July, and the Garden is maturing well.

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When I designed this new garden, I put many demands on it. I wanted seclusion, a place to eat, a pace to relax, easy maintenance, productivity, a sanctuary for nature and all year beauty. I knew the soil would be awful (heavy clay and stones with added builder’s compaction and rubble), so the plan was always to grow a lot in pots. The gravel paths being a great place to site these.

I asked myself, if I could take with me, from Scotland, any part of my last garden, which part would it be? The lawns, the white garden, Garden Pod, the expansive Golden Border, the lovely pond with all its visitors? But the part I loved the most was the patio with all the big pots. I loved being there and having close contact with the container grown cherries, bamboos, roses and conifers. So that was what inspired my plans.

The garden is 10m by 11m. That’s a lot to ask from such a small space, but I’ve given it my best shot. The design came to me very easily and I had it down on paper before we moved in. I have never gardened to a plan before, nor have I had landscapers to help me. But this project required both. I knew I had one more garden in my soul, but my body was not capable and I didn’t have the skills for the hard landscaping.

So, after moving in during mid Feb 2024, we got the landscaping done in the Spring and planted the first plants in early May. So now we are 14 months in to the new garden.

Here are the photos of the garden taken this week. And one of all the fruits we have. Hopefully next year we will have another apple tree producing fruit, a plum-gage, an Apricot, a Pear and maybe even a Persimmon. They are all growing well, but no blossoms on them this Spring.

I love this garden just as much as my last. I’m proud of our combined efforts and what we’ve managed to create in such a short time, and I feel very blessed to have a new adventure in such a wonderful county as Dorset. :)

• 1 Jul, 2025
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