Time for a change in the garden

We have been in this garden now for over 6 years it was a complete jungle when we moved in the first year was spent just clearing levelling and digging out unwanted shrubs.

The only bit of clear ground was a small square lawn 3mx3m and a path around the outside which you had to fight your way down until you got to the back of the garden. Where it was not so overgrown it took a lot of work to clear it all the only original plants that survive are a conifer more out of laziness as the one that was next to it nearly killed me trying to dig out the tump so I thought it will be happy where it is. There was also a miss shaped Bay tree this has romped away since it was freed from the shrubs around it that where slowly strangling the poor bay tree.

But like lots of gardens they become due for a change as plants grow out of their allocated space or as the use of the space changes over time. When we moved in our girls loved there slides, swing ball and paddling pools so a large lawn was needed to fit everything on it but now they are teenagers they no longer want their slides and paddling pools. They really venture outside as the Wi-Fi only reaches 6ft into the garden at this point they go into panic mood and retreat back to the safety of the house.

 I neglected the garden last year for various reasons so this year not only do I want to get it back to a nice tidy garden I also want to make a few big changes to the place. It is always fun to be able to make a change to the garden whether big or small every so often it keeps you keen.

Do keep on popping back to see what changes we have made to the garden and how we get on making the changes through the coming year.

2017 the year we go No Dig

I have grown in many different styles over the years but I have always been a big believer in feeding the soil and not the plants. Every winter I cover the borders with good garden compost or well rotted manure letting the rain and worms take it down into the soil beneath witch is basically No Dig Gardening.  

With out calling it such but I would always get the spade out to dig over the soil it has been drummed into me since a young age you always dig the soil. I remember the first day at Horticultural Collage it was all about the many types of digging single, double or Bastard trenching if it takes your fancy. So it is very difficult to resist the urge to put the spade in the soil but resist I must I have always noticed beds that have not been dig and just had good compost placed on top. Always grow the best crops with the least weeds and more healthier plants. Also what could be better than not having to do any more digging though the winter so should get a bit more time on my hands to do some more writing. Do pop back to see how we are getting on with our No Dig Gardening this year and hopefully we too can inspire you to take up this method as well.

Apple Day

Today was spent at Wilson's orchard Apple day in Northampton.Wilson's orchard is run by South Court Environmental who are a local community group who run and maintain several sites across Northampton.

Wilson's Orchard is an orchard filled with old Bramley apples trees well over 70 years old the orchard itself is maintained for the wildlife more than for the fruit. But that dose not mean that they are not producing lots of great apples because they are the trees are left grow old gracefully. The trees are a haven for the local wild life when a tree or branch falls off it's just left for nature to do it's stuff. But today was about the apples the orchard produce and what a great day it turned out to be the sun was shining and i did not even need a coat.

Now i have never been to Wilson's orchard before and of it was not for the directions i would never have found it. Having weaved my way through a modern housing estate it was the last place you would expect to find a orchard but step through the gate and you soon forget that you are in suburbia.

In the centre of the orchard a press had been set up and there where several people busy at work chopping, crushing and squashing apples. To produce some of the best apple juice for miles it's surprising how many apples you need to produce a jug of apple juice. But apples where not in short supply every where you looked there where apples great big Bramley's you had to be careful not to slip on the odd rotten on on the ground.

There was lots going on tours of the orchard, apply talks and lots of juicing going on was a great afternoon looking forward to another apply day next October.