The Beginning

My Dad grew vegetables, in fact so many vegetables especially runner beans that I hated them, we ate them every day for weeks on end because if we didn't they got thrown away. So who would have thought that as the years passed by I would develop a love of all veggies and started to want to grow them myself. 

We lived in the overcrowded South East of England and although I did have a garden it was very small and I was only able to grow a few things each year in tubs and flower beds. But those few successes gave me the taste for bigger things. Enquiries with the local council came to nothing. All the local allotment sites had waiting lists which were years long.

Impending retirement gave me the opportunity to finally get my veg patch. We decided to move house and I was determined that this time I would get the garden of my dreams. The current financial crisis did its best to de-rail our plans but after a long and frustrating 18 months we finally go an offer on the house.

So now the search was on, we had long wanted to move to the Lake District but for various reasons at the beginning of this year realised that for us, that was only a place to visit and enjoy not live in. So we changed our search area and concentrated our efforts on the Hampshire - Dorset borders. After many visits we decided on the specific places we would happily live and now with the offer on our house the pressure was on. A frantic day of internet research gave us a list of 10 houses to view and after leaving home very early on the morning of 20th July 2011 we turned up at our first viewing. We both loved the place straight away and went inside, we couldn’t have been happier, all the hard work was done and it was just a case of decorating to our taste, then I stepped out of the back door.

It was perfect.

That was it for me, I wanted the house or should I say garden, it got even better, a gate visible from the house lead to even greater things.

Finally, somewhere for me to have my own bit of the “Good Life.”

We still had 9 houses to view so off we went, but for both of us nothing matched up to the first house, I forgot to mention it was also only a 5 minute walk to the sea with a perfect view of the Isle of Wight and The Needles. Mid afternoon we called the agent and asked for another look at the first house. Back we went and it was just as good, in fact better than we remembered. The decision was made. A long drive home followed and over a chinese takeaway we discussed our tactics. The following morning after a few phone calls and one rejected offer the house was ours. Or should I say, I got my dream garden. 

Things progressed quickly and suddenly moving day was upon us. The moving men were very efficient and by the end of the 29th September our world was in the back of a lorry. One last dinner with our friends and then home to sleep in an empty house. 

Friday 30th September dawned bright, sunny and hot. What is going on with the weather? A quick bacon sandwich, a last push round of the hoover and we were off. By 1130 I emerged from a rather dead mobile phone spot in the New Forest and my phone sprang into life. It was the solicitor, the sale had gone through, the money was paid and the garden was ours. I couldn't believe how efficient they had been, in fact so efficient that when we got to the new place the old occupiers were still loading there stuff. Never mind, it was a lovely day so a short wait by the sea and we were in. 

The Lorry was unloaded by three and the grateful movers were back off home. That left just the two of us with loads of boxes and an amazing sunny afternoon. The house was quickly locked up and off we went for a long walk on the beach. 

The weekend was beautiful, hot and sunny. I spent as much time sitting outside in the garden as I could, but there was lots to unpack. All I could think about every time I looked out the window was what to do first. I had my list of priorities and the top of that was a greenhouse, Not the tiny 6x6 I had many years ago but a big one with lots of space to grow everything in.

Next on the list a Summerhouse and also a shed, but I knew that there would be lots of time to plan and make sure it was right. 

The unpacking was done in 4 days and the house looked pretty good. It felt like we had always lived here, a great atmosphere, as my husband said, “its like being on holiday, but with all your own stuff.” 

So now to start planning the garden.