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| Dec 2005 |
This first picture is of the back of the house just after we bought it. It was difficult to get to the back which was just a steep bank. This picture was taken in the winter when all the bracken, brambles and raspberries had died down. In the summer they looked like this.
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| May 2008 |
Perhaps not part of the garden but from where the initial picture was taken a small extension of about a metre in depth was built. To do this part of the bank had to be removed. The next picture shows what the bank was made of - sandstone
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| Nov 2007 |
Part of the bank was then removed so a retaining wall could be built to keep the bank and water out of the building. The extension was built and soil/rock back filled. A small decked area was constructed which led directly off the first floor living area and stairs to ground level.
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| July 2008 |
A big step forward from the first picture. However it was evident that the steep incline of the bank meant that it was just about impossible to access the land, and the soil, boulders etc were quite keen on coming down to see the house. To stop this, it became clear that some more walling was needed to stop further landslips and to think about some form of terracing. At the far end of this picture the ground sloped steeply to floor level so to begin with, a small block wall was built.
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| May 2009 |
On the east side of the garden the base sandstone was more obvious.
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| Sept 2008 |
It was here that it was decided to put a coal bunker.
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| Sept 2008 |
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| April 2009 |
To the front of this picture the fern indicates wetness and here there is constant trickle of water where it drains to an impervious layer of rock. This was in fact the first area to be planted as it was clear it would be difficult to improve on the feature apart from the fact it would be easier to work with it. Planting with ferns, primulas, mimulus and astilbe was a start.
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| June 2010 |
Normal garden terracing would suggest that you start at the bottom and work up but I had a need for an area to work and store things - logs etc. so, finding an area that wasn't too steep and with some wood which was handy a prototype terrace was built.
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| Nov 2009 |
My Assistant - a view from below
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| Nov 2009 |
A view from above
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| Nov 2009 |
The next step was to create a proper terrace after seeing how easy it was. New railway sleepers 200x400 x2400 were bought and a terrace that would be deep enough to have a sitting area, somewhere to put a rotary clothes line and even a small greenhouse but most importantly it had to be high enough to be able to appreciate the view from over the top of the house
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| Nov 2009 |
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| Nov 2009 |
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| Mar 2010 |
Terrace supports
By this stage you will notice there is a lot less bracken as a result of spraying with Roundup and then hand pulling and cutting to weaken the rhizomes. At the top of this picture you can see tree stakes. Trees were planted to help stabilise the slope - silver birch, Scots pine, rowen and ash.
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| Mar 2010 |
This new improved terrace meant there was at last somewhere to store materials.
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| Mar 2010 |
Of course there is the slight problem of carrying materials up a loose 45 degree slope so temporary steps had to be built.
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| Mar 2010 |
