Two walls have been built up and now it was time for the third, and most difficult one to be prepared. For every wall that needs to be built, more digging has to be done so concrete footings can be laid, and that's what we mainly did on Saturday. We have finally chipped off the two buttresses holding up our neighbour's old fences and once the ground and side has been levelled we had to dig up a trench for the concrete footings. It sounds easy peasy but it's not, far from it. It is hard work, and probably the hardest of all the digging sessions we've ever done.
That area is mostly solid chalk, very hard to chip off, and an awkward area to dig a trench. Heavy duty digging fork and spade cannot penetrate this area, only pick axe could and pick axe job it was, all day. And of course shovelling and hauling of rubble on top of that. Determination is a good antidote for body aches and pains but calluses on our hands are much more difficult to hide.
But it wasn't all monotonous hard work, we took a break by visiting a couple of garden related places very near us.
On Saturday we checked out the Mediterranean Nursery which is only half an hour's drive from where we live. We encountered them for the first time at the Chenies Manor Plant Fair last July but prior to this we have never heard of them before. So we've put it at the back of our minds to check out the place soon and we had our chance that day.
It was a pleasant exotic plant nursery, packed full of your usual exotic plants with reasonable prices. It reminded me of a Cornish nursery with the lushness of the stocks (and that's a good thing). After years of moaning to ourselves that there are no exotic nurseries reasonably near us, we now know of at least two, this and the Olive Grove Nursery. Two places we can conveniently visit whenever we want some quick exotic plant retail fix!
Then on Sunday we checked out the grounds of the majestic and historical Luton Hoo which is only 15 minutes drive away from us.
Luton Hoo is a large stately home, which has been converted into a 5 star hotel. The Current house was built at the end of the 18th Century for the Earl of Bute, with the landscaping provided by Capability Brown. Although various changes were made over the years, Brown's landscape is reasonably untouched and still very much as he built it.
In the late Victorian period some additonal areas were added, such as the Rockery - a huge area that is reminiscent of a Cornish valley Garden.
Located on the edge of Luton, the grounds make you feel as if you could be miles away from the hustle and bustle of a busy town centre, until you see planes taking off from London-Luton Aiport on the next hill!
Sunday we have mixed and poured concrete on the trench, levelled and left to dry ready for the wall to be built up in the next few days. Afterwards we have shifted 25 bags of cement and half a pallet of high density blocks from the front of the house to the back, then did an hour or so of gardening in the afternoon. We decided to pack up early and go indoors, in by 6:30pm when we're usually still outside up to 10pm. We've done loads, best to listen to our bodies and take it easy. We both work full time afterall, at this rate we both go to work to get some rest!
I'm pleased with our progress, very hard work but not a dull moment. Body is all achy and sore yes, but there is a wonderful, satisfied feeling on top of that.
Even more wonderful to know that this weekend was a milestone, that the worst of the pond dig is now well and truly over :-)
http://www.themediterraneannursery.co.uk/
http://www.lutonhoo.co.uk/
Mark
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
