that have a fly screen in them to try and keep out the little spiders in the Summer and some new light pulls for the bedrooms and bathroom. We need to replace the toilet handle but other than that it's good to go.

Double Bedroom

2 Singles but only 1 bed up

Bathroom

Bathroom

Kitchen Area

Breakfast Area

Lounge Right

Lounge Left

The Bigger Picture

Shopping List:
Baskets for Bathroom Shelving
2 Single Quilts and Covers
Double Quilt Covers
Pillows
Sheets
4 Place Dining Set

I'm working on the two tables at the moment as the tops are a bit worn and scratched. Trying my hand at Decoupage with some of my Dad's old Pulp Fiction magazines.

In the 'Bigger Picture' image there's an old chair but this will be going as it covers the doorway. We've bought some new caravan steps so that this entrance can be used as well as the other door by the bedrooms.

New Home for the Chicken Coop

We found a new home for our chicken coop. Our carpenter keeps chickens and has already told them they are getting a new house. Yesterday morning he collected the coop. So glad it's going to a good home and he can fix it up nice for them.

Moving the Chicken Coop 

Ready to Go

Another Little Corner to Tidy Up

Will be a nice little Wildlife Corner

Pond Border

Left hand side of Garden

This left hand section of the garden is very uneven and muddy, we are hoping to smarten it up a bit by using some of the slabs left over from the patio project and some hexagonal slabs that were in the middle of the lawn. Mum has been cleaning up the border. We also need some space for the Washing. Not very exciting at the moment .... but my next project is the border around the pond.

I'm looking forward to making the pond look nice. We have some massive rocks that are going to look great in the border above the slate retaining wall and then I can save some more plants and put them in there too. I've also got some lovely perennial poppies that can spread and fill the gaps.

We've got frog spawn and 2 frogs. One is blind, how he/she manages I just don't know but we have to look out for him (I'll call him/her him for the moment) when walking on the grass as he likes to sit on the lawn. The previous owner mentioned him, I wonder how old he is (will have to give him a name). I think he was called Stevie.

Border on Left of Pond

Top End of Border, Lee's Gate

Large Rocks for the Border

Small Pond

Needs tidying up

New Life

Blind Frog

A Lick of Paint

We're carrying on the Black and White colour scheme and what a difference a bit of paint makes. Lee painted the Garage and Garden Shed and made a Cover for the Logs. I think we are doing well as we've only been here 3 months.

Blue and White Garage

Smart Black and White Garage

This old picture shows some of the trellis around the Little Orchard. We've managed to save some of it and are up-cycling the little fences and I need to save all the climbers that were rambling along them.

There are lots of little sections in this garden which is really nice. The Log Store is just between the greenhouse and garage under the pine trees.

Might have to plant some of the clematis and roses in that border at the front ... wonder if Lee will put up some of the trellis there.

Lovely Little Log Store

The Patio

And they say 'the camera never lies' ...

This picture looks lovely

This has given me such a headache. Not only is the garden sloping upwards to the left but it is not square and the angles are just weird. Lee comes along with some string and hey presto - sorted. The patio will have a step up to the left so that we can level it out. But for now most of the slabs are down until the grass dies off. We've used some of the slabs from the vegetable garden as this is going to be lawned over but first I need to save all the plants in there including a little Camellia.

I love the picture on the left - it really doesn't look like that at all! ... yet

I'm not much help to Lee when it comes to the heavy stuff so instead he has given me the job of cleaning the slabs off. I really like the moss effect.

Luna Helping

Slabs to be cut to fit

Reality

This shows the slope a bit more

Back of House

So much clearing to do. This is certainly not a low maintenance garden. Feel so sorry for the previous owner as she sold up because she couldn't manage it any more, hopefully she'll be pleased that I am saving all of her lovely plants and positioning them so they are more manageable. I've also been putting in some of the super rocks around the garden. This border is 4' wide.

This border was a bit untidy but has some nice plants in it and just needed a bit of TLC. I've planted in a couple of our Fuchsia bushes and Lavatera from Birmingham, Lillies, Hebe, Rosemary, Oregano, Elephant's Ears (to spread out), a Hydrangea, Azalea and some Hellebores (from existing garden). Hopefully this will fill it all out in the years to come so there is less weeding to be done.

Border just behind house and
sneak preview of planned patio

Puzzling Water Pump

Couldn't resist buying some plants. B&M had 3 pots of Rosemary, Lavender and Oregano for £5. I also bought some while Lily Bulbs, 2 passion flowers and 2 baby Magnolias. A visit to the garden centre and I bought a Black stemmed Holly, Hebe and a couple of other shrubs.

A few old lanterns and job done.




This pump had slate built all around it (sorry I forgot to take before picture) so I cleared it off and in the concrete it says "14 Feet Deep". Very interesting but nothing seems to happen when you pull the handle.

Tidied Up

And this little border has a water pipe going straight across it to the caravan. Thank you cousin Sandra for the Lavender. I planted another Hydrangea and a Rose but the Lupins, Hellebore and something else? were already there. I need to extend the border out a bit, so will put in a couple more Lupins from the vegetable patch.