Friday 24 June 2016

Small gardens

City living usually means that the size of your garden, if, indeed you have one, is small. When I visit friends and family I admire the neatness of these little spaces, no sign of weeds, nothing out of control and I think (for a moment) how nice it must be to be so completely on top of things. A member of our book group lives in an old weaver's cottage, approached from the street through a door set into a high wall. It feels like entering 'The Secret Garden.'

Inside is a small courtyard, complete with tin bath on the wall!
It was too wet to sit out the last time we were there.
Our daughters both live in cities and their tiny gardens have received much care and attention over the years. Wee One and her partner are avid gardeners and their plot has been the cause of both pleasure and frustration. When the property was bought the outside space was nothing more than a dumping ground of broken toys and rubbish. They cleared away, put up a fence and gate 
a bike shed
and created a veritable jungle!

But yesterday was moving day and today they woke up in their new home and could wander out to explore the large, overgrown garden. Great plans are afoot.
OH, THE EXCITEMENT!
I've been potting up plants from my garden for weeks!
(I'm not going to mention the EU result, too depressing for words.)

12 comments:

  1. The gardens look fabulous! I had so little time to play out in the garden this spring. Now the summer heat has set in... the last few weeks we have neared 100F everyday. The humidity makes it unbearable. Enjoy the weekend. Hugs! Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 'Summer heat' sounds good to my rain-sodden ears, but not 100F ! Hoping more kindly weather will come your way soon.

      Delete
  2. I remember when you showed this garden before. I was so amazed and now they have left it for new excitement.

    cheers, parsnip and thehamish

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lots of potential with their new space, I must persuade them to start their own garden blog!

      Delete
  3. We are preparing to move to a 55+ community, leaving our succulents, etc. behind. We will have a great patio, awesome view.
    The gardens are amazing. Were there lilacs in the photo?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I took white lilac flowers from my garden when we went to stay with Wee One before seeing the new house. She said,'Oh I must grow some' and when we looked in the new garden, lo and behold, white lilac!
      Very interested in your 55+ move, Susan as we have recently been to look at a retirement village where various friends have put themselves on the waiting list.

      Delete
  4. What a beautiful garden Rosemary. I love it that you have passed on gardening to your children. Those huge leaves look like banana leaves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are such good memories around gardens, plants that came from family and friends. Wee One has requested cuttings from some of the plants that used to grow in my father's garden - how delighted he would have been!

      Delete
  5. When we left our 50 acre farm last year I also left a small fenced in "Secret Garden" I had no idea my grandchildren missed it too until they starting asking me to build another one on our new tinier farm. It;s like being remarried! Learning how the soil reacts to certain seeds, how it holds water, how well it does under stress. But those smaller gardens are so often the better gardens. Thanks for all the great photos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How lovely, Donna, I hope I'll see some photos of your new 'secret garden'.

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Hello there. I've been over to look at your lovely garden. I couldn't find 'translate' but I loved the photos!

      Delete