In 1992, the garden layout was much as it had been since 1930. The front garden was hidden from view by a privet hedge in addition to the stone wall. There was a narrow border running along side the hedge and wall, terraces either side of the steps leading to the front door, the central circle of a formal rose garden, the quadrants having been grassed over earlier, a magnificent stand of 3 beech trees and Scots and Corsican pine on one side, and Scots pine and holly on the other.
An asphalt path ran round the house from the top of the drive to a small patio outside the kitchen door, bounded by straight concrete edging and a concrete path going to a gate into the field next door which had previously been part of the property. Behind the house there were stone outbuildings and a high stone wall, a gateway at either end leading into the croft which was overgrown with nettles and brambles with a old tumbled down shed “the pig shed” at the top right. In amongst the weed growth we found the remains of several massive sycamore trunks which had been felled not long before. They had been planted in 1935 to mark the Silver Jubilee of George V; 25 years as the King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India.
In early Spring 1993 we found the garden filled with sheets of snowdrops, and as time went on, we spent many a happy evening after work wandering round our new domain, glasses of wine in hand, exclaiming as plants revealed themselves and wondering how we would ever cope with the project we had taken on.
Next winter’s project is to dig out old prints and slides of the garden as it was, and digitise them to update this page.
1990s
During the 1990s we tamed the croft, and allowed part of it to be used as a tree nursery by our then gardener. He was experimenting with native species as bonsai. The full size cherry in the grass, the small beech in the Japanese woodland, the beech, elms and Scots pine in pots are the remnants of his efforts. We planted trees too, perhaps too enthusiastically; a walnut, a holm oak and a cut leaved beech we were given as a silver wedding present. The oak, no longer browsed by goats, began to grow. The remaining 1935 sycamores grew too, along with lots of seedling trees, ash, rowan, silver birch, Lawson’s cypress.
In 1999 we were given a Davidia Involucrata – the handkerchief tree, now a magnificent sight in May.

2000s
Our focus in the 2000s was building the extension, the garden remained static structurally, though I began to build up the range of less usual plants.
Between 2000 and 2005 the croft wall was removed, the new extension replaced the old outhouses, and the curved patio area, with new limestone paving and reclaimed gritstone paving eventually replaced the square concrete.
In 2002 a storm brought down the mighty green beech in the front garden, leaving two copper beeches standing and some Corsican pines leaning, one of which was taken down several years ago. Work on the extension paused, to install a modern sceptic tank to replace the old brick cess pit destroyed by the beech roots and rebuilding the drystone wall all down the side of the garden.

2010s
In 2011 the bonsai tree nursery, neglected and overgrown, was taken out with a digger and many of the trees departed for Anglesey in large van, where some of them happily grow in a 3 acre plot housing a 7 1/4 inch railway. The development of the croft area, as you see it now, commenced.
The croft border became the home for yet more plants including a now massive yellow tree peony and pink Cornus Kousa.

Inspired by Andy Galsworthy’s work at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park we commissioned Noel to build the egg. Building the Egg
During this decade we gradually found ourselves retired, travelled a lot, visited Japan a few times and thought more about the garden.
2020s
We decided to reduce the garden maintenance in preparation for old age. The resulting redevelopment, still in progress, has not resulted in less work, but more impact for much the same amount of work. A garden we are happy to grow old in, provided we can continue to get the help.
The massive privet hedge by the road, devoid of much wildlife and blocking the light, came out. The garden has responded with enthusiasm to less competition and more light.
2020-2021- the Japanese garden . We pulled out another privet hedge, removed the concrete path and two unstable raised beds and commissioned a redesign, opening up the views from the garden room. The planting was done in 2021 and has filled out impressively in 2022.
Also in 2021 the leaning Corsican pine had become dangerous and it was taken down; some growth was taken off the big sycamores and ash, and two ageing silver birch, a larch and a Lawson’s cypress, removed.
Our latest project is to replace the fruit cage, now over shadowed by trees and the wooden structure rotten, by a Japanese influenced woodland walk. Noel, now into his eighties, came back to level the ground and build the new path.
What’s next?
The kitchen garden is going to be replaced; the fruit trees will remain, and there will be a curved bed filled with prairie plants which love that area, and a small seating area to catch the late afternoon sun. The raised beds will be moved up to the utility area behind the yew hedge to grow a few vegetables.
And after that? We will be on the down hill path to our eighties so perhaps time just to sit & enjoy the results of our labours.
