Jungle

Petunia Girl has come up with the goods. We now have a landscape contractor onboard.  Works are scheduled to start. All the groundworks and paving will be carried out, as well as the lawn which will be laid ready grown. Unfortunately the planting will have to be postponed to the more appropriate season of autumn. The garden is currently like a set location for Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (minus burning buildings and before the Agent Orange).
Petunia Girl has done a great job, now it's all up to the contractor
I've decided to take part in the works by building the stone wall and timber decking.

Ground Designs

Every primetime makeover program needs an unrealistic deadline to hype up the entirely false sense of suspense and danger - you know, the bit where Kevin Mcloud walks off on his own to a secluded corner of the building site, looks the camera conspiratorially in the eye and says something along the following lines: 'The fondations aren't even poured. It's already the end of October. Jenny's quintuplets are three weeks overdue. Will Roger be able to lay bricks after his heart bypass surgery? Can their couple survive living up a tree in subzero temperatures?' zoom out, cue music, cue B&Q advert.

Well, our unrealistic deadline is the end of June.

Will the works be finished in time for The Skater's post exam farewell to secondary education garden party?

We're still out to tender after 2 months and still no offers......

Can Petunia Girl find a contractor in the knick of time.......

Shiso unusual

Petunia Girl has finished the project. It has been given the seal of approval by The Client. I'm verry happy with the project. I managed to squeeze two of my own 'must haves' into the programme. The first is a secret corner for a compost heap. The Client considers my obsession with compost heaps unhealthy so it's been relegated to the furthest corner of the garden behind a bush. The second is a place where I can grow herbs 'sous cloche', parsley, coriander, basil, chives, sorrel, mint and shiso.

The stone from the old house will be used to build a new wall to the north between our garden and the French Neighbour's garden. Running along the new stone wall will be a timber deck with cut out shapes for the herb garden. The central lawn is obligatory. Being a 'rostbif' in France it is expected of me that I have a lawn that is manicured, upon which I sit eating cucumber sandwiches. The furthest, western end will be planted with shrubs and a small tree. A steel and timber stair descending from the balcony (that has yet to be built) will connect the first floor with the garden. Under the balcony is a door that leads to the future tiny summer kitchen.