Our medium sized garden has a big job to do, satisfying the needs of a large multi generational family. In the first seven years we lived here we made a few tweaks but after spending so much time together during lockdown, we decided on a major redesign.
We now have a large family entertaining space, a summerhouse, a veg patch, places for Nan to grow plants, a kids play area but best of all a small decked area for Nan & Grandad to unwind with a glass of vino after a hard day of retirement.
Garden maintenance usually falls on myself and the hubby, so over the last couple of months we have been weeding, pruning, topping up the soil in the raised flower beds, painting the trellises and cutting the grass.
We have roped Li Li in on a couple of occasions to mow the lawn and help me tidy and repot the hanging planters. He has also planted a few veggie seeds, but doesn’t have much staying power at the moment. At least he gives it a go. He does however enjoy being chief waterer, which is a great help, especially when we’re not home for a few days.
The garden redesign has worked quite well, although as the boys grow, we had started to discuss how much they use the play area, especially the trampoline. But as we debated whether to get rid of it they started to use it more 🙄 so we agreed to keep it for another year.
Then over the weekend, after almost 20 years of service, having obviously been listening to us and finally having had enough, a couple of the legs collapsed, which made the decision for us. 😢. It has left a huge void in our lives (well in the garden) and we now have debated how to fill it 🙄
On one of the hottest days of the year so far, I tidied and weeded the area and the hubby dismantled one of our long veggie raised beds as we think it will be more productive in the sunshine of the garden rather than in its current position in the wind tunnel at the side of the house. 💨🍃
As Li Li’s veggies have started to sprout, we are just going to move one of the beds for the minute and see how it looks in the space and whether the boys utilise the remaining empty space themselves this summer.
Having spent a good many hours in the back garden I thought it was looking pretty good, so took a day off, with girlfriends, to visit some local gardens which had opened in aid of the local hospice. These visits to other gardens give me inspiration for my own, but that’s when you realise you really do need to work harder! Reminds me of my old school reports 🤣🤣.
To be fair, two of the gardens we visited were beautiful, but neither couple had a large multigenerational household to consider in their pursuit of the perfect garden.
One had fabulous mature trees and plants, with lots of cosy areas, like little private rooms, where you could tuck yourself away from the World, or just admire the tranquility and the view. It was a much larger plot than my own so not sure I’ll ever achieve that in mine.
The other, a similar size to mine, although longer but narrower, was immaculately presented. The lawn perfectly manicured and the long flower bed down the length of one side, was full of plants starting to burst into colour with not a sign of a weed. The patio, around the fish pond and around the water feature in the middle of the lawn, were covered in flower filled pots. Beautiful 😍 (endless hours of watering though).
As we headed home I had a bit of garden envy, but as we sat on the patio having a cup of tea, I studied my own and realised how much we had accomplished in the past ten years, transforming the bland lawn filled garden into a multifunctional entertainment space, that all the family can enjoy.
With my own plants bursting into flower, we are surrounded by gorgeous colours, and the raised beds and hanging planters protect them from the rough and tumble of energetic boys.
Summer 2023 has arrived and although we will continue to tweak and evolve the garden, we can sit back for the minute and enjoy the fruits of our labour.
🥰 Definitely my happy space 🥰