Another new patio

[Daisy]

For some time we've been saying we must get our patio relaid. It was done over 20 years ago when we had the house extended and funds were running very low. The builders did an ok job but it was very basic. Now the slabs keep lifting and rocking, grass grows through the cracks (better than on the lawn!) and it looks a mess.

We're also getting rid of the greenhouse because I no longer need it to grow seeds for the allotment, and it's the sunniest spot in the garden. The idea of having some nice comfortable garden furniture there to relax, read, entertain and enjoy the sunshine (ha!) is very enticing.

We've had a couple of people round to quote for replacing it, and I'm starting to get excited that it could finally be happening.

[Oma]

Always nice to rearrange the garden to your liking Daisy ,
Not a cheap job though but worth it in the end if it lasts another 20 years

[Lizzie48]

Daisy, that will be nice, you will be getting excited planning it. The owner here is a landscape gardener,the garden is so lovely, peaceful! I am not a sitter but I can sit and relax here. That is what you will be able to do when the work has been done.

[Gemini]

I'm sure it will be lovely Daisy! A good time to plan it too, ready for next summer.

[Daisy]

Both the people who have been round say they can do it fairly soon - one sometime in September the other October. It would be great to get it done before the winter weather sets in with a vengeance.

[Grauntie Mag]

Very exciting Daisy. Wooohoo!😁

[Plantaholic]

Sounds a very good idea Daisy

[Nanto2girls]

Something to look forward to Daisy.

[Daisy]

I am looking forward to it.

We have got some very large pots with hydrangeas, fuchsias and banana plants in which we'll have to put round the front while the patio's being done. So this afternoon I've done a load of deadheading in the front garden because we won't be able to get to them with the big pots in the way. I did a bit of weeding, but there's more to be done.

I'll also have to sort out smaller pots with things like pansies that are well past their best, and find somewhere to put gardening tools etc which are currently in the greenhouse. I've got a tiny potting shed but somehow it's got filled up with stuff that OH says we can't possibly part with!!!

[Gemini]

Take before and after pics Daisy

[Daisy]

Gem - good idea. I hadn't actually thought about that! D'oh.

It's a very sorry-looking patio at the moment, and I'm really looking forward to it being finished but not the actual process of it being done. Both the people who've quoted have said about 2 weeks' work, so it's not long. I'm impatient though.

They'll have to dig up part of the lawn to put a new soak-away in, but there should be enough time for that to settle down again before the winter.

[Plantaholic]

I hope your garden man turns up soon Daisy and gets on with the work

[Clover]

Lovely to have something to look forward to.Take care moving those large pots!

[Daisy]

Things started well yesterday. The chap we've given the job to said he could actually make a start this week. He dug up the area where the table and chairs are and dug out a great big hole for the soakaway. Said he'd be back at 7.30 this morning - and arrived at 8.45! In the meantime the skip had arrived and OH just managed to stop it being put in the wrong place. Then we had a few drops of rain and he disappeared. Anyway the sun's shining and he's back and digging!

Clover - the biggest pots are on wheels, but even so I'll leave it to someone stronger than me.

[Daisy]

It seems longer, but it's now almost a week since they started on the garden. We took a bit of a chance with the chap doing the job. He's just setting up his business, but is very local and we know how hard it is for youngsters to get started these days.

We've hit a few problems with him - he's not very communicative either with us or with the lads he employs. So some things haven't gone to plan, and that's ok sometimes, but others we've got him to redo it how we wanted. A good example was the lovely, well nourished soil in the greenhouse. We asked him to put it on a border which we are going to replant. He also dumped all the sub-soil on there as well! "Someone" will have to move that today. OH warned him he'd need another skip but he forgot to order it, so there are several piles of rubble to be barrowed out when it arrives. The worst thing is time-keeping isn't great. Perhaps we're expecting too much, but he lives less than 5 minutes walk from us.

I'm sure it will be all right in the end, but we do feel we have to keep a close eye on things.