Watty's Awakening

PennysIntoPounds

That sounds great, well done! Love the thought of painted rocks and horseshoes dotted around in it.
Hope you continue enjoying working on it today, and if enthusiasm wanes and you lay on the sofa with a book instead, enjoy that too 😊

KajiKita

Monty Don talks a bit about the Japanese concept of ‘Mu’ or ‘the space between’. It sounds to me like this long skinny strip of ground is becoming a piece of Mu - allowing your eye to rest, before it moves on 😊

KK

Slinky

Watty1 said:

Decided to have something to show for my weekend so after exercising Charming Cob I started work in the garden. There is a v-e-r-y long strip of garden between a path and next doors hedge.  It has variously been a herb garden and planted up with shade and drought tolerant ferns but nothing has ever done very well there and as their hedge has grown and cast shade I think most things will fail there.   

The tap I used for watering is no longer working (need to get a plumber out for that) so I have admitted defeat.  I set about removing dead plants and weeds and then finding membrane in the barn have covered about half of it then held the membrane down with rocks and small stones that are lying about the place.  I've kept the few plants that were doing well there and cut back the ivy.   I will need to get some bags of uniform stone chippings to tie it all together but I am really pleased with how that is looking.  Today I want to cover the rest with membrane then move the ragstones from the back drive where they are in a "heap" and continue the theme from the house to the drive.  Normally I would not cover such a large area but I don't have time or the inclination to turn it into something (a) wonderful and that (b) will survive WattyDog.  (I do have some ideas of planting house leeks in amongst the stones but for now the variety of stones with the odd painted rock and horse shoe in the mix looks very calming).

Sounds like a good idea to sort the area under the hedge. Is it coniferous? Nothing ever grows particularly well under conifers in my experience.

We had a long strip down the edge of our new drive which had been a weedy stretch of grass fronting a mixed border. We dug out the grass and put down plum slate. We found a bulk bag of stone was way cheaper than bagged. We got 800 kilos for just over £130 from Decorative Aggregates delivered. They had some slightly dodgy reviews regarding delivery but they were fine for us. 

savingholmes

Glad you had a bit of a lift - and are getting some help with the Fell Pony.

The garden project sounds great.

Watty1

The hedge is a laurel hedge that is frankly out of control (but they are nice people so I ignore that) with a huge conifer in the middle.  I did some more work on it today and I think I can use all the old rocks on it but after a trip to the garden centre I realised that bulk buying the stones to infill the rest will be much cheaper.   The last half is ready for the membrane to go down and, as a bonus one bed has been weeded (as I wanted to rehome some plants into it) and part of the patio swept too.

Charming cob now one week into recovery exercise plan and sadly still lame.  I will chat with the vet tomorrow although I think she may well say that I need to give it two more months to be sure.  We shall see.  Now after a lovely catch up on here with my after dinner coffee I'm going to enjoy a bath.  

ajmoney

LadyWithAPlan said:

So sorry re the annoying neighbours- you can at least chop anything coming your side 

I have been watching my new obsession Gentle art of Swedish Death Cleaning and the psychologist on there is to help people move through grief or process old memories etc - she often says ‘emotions need to be in motion’ so feelings should be looked at, allowed to breathe, processed and then can move on so not getting stuck 
Sounds like where you are at - mid healing ! 

You can watch the programme 8 episodes all with different people for free on the u.co.uk streaming - there are ads . But no credit card needed etc
i have shed a few tears through some of the episodes but it’s very life affirming after loss and so I would encourage you to watch an episode - they start gently - with a 75 yr old healthy woman looking back at a fabulous career and death cleaning to how she lives now / not surrounded by clutter on the past and for her to live her present in the way she chooses
My flat is not there but is much clearer already 

keep on moving those emotions through you and out the door   (Whilst singing I will Survive and maybe Britney’s Stronger ! 

I finally started watching this earlier in the week. Thank you for sharing this @LadyWithAPlan I think this might give me the kick I need to do some more sorting!

Suffolk_lass

Just to mention that most aggregate suppliers (fencing contractors, builders) sell the decorative stones at a fraction of the cost from a garden centre. Also, if you have a particular colour preference (eg white) you could mix them fifty fifty by putting a base layer of the cheaper 30mm shingle (the size up from pea shingle that does not get caught in the treads of your boots, trainers, wellies) and sprinkle the white ones on top

Watty1

@Suffolk_lass that is a brilliant idea. You absolute star.  Last night I was pondering the price because the area will get covered in fallen leaves and debris from the hedge and wondering if I should just do something cheap but that is a great idea A white finish on top of the pea shingle would be cheaper and if any shows through when WattyDog gets up there (it is higher than the adjoining path in places)  then it will just blend in.   

Watty1

Yesterday whilst out looking at stone options I bought four rocks that are solar lights £12 for four.  They blend in with the old ragstones I am using and what a joyful purchase.   I was dubious about them working as a neighbour has solar lights on sticks and they are a very dim glimmer and pointless but these are superb. I don't want them to light anything in particular just look charming in amongst the stones and they do that wonderfully.  I struggle to sleep most nights and at 2.30 am I went to check on them and still shining brightly.

At the end of last week I felt down and fed up about the tractor and country fair and the tendrils of the ex seeping into my life still.  At 2.30 am this morning I was happy that I had started to restore an area of the garden and i was thankful for the two days of the weekend to do that.  

Thank you all for your support.  The transformation is in many ways thanks to each and everyone of you that chipped in.

WelshmansDaughter

Ooh I like the sound of those solar rock lights