If you had told me nine weeks ago that I would willingly give up my garden I would have told you that you were lying. I spent a long time dreaming and planning for this season. I have tomatoes from A to Z. My spuds, planted lovingly in September, aren’t due out until March. And don’t get me started on the sweetcorn. I was not intending on moving anywhere as I entered this new growing season.
But here I am just a week short of two months since the last frost day and there appears to be a rather large SOLD sign at the front of my house! Things have moved extremely quickly, and I’m pleased to say the lovely new owners want to use the garden to the full. That for me is a huge relief as there was the possibility that someone would just rip it all out and put in a pool or large deck or something. I worried all my hard work would just disappear… return to the earth unnoticed and neglected.
But it had to be something amazing that would make me hand over my garden to someone else, and indeed it is something pretty amazing. I will continue to garden at the new place, but I will be starting completely from scratch as there is absolutely nothing there except a whole load of wonderfulness and endless possibilities. I can’t wait to get stuck in.
Come again soon – 2018 is going to be a very interesting year.
Sarah the Gardener : o)
Congratulations on the sale of the old and purchase of the new. For some reason I envision spade, fork and trowel travelling in the car with the kettle, coffee and cups on moving day and I see unpacked boxes dotted around your new home in the days after the move, while you take advantage of good weather and start making beds for late seedlings 😀 x
Hi Elaine. Absolutely. We don’t officially move until mid Jan but the old owners have let us go there, so I’m hoping to plant some giant pumpkins up there before Christmas. : o)
Lol, can’t keep a good gardener out of the garden for long 😀 That’s really kind of the old owners and no doubt a relief for you. At least you know what space you have and can make plans 🙂
I’m itching to get back into our garden in the spring and grow, grow, grow. Hopefully the years rest will have made all the difference to the soil.
I’m sure your spring will come soon enough. It is good to know the new people want to keep gardening, but for me I want to get the new garden up and running for the winter crops that go in, in autumn. : o)
OMG! I feel like this is a mixed bag of Congratulations on your new roads ahead & commiserations for all the hard work & potential you just planted!! Heartwarming to know its going to keen gardeners tho 🙂 Bless them!!! New canvas to do what you wish to….THINK BIG..DREAM BIG…Ive no doubt at all youll make that dream happen 🙂 Merry Xmas xxx
Thanks. Yes indeed it is a mixed bag. I want to keep the garden nice for the new people and so in time spent in the garden I have an overwhelming sense of love for this land, but the new place is just as cool and I can’t wait to be there and my dreams are enormous! : o)
So happy for you! You’ll put all that wonderful learning experience of past gardening seasons into good use, eliminating much of the problems, perfecting the timing, and avoiding those early mistakes. I hope your new spot has better drainage. Are you taking your greenhouse? Is the new place in a similar growing zone?
Absolutely. The old garden evolved as I learnt so I’m looking forward to designing the new one with lots of cool new things. The conditions will be different, but it is just up the road from here so we’ll be in the same community! : o)
Don’t be surprised that your home sold so quickly. All that work on the garden made it extra attractive to another garden savvy family. Just be sure to relocate well above the traditional high water mark. Climate is changing.
The new place is up on a hill which makes the views incredible! I can’t wait to be there! : o)
Awesome news Sarah. Always hard to leave behind a garden that has been lovely tended for a number of years, but onwards to new and exciting things. Looking forward to updates from the new garden.
Hi Fiona. I think I was ready for a change – I just didn’t realise it! I am sad that I won’t get to see the season out though – I have planted some cool things – but there is always next year. : o)
As someone who tried so desperately hard to stay in my home, I am sorry to say that I am not as excited for your new venture as your other readers are. I know it is healthy to be able to let go. I just can not get that far yet. The new view looks exquisite though.
Hi Tony – gosh I’m so sorry to hear this. It will be hard to leave this place, but I wouldn’t have done it for anything that was less than this. : o)
Congratulations. The new view looks amazing. Best wishes. <3
Thanks. I can’t wait to be there. : o)
I am selfishly looking forward to watching along as you start a new garden, as I’m hoping it will give me some idea for mine, when we finally sell and move on! We have been on the market for about 9 months now, with no interest, but we aren’t pushing it as we haven’t found anywhere to move yet. At our current house there is only enough space for a narrow flower border. I’m hoping wherever we end up there will be space for a vege patch, and that’s where I’m looking forward to watching your trip! It’s always hard to leave somewhere you’ve put so much work into, but at least you have he consolation that it won’t be wasted.
Hi Trudy. Gosh 9 months! The waiting for a buyer is the hard bit. But when you find the right person it goes so fast! I hope you sell soon. I’m looking forward to the move – it will be really exciting and possibly a tad stressful at times! : o)
Sarah, I hear a new book coming on. I know you’ll turn this into a wonderful experience, applying all you’ve learned to your new garden on the hill. I’m excited for your new adventure, a little wistful for what you’ll be letting go, but happy for what you’ve gained. So it goes with life. That new view is extraordinary, and that you’ll remain in your community is also special. Happy Christmas and best of luck with the move.
Never say never… it will be an interesting journey. I can’t wait to wake up to that view every day. : o)
Sarah, having just finished building (a long process, because we did it ourselves), I can advise that you make your interim housing as comfortable as possible and close to the building site (so you can keep your dreams in sight and on track.) Don’t think, “Oh, it’ll just be a short bit–we can pretend we’re camping.” It always takes longer than you think and the first priority has to be family and sanity.
We won’t be building so we have been assured it will be a short process, but I’m not sure how long ‘camping’ will be fun with two young teen boys! : o)
Wonderful Sarah .. I’m sure your new garden will be loads of fun! Nothing like a blank canvas ..🙂
It is quite exciting, but very daunting! I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the new garden but am a little sad to say goodbye to the old one. : o)