One fine day. or was it wet?

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It all started as an enquiry, and before I knew it we were in, accepted and panicking. Oh Lord members of the NGS!
I’d arranged for a lady to call in and see the garden, but when she arrived it was a mess. The lawn in the field was thigh high. The plants were fighting for the weeds in the borders and there were a few scrap cars around my sons workshop.

I hadn’t even started on the beds in the veg plot.
The whole place was a real mess, but this lovely lady saw past the problems, (due to the worst spring we’d had) and accepted us into the open Garden scheme.

The weather changed and work was able to resume. The field was sorted, the wood had a path put through and the my veg plot was created. The garden was weeded, mown and looked at it’s best.
We opened the garden in 2009 in july. The weather was awful the first day, but succumbed to us not giving in, and allowed the sun out. We had 160 visitors and raised some £600.

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Now just a quick explanation of our backyard. theres 5 acres out there, all made up of, 1 acre woodland, 2 acre field with small lake and a maze I designed, plus a small veg plot and these are all hubs. The last 2 acres are mine. A garden that stretches round the house, an allotment – my plottie, a fruit cage, chicken city, an orchard (small and newish) and a polytunnel. (my second polyt is in the OM’s field).

We opened early Aug this year and had 130 visitors and took just under £600.

The OH panics, for a week or 2 before the actual events, Because if it rains the car park, in his field, will ruin his lawn. But to date the field has never been too soft.

We generally put the marquee up on the drive, so folks can have their cup and slice and view the plants and produce on sale. And the drive is easiest to serve from. I had a couple of lovely Guys doing the teas this year and folk were waited on and served almost instantly to having ordered. They were brilliant. At one point, there was a problem with parking, They were having to park at the top of the field and seeing part of the OMs field and attractions before paying. We did have one cheeky couple that came in parked, walked round the lake, got back in their car and drove out. But on the whole, the majority of folk were here 2 – 3 hrs.
It was a fun weekend and for our sins we’re doing it again next year early July.

• 12 Sep, 2010
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