Les Fleurs

(Minnie Riperton, 1970)



As works inside the house creep towards the August (we hope...) start date, the garden is changing on a weekly basis. Here’s how it's looking at the moment.

It might not look like much, but there are few things to point out.

First, all that green is not just weeds. There is admittedly a bit of that, but mostly it’s the ‘green manure’ doing its stuff. Rather than lay down a perfect lawn and watch it get mashed up by the builders, or let the weeds take over entirely, we sprinkled clover and alfafa seeds to improve the soil while we wait. No toxic fertilizers, no smelly manure or lugging around new top soil– just letting mother nature do her thing.

Second, the far elder/compost corner is now beginning to look quite scenic, with two clematis racing though its branches (one a native Belgian and the other a Wisley pedigree – let’s see which one wins), and a few allium bulbs adding a splash of colour.

Third, the bee house is installed and waiting for its first guests (the result of a weekend's handywork earlier this year, playing with C's new power drill).

Fourth, mum’s hydrangea has come back to life, and seems to be at home it its shady corner, with some bits of old wood to keep the undergrowth at bay.

Finally (and Is, I hope you’re reading), the jasmine has made a comeback. Quite a surprise as it was totally frazzled by the frost, but this week we noticed a few shoots had emerged from the roots. Clearly tougher than we’d thought. Also doing well are the honeysuckle/sage combo, some resident pansies and the sweet peas (again, Is these were yours).

Of course it remains to be seen whether any of this survives i) the back of the house being dug out to the foundations and rebuilt, and ii) the garden walls being stripped and repainted. I do have a cunning plan involving lino and old carpets, but in the meantime, we have a few months to enjoy the sunshine and to get a better idea of what the garden could become.