Spring 2013, here we go again.

Finally the Sun comes out and sucks us in to the garden.  Lots of tidying up to do.  No photos of my completely sorting out the steps to the garden but they look an awful lot better.

Harriet was a brilliant help.  Here she is clearing the bottom of the wisteria.

Job done!

My traditional "first day of Spring" job of rotating the compost heap.

Tying this in savaged my forearms but it is now tied in.  You can see the swept terrace here.

The small trampoline has been dismantled and offered to a friend.

Erica surveying the scene.  The bare wall behind had been covered with a honeysuckle but Tamsin attacked it with great vigour.

And relax...

I've also finally distributed all the compost, so a weekend off is in store.

Terrace and lawn

I now need to bring the lawn up to the terrace.  Initially the plan was to turn the existing turf over and back fill from the various soil quarries around the garden. But. The soil under the tree is terrible. It is mostly flint and so dry that I'm amazed any grass grows.

So, the new plan is dig out the whole area, sieve out the flint and put the soil back with some of the huge pile of mushroom compost covering the drive.  Another stupid and big job, but my muscles are getting used to it.

Terrace complete

Thanks to dad's angle grinder, careful planning and a measure twice cut once attitude the new terrace is complete. Really pleased it is done. Let the wobbly pavier spotting begin.

Terrace

Brutal day.  Making progress but soon out of sand. :(

Terrace

Starting the terrace I know this might get ugly. My first problem is that the cement from the original laying is sticking to some of the stones. My first method for removing it was not a great success.

Terrace levelling.

This is a massive job, but I hate the step in the middle and the way the garden drops off. I should never have let the builders do this.