#0 - Getting Started

So. Here goes nothing.

In December 2022, my wife and I took on the daunting task of renovating an 80-year-old, derelict house. To say a lot of work was needed is an understatement. For almost two years we have spent every minute of our free time working hard to build our home and in November 2024 we finally moved in. The house itself is a mid-terraced house in an estate in town. After an extension to the house, the garden is roughly 12 metres long by 7 metres wide which is quite big for a mid-terraced house in an estate. However, the garden was mainly used as a dumping ground while the building works were going on and so now the task of cleaning up and preparing for the new year of gardening has begun.

Here’s what the garden originally looked like when we took on this mammoth task.

The state of the garden before any renovation work began.

I don’t think this picture justifies how overgrown the garden was and how difficult it was to clear out. What looked like just thick, tall grass was actually a dense layer of nasty, spikey brambles and weeds covering every inch of space it could find. After a couple of days of hacking, sawing, and digging, we eventually uncovered most of the garden.

Here’s what the garden looks like today. Bear in mind, some cleanup has been done but there is obviously a lot more to do.

The state of the garden today.

As you can see we have built a shed down the back of the garden. One of the things I’d like to do this winter is get some water barrels set up to collect the rain water from the roof of the shed to be used throughout the growing season.

So this is where we are now—very much starting from scratch. I have some plans and milestones I want to reach over the winter, but the main objective right now is to clear out the garden, set up a composting station, and prepare some raised beds for sowing. In time I’d love to have a thriving garden with fruit trees, vegetables and herbs growing to be used in the kitchen.

I’ve numbered this part 0 because this is just an introduction before the real journey begins. I’m sure nobody will ever read this. I don’t plan to advertise it or spread the word about it. I just want to document the process for myself. But if you do happen to read this please feel free to email me and let me know if you have any tips or advise for a new gardener. Email me!

Thanks,

David