12 Jan 2015 plans for the cottage garden
Now that Christmas is over, the decorations down and the mince pies eaten, my thoughts are turning to the cottage garden, probably the last thing left on my list of things to do there.
It being January, there’s not a lot I can actually grow right now, but I can sow the seeds (sorry, that was awful) for loveliness later in the year. It’s not just about planting though, I think the garden will need some design work too, to make it really come alive. I’m lucky enough to have a separate vegetable garden area (to the right of the cottage as you look at it from the road) that a lovely neighbour looks after, so that holiday cottage guests can help themselves to whatever is in season, but it’s the rest of the space that needs planning.
I’d like to introduce a little area round the back of the cottage, with more privacy than the main lawned area, that will have a bistro set of table and chairs and be surrounded by pretty plants. There’s already a patio, but I think it needs to be replaced with welsh slate, or chippings. Then, there’s some work to be done around the summerhouse too, and a defnitive space for a log store – plus I need to limewash the stone bothy on the vegetable garden side (and possibly clean out the spiders, though I suspect they’ll move back in fairly quickly!). And there are BBQ and seating decisions to be made, as well as the lighting and planting. I can’t wait to get stuck in!