Big Plans For Our Self Sufficient Garden!

Sunday was officially the first day of Spring and with it seems to have come a welcome change – I say this with my fingers crossed and a jumper on stand by as I am a little skeptical of the British weather!  We awoke this morning and the sun was shining, I actually ventured out without a coat on which is a bit of a novelty right now.  Having had snow for the past 5 months on and off I really need to feel the sun on my skin!

We popped into town and it was fabulous to see all of the flowers starting to bloom, such a change from last week which has me wanting to get out into the garden.  I have so many plans for the garden this year that I have even sat down and drawn up plans of what to do and when!  Plus with the girls home schooling I am planning a whole spring section where they can learn to grow their own flowers and tend to it all themselves in one of those tuff tubs we can move around and reuse for water play etc!

There is a pathway down the center of the garden which I am going to use as a divider of sorts to separate the kids play area from the functional side.  On the left I am going to dig over the grass and put down membrane so that, with a covering of bark, it can become the play area for the girls with their climbing frame, swing set, sand pit and trampoline.   I also want to get them some kind of playhouse or mud kitchen to have them getting their hands dirty – who doesn’t love to make a mud pie!  I am keeping an eye out for any great garden deals too to help make it look more established and playful!

On the right hand side of the garden I am going to separate it into sections and have the bottom 1/3rd as the chickens home and run.  The girls are so excited about getting the chickens and it will be a great lesson in self sufficiency and about baby animals, eggs and the age old which came first questions.  The middle section will be raised vegetable beds which the girls are going to help me grow all our own fruits and veg from scratch.  We spotted a lemon tree today in Lidl too which the girls have their eye on but I’m not to sure how that is going to hold up in the British weather!  There are already 4 fruit trees in the garden so we are hoping for something from them in the summer too, the old occupiers of the house though cut the trees right back so I wouldn’t  be surprised if we have to wait a couple of years for our first fruits!

The last bit of the garden I want to have somewhere to sit, somewhere to watch the girls play and have maybe a few pots of plants around while I sip a glass of wine as the sun goes down.   I have never been a huge flower fan and really struggle to keep them alive so i think pots are probably the best bet for me for now.  Thankfully my mother has fabulous green fingers and has a garden that completely flourishes every year so i may be able to talk her into giving me a hand to have a pretty little section that is low maintenance and easy for me to tend to!

XOXO

Debbie

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