May 2007 - It's a jungle out there
September 2007 - Fully overgrown
August 2008 - we're making our second major push on the garden
September 2008 - Back view of the house again after a lot of tidying
November 2008 - Nature helps us out a bit
February 2009 - Couldn't get out and do much even if we wanted
February 2009 - And it only gets worse!
February 2009 - But it doesn't stop us enjoying the garden itself
March 2009 - Let the pruning begin!
March 2009 - No tree is safe from the choppers!
March 2009 - Zorblag is slowly going green!
March 2009 - Deck is a lot clearer now the tree has been pruned and all the scrub cleared away
April 2009 - Despite the heavy pruning, the garden is still alive
April 2009 - We make a start on the front
April 2009 - And put in some flowers
April 2009 - This is the deck as it used to look - we got a quote for removal and replacement but we can't afford it
April 2009 - Stairs finally give way
April 2009 - Left side border now well under control
April 2009 - But blossom gives us renewed hope
April 2009 - Bubbles nests in the corner of the deck - oblivious of the imminent destruction
April 2009 - And so the deck has to go - it's rotten as you can see (also, the previous owners who built it, used regular wood and regular screws)
April 2009 - There's a servicable concrete patio underneath which will do for now
April 2009 - Not too sure how we're going to get the top joists down
April - there's three of them, they are secured into brackets on the wall
April 2009 - Here's the other two
April 2009 - Bought a power saw, was getting tired of doing these planks by hand
April 2009 - Joists are gone.
April 2009 - Through a combination of prayer, hard work and careful balancing.
April 2009 - And tradition says we have to stack the wood at the bottom of the garden, for now.
April 2009 - Bubbles looks on, unhappy about the deck removal
April 2009 - Day two, time to get serious with the saw.
April 2009 - Bubbles The Grump
April 2009 - And so the boards are gone, and most of the rails.
April 2009 - Bubbles tries to enjoy her deck - even if it's piled up at the bottom of the garden
April 2009 - Sawing through the last of the major structure.
April 2009 - The power saw was a good purchase
April 2009 - Finally, we can put the furniture where we bought it to go
April 2009 - The soil looks a bit rough, but once it's grassed and tidied up it's going to look far better
April 2009 - One pile of wood
April 2009 - Two piles of wood
April 2009 - Three piles of wood (although this one went to the tip before we finished)
May 2009 - The cats 'enjoying' the concrete patio
May 2009 - working on getting the old plants up and the soil sorted
May 2009 - Bubbles loves the stick (all work and no play, etc.)
May 2009 - they both spent the last couple of weeks lying around in the soil
May 2009 - left side border almost sorted
May 2009 - left side border fully sorted (minus some bark covering)
May 2009 - Soil turned over, top soil added and grass seed put down, fingers crossed it grows
May 2009 - the soil is full of stuff like those bricks and concrete.
May 2009 - Apple tree is well on the way to covering our lawn in apples again
May 2009 - not very elegant, but it's functional for now.
May 2009 - Japanese Acer in to replace the honeysuckle and to help keep the soil in place
May 2009 - bunch of shrubs in the right hand border, hopefully they'll spread and increase coverage, we don't want to overfill it.
May 2009 - three of our Euonymus shrubs
May 2009 - We have grass!
May 2009 - Grass starting to come through in the front garden too
May 2009 - we finally sorted out the side borders and got some plants for those
May 2009 - and some planters for the other side
May 2009 - Looking a lot tidier now
May 2009 - It looks like a real garden!
May 2009 - Flowers at the front!
May 2009 - Flower closeup!
May 2009 - More flowers!
May 2009 - keeping the newly coated wood dry from a light shower
May 2009 - and way overdue, here's how the woodwork now looks.
May 2009 - grass is fully coming through now
June 2009 - the border starts to flower
June 2009 - group shot!
June 2009 - some sun and rain and everything is shooting up!
June 2009 - multi-coloured!
June 2009 - Bubbles approves of the lawn
June 2009 - glorious weather and the borders are full of colour
July 2009 - well, maybe we overstocked that border?
July 2009 - Hailstones! JULY!
