Part of our new garden. Can you see our chicken run over there?
It has been a month since we moved house, how time flies. We’re more or less settled in the new house with just a few boxes left to unpack, just bits and pieces that we didn’t really use before so they’re sure to find their way to the loft space at some point. The weather has been bitterly cold and dreary for weeks on end but today was just glorious, feeling as if spring had finally sprung in the warm sunshine. I took the camera for a wander to snap a few photos of the garden to post to the blog, it was a perfect opportunity to get an idea of where the sun reaches throughout the day. I take it as a good sign if an area of garden receives sunshine during early spring, going with the theory that it should be better once the sun is higher during summer.
We have a number of very tall huge ex-Christmas trees down one side of the garden, planted over the years by the previous owner, whenever I see these lovely pine cones I think of all the wonderful things I could do with them for Christmas/Yule celebrations. We’ve heard pine cones are edible but we have no idea if these actually are.
We positioned the chicken run in the shade these trees create to eliminate the heat problem we had in our previous garden during summer. The trees also protect the chickens from snow and frost too.
The girls have settled in well
There are 9 fruit trees in total (with a couple more of our own to be planted). The exciting part is finding out what they all are. The area at the bottom of the garden is probably where our new veg patch will eventually be. It needs a bit of clearing first and new fences are being erected soon.
Nearer the house there’s a pond full of Koi and a well planted rockery surrounding it, screening the house as well as the pond. It must have taken some doing to get all those rocks into the garden.
At the bottom of the garden there’s a greenhouse tucked away, the staging is now in place and ready for seed sowing once conditions are right. I’m really looking forward to spending some time in there, sowing seed for the allotment and planning our new little veg patch for the garden.
Middlemay Farm
/ March 4, 2013Love seeing other people’s paradise! I dug my own pond last year with one little shovel and LOVE it though it doesn’t have the fantastic rocks around it that your pond does! Thanks for the inspiration! I love the UK.
StephieLou
/ March 4, 2013Lovely! I’m inspired to get out to my very neglected vegetable garden and get it ready for spring now. Thanks!
Jo Ann
/ March 4, 2013Looks like you’re getting settled in and getting a good start on this year’s garden. The backyard is very pretty and looks spacious. I love the koi pond!
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 4, 2013Hi Middlemay Farm, thanks for your comment! Our previous garden had a tiny puddle for a pond, just for wildlife and we loved it. It provided months of facination, watching frog eggs turn to tadpoles and then frogs.
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 4, 2013Hi StephieLou, thanks for stopping by! How lovely this post inspired you to tend to your veg garden, best of luck for the growing year.
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 4, 2013Hi Jo Ann, thanks for the lovely compliments! The pond is really striking, we’re looking forward to warmer weather and hand feeding the Koi!
Melissa Aldana
/ March 5, 2013Two of my favorite things Myrtle and a Koi pond. I own three Koi waiting patiently for their own pond. It all looks good.
Olivia Ashe, writer
/ March 5, 2013Reblogged this on Olivia Ashe, Writer.
fran
/ March 5, 2013wow your swimming pool looks amazing, i wish you every happiness in your beautiful new eden.
Janet/Plantaliscious
/ March 5, 2013Wow, what a wonderful space you have there! So much scope both for children to romp and you to plant. Wonderful to have inherited mature fruit trees, they add instant gravitas, but I am afraid it was the koi pond that made the biggest impression – it’s HUGE! What an amazing feature to inherit. I can just see your veg patch at the end of the garden, and maybe a tree house in the future? Enjoy your new greenhouse and all that wonderful space. Look forward to seeing how your life their evolves.
TheDorsetFinca
/ March 5, 2013There are so many fantastic features to your new garden!! It also looks like there is lots of space for you to create from scratch. Thank you so much for sharing the pictures.
lanajacoise
/ March 5, 2013Lovely big garden with so much potential, almost a blank canvas…your pond is huge: Can you swim in it? Are the hens allowed to roam free? Ours were last year but the more the garden takes shape, the less it’s sensible as their idea of tending my borders is quite a different one…
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013Thanks Melissa!
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013Thanks Fran!
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013The Dorest Finca, thank you!. The pond takes up quite a bit of space but we don’t mind, it’s a lovely feature and very relaxing to hear the running water.
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013Hi lanajacoise, the pond is huge but what I haven’t included in these photos is a swimming pool of our own, nearer the house….(akkkk that sounds so snobbish) so the fish can keep their pond.The hens do roam free but not until we get the new fencing in, otherwise they’ll be digging in the neighbours lovely vegetable garden!
Heidi
/ March 5, 2013That looks fantastic, you will have it all planned and some great projects in mind I am sure for the months to come – a full time job! I bet the chicks are chomping at the bit to get running around and exploring the place now the warmer weather is getting here. Couldn’t cope with frogs and toads, they freak me out!
Get the fences sorted, escapologist Toni has developped a taste for fennel this weekend since she found the herb patch. Little madam.
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013Thanks Heidi, yes they do want out to go exploring but they will have to wait a little longer!
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013Hi Janet! I’ve just retrieved your comment from the spam filter, which is really odd! Thanks so much for your lovely comment, we love the koi pond even though it does take up a considerable amount of the garden. It’s not something we would have put in ourselves but it’s been there for years and creates privacy to the back of the house – I love the soothing sound of water!
quarteracrelifestyle
/ March 5, 2013Ooooh, I love the pond, lucky, lucky you. What a soothing place to sit by after a days work in the garden! What a lovely place you have bought, look forward to seeing what you do with it :)
Flighty
/ March 5, 2013That looks good, but there’s far too much grass! Happy gardening! xx
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013Thank you quarteracrelifestyle!
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 5, 2013Ha ha Flighty! Thanks!
Andrea Mynard
/ March 5, 2013Looks like you’ll be able to create a wonderful garden – brilliant to have the fruit trees already there, but otherwise pleny of scope. Will enjoy seeing it develop.
greenbenchramblings
/ March 6, 2013So many opportunities!
katiepede
/ March 6, 2013What a fantastic space! I look forward to watching it grow x
The Garden Smallholder
/ March 6, 2013Many thanks for your encouraging comments, we’re really looking forward to putting a much needed veg patch at the bottom of the garden.