Garden structure

More and more pruning is being done to the bushes in the garden and the space is opening up. The paved area, where the sun should be shining full blast in summer has rampant climbing plants on the wall. Honeysuckle, clematis and lots of ivy. From talking to people in the village the garden used to boast 1 trained peach tree and greengage tree as well. At some time, previous owners did keep 2 goats in the garden.
In order to get the most edible plants in the garden we are working on bringing the fruit trees in good shape and introducing soft fruits where possible. Underneath the fruit bushes and trees, strawberry plants will nestle so that they can flourish in a woodland habitat.
It still looks bare at the moment with the odd daffodil and primrose bringing colour into the garden.

What seemed an overwhelming space now has some structure to it. I thought I would be starting completely with a blank canvas but a discovering that once, not so long ago, this garden was loved by its owners and tended by a man called Bob Tuckfield who was the gardener. The Tuckfield family go back to 1733 in this area, family history tells us and obviously Bob was a gardener and had a connection with our garden as little ago as in the last 20 years.

Where I garden, so did Bob Tuckfield ( and others), and I wonder what he made from it, and what his plans were for the space, its priorities etc. The garden used to be larger as the house we live in is only a part of a large house, and there was a vegetable garden and space for a horse.

When the woodburner was installed, the men excavated the chimney and told me that the structure was one of an inglenook fireplace. All that remains now is the seats either side on which we have laid slabs of slate. The woodburner gives off some heat and when I look out to the garden I realise that I am the latest of tenants and gardeners in this house. I will leave my mark on it for sure and as there are no plans or stories about the past, I may well discover more.