July 2009 - the plants look unimpressed
July 2009 - Bubbles hides from falling apples
September 2009 - the great fence painting event begins
September 2009 - really just lots of fence panels being painted
September 2009 - the borders look full of life
September 2009 - and the grass is pretty much fully grown in now
September 2009 - I have no idea how the plants in that tub grow back each year
September 2009 - a riot of colour, for three months
January 2010 - not much to see thanks to the snow
February 2010 - another round of snow
March 2010 - the weather is finally good enough to start work, that's the deck from last year
March 2010 - about a third of the deck now moved to the side of house ready to go to the tip
March 2010 - sadly that still leaves two-thirds to move
November 2009 - it was pretty wet
March 2010 - The grass is already looking lush
March 2010 - and the cats are finally able to get some quality time out of the house
March 2010 - seems the cats aren't the only things that enjoy our garden
April 2010 - Bubbles sleeping in the garden, it must be spring!
April 2010 - the apple tree is budding already
April 2010 - Grete's cut the grass, but the borders are already overgrown
April 2010 - since we had such good success with the cherry tree (not!) we thought we'd try a miniature willow
April 2010 - Grete gets the weeding under way - no small task ahead
April 2010 - the cherry tree is alive!
April 2010 - it's not super healthy, but it might still pull through
April 2010 - the willow is doing well, I just hope it's rooting fully
April 2010 - spring!
April 2010 - that cat will sleep anywhere!
August 2010 - Gifts from our tree.
August 2010 - After a quick tidy.
August 2010 - The Tree that Gives.
August 2010 - The wood is still there.
August 2010 - Up close and amphibian like.
August 2010 - It's gone!
November 2010 - Autumn well and truly setting in, now leaves on the ground instead of apples
November 2010 - I'd love a garden which was basically a ancient forest, but I think this is as close as I'll get
November 2010 - Damp, but still pretty
November 2010 - Early snow, and already Autumn 2010 is proving to be cold
November 2010 - The poor willow tree, holding out against the bitter cold
November 2010 - One lone leaf, but plenty of life in those buds come spring
December 2010 - the snow has gone, but it's still cold, and yes, there's still wood at the bottom of the garden
December 2010 - The snow, it's back!
December 2010 - It was bloody cold, not just cold.
December 2010 - I don't recall ever seeing it cold enough to do this to spider webs.
December 2010 - They were everywhere.
December 2010 - The poor willow was having a hard time.
December 2010 - And it looks like Mother Nature herself decorated our apple tree.
December 2010 - Winter indeed.
March 2011 - January and February were too cold for photo's, but spring arrives eventually.
March 2011 - The cats, however, aren't sure it's warm enough to go out yet.
April 2011 - Apple blossom suggests another year of picking up fruit.
April 2011 - At first, it looks like the Acer might be doing okay.
April 2011 - The front garden is certainly alive.
April 2011 - And the back looks better once tidied.
April 2011 - Bubbles still sleeps in the planters.
May 2011 - We move the Acer, because something is trying to eat it!
May 2011 - Before!
May 2011 - After.
July 2011 - Some things don't change (Bubbles), and some do (dead Acer).
July 2011 - A shot of Fizz for a change, enjoying the mild weather.
July 2011 - The apple tree prepares its bounty
July 2011 - The willow is doing well, despite still hosting an ants nest.
July 2011 - That one is Adam.
July 2011 - Proof that it's doing okay though.
July 2011 - Most of the apples look good.
July 2011 - But some are hosting friends.
July 2011 - Our brickwork needs looking at.
July 2011 - So a nice man came and looked at it, and made it better!
July 2011 - Bricks before and after.
July 2011 - Again, before and after.
July 2011 - The apples went red at the last second.
July 2011 - And our cats pretend they're friends, and enjoy the warm weather.
August 2011 - Not quite the garden, but not a bad view from it.
August 2011 - Bubbles just hanging around next door.
August 2011 - And now, she's on her way in.
August 2011 - Not a shot of Bubbles' arse, but a photo showing the tree under the kitchen window is gone!
August 2011 - Grete decided to pick these up ....
August 2011 - And was met with this ...
November 2011 - Amazing colours
November 2011 - The willow is hanging on to those leaves as long as possible in the late November sun
November 2011 - It might be November, but Bubbles is catching as many rays as she can
November 2011 - And Fizz is looking on
November 2011 - Leaves on the ground give Bubbles a chance to show off her camouflage
November 2011 - You can see the line worn in the grass where both cats travel from one end of the garden to the next
December 2011 - the change from November is clear
December 2011 - The Last Leaf
December 2011 - leaves have collected in the 'cat run' in the grass
December 2011 - our willow finally gave up it's leaves
December 2011 - the last of the deck still remains, giving the toads and hedgehogs somewhere to hide
December 2011 - hard to photograph berries when they're swaying in the breeze!
December 2011 - These were a bit easier!
December 2011 - A glorious winter day!
December 2011 - Raindrops in December
December 2011 - More raindrops
