Begin again ... 2020 Garden Project

I have 'dabbled' with gardening over the years but never really been into growing vegetables although for years I have always grown my own tomatoes.  This year has been very different ... with the UK in total lockdown from March and having retired I just had to find something to help fill my days and get me out of the house.  So I turned to my garden ... not only would it shift my mental focus to something positive but I could also provide my family with fresh produce.  It has been hard work but so enjoyable and, much to my surprise, quite successful as well as very tasty!

First task was to remove the pond ... we decided that maintaining a large pond was not a priority so the liner was removed and the hole filled - it took days of carrying buckets of soil from elsewhere in the garden before it was full.  I was able to save some of the liner to create a small wildlife pond.

This was to be the site of a large raised bed ... while I was waiting for it to be delivered I used some wood lurking in my garage to build a small bed so that I could start growing stuff!

I'm not a natural when it comes to woodwork - it is not a thing of beauty but it works and I soon had salad growing!  I also planted runner beans in the flower bed; pumpkin and courgettes (some in amongst the flowers and two in very small raised beds also built by me); a spaghetti squash in another gap in the flower border; tomato plants in pots; an aubergine (eggplant) in a pot; and lots of herbs in pots.

The large raised bed eventually arrived in flat pack form!  I built it, positioned it and then filled it with a ton of soil!  Then all set to start planting ... so seeds at the ready in went carrots, radish, beetroot, fennel, celeriac, leeks, radicchio and spinach and the watering began!!

Was all of this effort worthwhile?  It is a resounding YES ... we have enjoyed a beautiful bounty of super fresh salad and vegetables (and still are).  I'm already planning for next year!  I'll finish this marathon post with just a few photographs of the 'fruits' of my labour: