Category Archives: Garden

Garden wall

I’ve probably mentioned that the garden was one of the main influences in buying this house.

That was a long time ago now, and the garden has changed a lot in the last couple of decades.

However, the rear wall has irritated me the whole time I’ve lived here. I’d understood it to be the remains of an extension to the ‘shed’, which isn’t a shed at all.

It’s concrete, covering what was the original stone wall, which still stands behind it. It’s possibly from the 1960s, when the shed that isn’t a shed was used as a taxi office. Or it could have been something else.

Either way, it’s a few inches thick and resisted my sledgehammer blows a lot of years ago. Probably because the original wall behind would have absorbed the shock. I only succeeded in knocking off the top, which was taller than the wall behind it.

Painting it just drew attention to its ugliness and growing things that climbed over it got a bit out of hand.

I’ll figure something out, although that might take another 20+ years.

COVID

Memories of Covid times. We did some cosmetic work on the van in those lockdown days; quite a bit of work. Work that still continues. Today involved a bit of grinding, sanding, treating, priming and painting.

We’re happy with the refreshed paintwork (that’ll need doing again by the end of the year).

Another lockdown memory was selling takeaway beer from the bar we were previously involved with. We were one of the minority of pubs to do well in terrible times.

It was silly hard work though, with the rare evening sitting in the garden with a two pint bottle of beer (for the full experience that customers had from the pub).

I’m doing that right now, after a pub quiz in my local. Just a small can this time.

I so love this garden. When I retire (again), I shall sit here and read books.

A day in the garden

I’ve spent what feels like ages, working in the garden that’s been hotter than the sun today.

And it doesn’t look any different. Maybe I should have taken a drone picture of the newly re-felted shed roof. But I don’t have one of those.

A drone, that is.

Shed stove

After its purchase several years ago, the shed stove sat gathering rust, waiting to be fitted.

Meanwhile, rainwater had been getting into the shed, down the chimney (it’s at an angle). This resulted in having to replace an angle bend because water had been sitting, rotting the section of pipe.

It’s a bit of a mess, but the stove’s finally fitted.

I swear this shed will never be finished.

Garden

I’ve spent a nice afternoon in the garden, painting and tidying up.

In the three years of the bar, with a couple of years beforehand at the Schooner, I’d not spent much time in what is actually a great little garden.

The next job, delayed from a time when I had a proper job, will be to fit a stove in the old shed at the top of the garden.

At the rate I’m going, I should get round to that next year.

Shed

After failing to take into account the drying time for the new cement screed, the first couple of coats of paint on the shed walls took ages to dry due to the dampness in the air.

It’s looking better after the third coat, but there’s still a lot of work to do before the shed can be used for anything.

Garden

When I had a proper job, even though I worked long hours, I used to enjoy an hour or two just sitting in the garden on a summer evening.

So it was lovely to get away tonight before closing time. Yes, we do live in a town, but we also have the cutest little garden.

An additional bonus too; time to enjoy a nutritious meal.

Apple tree

I’ve a thing about apple trees. I had a great one in the garden of my old house (until my ex cut it down).

I planted one in the garden of our current abode a few years ago; even made a really good batch of cider from it two of three years back.

However, last summer’s project (a summer house) takes up a larger than expected piece of the garden. The summer house only exists as foundations right now, since pub and garden life don’t work well together.

Still, with a new LID* for the summer house of August this year, a decision needed to be made as to whether the foundations should be reduced in size or the apple tree removed.

Sadly, concrete is tougher than tree, so the apple tree is no more.

Yes, I know the garden’s a bit of a state.

Barbecue II

Well, the heaps of stone and rubble in the garden have been reduced from three to just one – achieved by relocating much of the stone to the old barbecue area.