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IT WAS HARD WORK BUT WORTH THE EFFORT...

35 comments


As most of you know we opened our small garden for the NGS (Yellow book) this year, ours is the first garden ever to open in Lee on The Solent…..so we were all alone!!
We have worked solidly since we were accepted last year, to make sure the garden was as near perfect as it could be, and as you all know the winter, the spring, no rain, wind and even more wind was sent to try us……..and it did, our beautiful ROBINIA FRISIA which had been spectacular over the years decided to die slowly shedding hundreds of yellow leaves all over the garden, our equally beautiful black AEONIUM went in to a slow decline (think we have saved it!!) the badger and the foxes dug up the lawn,……but we soldiered on.
Our very good friends from GOY came to visit from far and near……Cinders, Shirley tulip, Floribunda, and Tetrach and their OHs which made it worth while.
So was it worth the effort……….yes it was, we raised over ยฃ1,000 in three days, thanks to lovely daughter making cakes, granddaughter and daughter helping serve, neighbours washing up and manning the gate.
We are now going to have a rest, recharge our batteries, plan new and exciting features for next year.
`the picture below is our tiny pond and bog garden, now with resident frog!! much admired by visitors.

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Comments

 

I'm not surprised you raised so much money DD - your garden is always lovely. Well done - I'm sure the NGS are most grateful for all your efforts.

28 Jun, 2011

 

Well done Dotty and OH. I think you deserve a break now. That was a wonderful result. Love and best wishes.

28 Jun, 2011

 

Well done to all of you! You have a beautiful garden!

28 Jun, 2011

 

Well done, and yes take a rest will you do it all over again next year.

28 Jun, 2011

 

Congratulations on a magnificent total raised for the NGS, DottyDaisy :))) I can well appreciate the hard work involved (we opened our garden for 11 years for the NGS....), it's not easy is it?? But well done you!! And it just goes to show that "small gardens" are as beautiful and interesting (and raise HUGE amounts of money for charity) as the bigger ones ;) A thousand congratulations from me xxx

28 Jun, 2011

 

Congrats, you have earned a nice rest now, only for a while though!! Enjoy the summer in your garden.

28 Jun, 2011

 

Congratulations, your garden is stunning. Time to enjoy a nice glass of wine, whilst relaxing in the garden.

28 Jun, 2011

 

Wow, a thousand pounds! Well done to you all, it certainly is worth doing that if you can raise that amount! Congratulations...bet it was exhausting and very stressful though! :))

28 Jun, 2011

 

Wow amazing Dd, I bet you and OH, Daughter and Grandaughter are over the moon, all that work, (despite the badger foxes and the awfull winter) had to throw at you, its all been worthwhile, A massive well done to you all..Time to relax and start enjoying your gardens, just for you.. Dee..

28 Jun, 2011

 

Now that is a wonderful result, well done all of you, time to sit back and enjoy it yourselves, that of course is in between tidying and planning next year, lol, I`m really pleased for you......

28 Jun, 2011

 

well angela , did you enoy it thois time ............ hope so , any more pics please ;0)))
well dun on raiseing so much !!!

28 Jun, 2011

 

Love to know how you created your tiny bog garden. I would love one in my very small garden.

28 Jun, 2011

 

Gosh! It was really worthwhile opening your garden when you can raise that amount of money for good causes. I'm sure it was very stressful in the lead up to your opening, but now it's over, and by all accounts was a fantastic day in a fantastic garden! So now it's your turn to enjoy your beautiful garden in peace, now roll on the sunny weather!

28 Jun, 2011

 

Congratulations DD on such a wonderful effort on your first opening. You must be really pleased (if a little tired)

28 Jun, 2011

 

Despite all that challenged you you came up trumps, you must be feeling very proud - and so you should.
CONGRATULATIONS.

28 Jun, 2011

 

Oh my goodness, so many kind comments, where to begin, firstly thank you all very much for all your lovely and helpful advice, we did find it hard going Puddleduck, 11 years ? gracious me, Andrew yes we are tired but very pleased it is a charity close to our heart, so it does make it all worthwhile.
Cristina I enjoyed every opening, it is great to meet so many gardeners in one place, you learn so much too......our granddaughter took a couple of pictures, it is impossible to take them yourself, you have people wanting to ask questions all the time, I had a terrible sore throat by the end of the day, at one time there was a queue!! Grannyb it is fairly simple, find a suitable area heavy soil if possible, sink in a barrel or suitable container add a small pump, plant up barrel and bog plants cover with a heavy mulch and keep watered every day if possible.
Thank you all once again, just going to chill out now.....

28 Jun, 2011

 

A very well deserved rest is in order now,Dd..you have all done a wonderful job,and glad you raised so much money too...great ! Glad you enjoyed your first experience..it must have felt very daunting at first..but you did it ! well done.:o)..oh,and by the way,your garden is just beautiful..almost forgot that bit ! Lol.

29 Jun, 2011

 

It must be a wonderful experience to do that, and well done for raising so much money aswell :)

29 Jun, 2011

 

lol glad you enjoyed it .......... hope you recoved now .....
love your prize , very nice ....... i was 3rd haha ... got more cuprinal paint than the shop now !!! .
have put puddles pics up now on a blog , take a look .
hers is stuning too!!

29 Jun, 2011

 

Well done on raising so much for charity :o)

29 Jun, 2011

 

Bloomer, Hywel, TT, although the experience was a daunting one, it has been my ambition to open a garden for the NGS for over 20 years!! so better late than never lol Cristina going to look now......

29 Jun, 2011

 

Very well done DD - to be repeated next year ?

29 Jun, 2011

 

Hi Dotty, just catching up on here as had a few days away to Norfolk. We still comment on our visit to your Open Day, as it really was a pleasure to see it 'for real'! Congratulations on raising so much for a good cause. Take it easy for a while now, you deserve a rest after so much hard work. Don't suppose there's any cake left over? No, thought not . . .

1 Jul, 2011

 

Hi Shirley lovely to hear from you, Norfolk is such a restful place to spend a few days, we love it there.....thanks for your kind comments, sorry no cake today!! so much for a rest we have a private viewing on Sunday lol

1 Jul, 2011

 

Forecast to be a sunny day ... hope your visitors appreciate the effort you all put in. : o ))

2 Jul, 2011

 

Congratulations DD...and well done with the fund raising...Small is definitely Beautiful....Have a well earned rest...good luck...

2 Jul, 2011

 

Criss thanks, very kind of you, I am going to pop over to your pics........

2 Jul, 2011

 

i know im late dotty but just wanted to congratulate you both on a succesfull day and raising so much, well done you deserve it after all the hard work :o)

5 Jul, 2011

 

San thanks very much, how you doing these days? things any better? xx

6 Jul, 2011

 

Just wonderful to hear how much money was raised, Dd, and the work you and your OH put in was so worth all the long hours. Your garden was stunning! I am so glad that we came over to support you on this venture....Time to really sit down in that oasis of yours and appreciate the beauty of what you have achieved...Well done my dear friend, congratulations!!! \0/xxx

8 Jul, 2011

 

Flori thanks for those kind words, but it is onwards and upwards a new design taking place.......can't sit still, might never get up again lol love to you and Andy xx

8 Jul, 2011

 

Can you really improve on perfection, Dd? hahahha...You will have to keep us updated my friend...Love to you and Peter too xxx\0/

8 Jul, 2011

 

Will do.......one border done already!!

8 Jul, 2011

 

It really is hard work - especially the first time, as you've discovered. I send my congratulations to you both as well. Next job - set the dates for next year! lol.

10 Jul, 2011

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