Garden love

Images courtesy of Pinterest

'Please may we go to the garden centre?'

I never thought I would become a 'garden widow'.

When we bought our house two years ago, the 'compromise' (Phil & Kirstie insist there must always be one in any property buying scenario) was the teeny, tiny garden. Our budget was never going to stretch to a house big enough for three to become four - plus accommodate guests - and a sizeable garden. So the postage stamp lawn was overlooked for those extra bedrooms, a garage and the fact that we are situated opposite a meadow and a park.

However, never underestimate the power of Pinterest for dreaming (me) or simply having vision, a clever overview of small space and a desire to spend quite a lot of time faffing and pottering (Mr W).

When I say our garden is small, I mean tiny. Plus it's split over two levels for reasons unbeknown to me - I'm assuming it's simply how the land the developers built on was already arranged.  But Mr W has worked wonders and we seem to have gained a pretty and functional outdoor space. A 'feature' of our garden is a massive brick wall which keeps it secluded, safe and private but is at risk of looking a bit, well, 'Strangeways'. My over-active and overly optimistic imagination is attempting to model it on the walled gardens at swanky Babington House. More practically, Mr Wayne decided the top level, which was a hastily thrown together strip of lawn and pathway, would work much better as a patio. And so it does.

My parents have been staying for a few days and we have spent a lot of time outside: BBQ, brunch or simply drying the (frankly endless) washing have meant that our tiny outdoor space has really given us that 'extra room' that Phil and Kirstie also bang on about.

And as for my initial comment, I am actually pleased we have a garden that can be measured in metres and not acres. Mr W is always out there. He's developed an evening ritual of donning a gilet and his oldest trainers after work and going out to check/water/merely look at the fruits of his labour. My lovely friend, Hannah, says it's his version of 'mindfulness'. Meanwhile, I've developed a liking for 'Gardeners' World' and Monty Don and while Mr W's outside doing the practical stuff, I continue to dream and fill up my Pinterest boards...