Terrace renewed

Autumn 2012 - before the cut-back

The decking terrace is built of wood, and so it needs to be preserved against the elements from time to time. Last year we decided the time had come for it to be completely re-varnished ("lasure" is what is used in this area, to protect against the effects of sun, wind and rain). We'd grown scented and flowering plants over the balustrade, so all that had to be cut back in order to get at the wood. Most of this was done last autumn, but we didn't have enough good dry weather during that season to get the lasure applied.

Hard pruning effected - not for the benefit of the plants!

This week the forecast is excellent, and the wood was dry so that it could be rubbed down and have the lasure applied. I cut back the remaining plants so that Mike could get at the balustrade, and over two days he applied a good coat of lasure to both the balustrade and the deck itself. This is the first time the whole job has been re-done since it was originally built (it was finished in spring 2005). The steps were replaced last year after some of the supporting timbers were discovered to be rotting, but the remainder has needed no maintenance.

Once the lasure was thoroughly dry, I was able to begin training some of the plants back up on to the woodwork. With luck it won't be too long before we have a good display again.

Beginning to re-clothe the woodwork with greenery

Overgrown!

Back in France now after a month away, and indoors I was pleased to discover that one of my two avocado seeds had produced a root. Outdoors we've discovered just how fast weeds can appear and develop when there's no-one here to take control! The border down the east side of the garden in particular has not looked this overgrown since we first created it. Mostly it seems to have become the home for some very fast-growing vetch - so fast growing that most of the roses and shrubs in the border have disappeared under a carpet of green.

Only the rhubarb stands out from the weeds!

On the positive side, the fruit trees are beginning to show promise; the quince is covered in blossom, as is the central apple tree; the other apple trees have some blossom too, and the medlar is covered with buds. The mulberry is just coming in to leaf, and the citrus fruits have survived the winter. I still worry about the pomegranate, which has already suffered serious wind damage and really needs a stronger support, but we're not sure how to provide one.

I have more or less given up on my hopes of creating an asparagus bed. Of the ten crowns planted in 2010 some never grew at all, and now only two remain alive - and those very weedy shoots are not going to feed anyone! It's my own fault; I didn't check what soil conditions are needed for success, and our old vineyard clay is definitely not what they require. So I've decided that corner will have shrubs planted instead. I've cleared out the weeds and transplanted a single choisya shoot from the front garden; the rest awaits inspiration at the garden centre.

One task which has been needed for a while is the lounger cushions. These were bought some time ago, were quite cheap and backed with a fabric which is beginning to disintegrate. Instead of replacing them I decided to recover them - after all, the foam padding is OK. Now they are resplendent in new striped slip covers which can be removed in the winter for washing. Now we need some time and good weather to relax on them!

Removals begin

So instead of being a "vague notion", the conservatory has become a definite plan for later this year. This means losing or moving some of my garden features, and a lot of its plants. Being reluctant to lose any, I'm now beginning to work out how to save as many as possible. The weather was kind to me this weekend, so a start has been made. The large area which used to be my herb garden (and strawberry patch) has been left to its own devices while we worked on the house, though I did make a start on clearing it in the autumn. Work has now been started in earnest - though as I'm off to France in three days' time there will be another three week hiatus!

The former herb garden after being left to its own devices!

The same view after this weekend's clearance work

Strawberries relocated

Only time will tell whether the moves have been successful, but so far I have "rescued" the following in addition to the rhubarb: crocus bulbs (moved into a planter in front of the kitchen window); two pelargonium plants which I thought had been killed by the bad weather, but which turned out to have signs of life at the base after all; my bergamot (moved into a large pot for now); about two-thirds of the plants from the strawberry patch (moved beneath the pergola); golden marjoram (moved into the low planter on the left of the garden, in turn necessitating the move of some "tumbling Ted" to the back of the garden); two wallflowers; two primulas (badly snail damaged)... but the old herb garden still has some way to go before it is cleared.

Demolition

Finally some good weather has arrived and I've been able to get out into the neglected London garden. We have tentative plans to have a conservatory built - way in the future probably - but I've started thinking about planning what will be left of our garden, which is only small to begin with! Today I moved a rhubarb crown from its original position into the raised bed which runs down the side of the garden. One crown had already been moved (a couple of years ago) and has settled in well to its new position, so I have hopes that the second will also take. Probably it should have been done when they were dormant - but the weather wasn't conducive to digging!

Originally we built three ponds in this garden, each overflowing into the next. However, over the years subsidence has had an effect, and the brickwork has suffered from leaks. A while ago we took the top pond in hand, removing the liner and rebuilding the inside in concrete. Although there's been some slippage since so it's not quite as level as it used to be, the sealed concrete has been successful. The lowest pond had moved substantially and we removed it a couple of years ago - but still haven't done anything with the space! Meanwhile the middle pond had deteriorated further, with the west wall bowing out so that it looked as if it were about to burst. Last year I stopped the water circulating in that pond, keeping the water flowing only in the big pond, which now holds all the fish. Today I drained the middle one and began to demolish the brickwork. The plan is to rebuild it - but on a smaller scale - this time lining it with concrete as we've done with the upper one. The foundations are firm but the rest of the brickwork can be taken apart by hand, without even swinging a hammer at it!