As so many of us in the northern hemisphere will have been studying seed catalogues and are poised to fill our seed trays, I think it is a moment to look back as well as look forward. It is too easy to find fault with what we did last year (how many orange dahlias?) but it is worth looking at what we achieved too.
My biggest – and best – garden decision last year was to relay a lawn. Whilst we had two big dogs and two children at home, it seemed easier to have more slate and pebbles than lawn, but I was quite wrong. The hard surface garden looked wonderful when first created but it had really looked scruffy by the end if its life. The other factor helping my decision was that even though I tried to be careful, I had fallen over a few times turning my ankle on the big pebbles. I am guessing that one of these days I will not bounce.
I recorded our progress as you can see. I treated myself to a cordless mower and strimmer and frankly, I wish I had made the decision earlier. The only slight worry was that I had a brand new lawn just before the longest dry summer for 20 years. We will not discuss the water bill.
Last autumn, I turned my attention to the courtyard garden at the back of the house and wanted something a little different there too. I could not face lifting any of the stones but had the brainwave to make new pathways with assorted pots and containers and to fill them with shade-loving shrubs. I am really looking forward to seeing how this develops.
Now, where did I put my seed box?
