A Work in Progress

I have spent the past few days mainly in the garden - working, I might add!  The weather here in the south west has been like summer.  Over the weekend you could sense a distinct smell of barbecues in the air.  I felt really sorry though for my friends Joanna and Ian who live in Latvia.  They had more snow last week and still couldn't see the grass.  Today, however, on her blog she does say that the snow is now thawing rapidly and you can actually see the road and some bushes and tractor equipment etc.  

We moved into this house in May 2009 (nearly 2 years already!) but the first year we were busy sorting out the house and renewing and changing things so we didn't give much thought to the garden.  It is quite long - about 100ft x 30ft. When we moved here it was mainly grass with a few bushes at the top and a small patio near the house.

This was how the garden looked when we first moved here in 2009.



 Last year we removed quite a large part of the lawn in order to make a good sized patio so we could have a barbecue and have friends round.  We also dug the border on the left right up to the end of the garden.  At the top and at various points in the lawn on the left we planted fruit trees and canes, some rhubarb and a few flowering bushes to attract the bees and butterflies.  We extended the patio and added a small rockery with a water feature (which the birds love). Last week I started on the right hand lawn, taking away some more of the grass to make a less boring oblong shape.

These were taken today.

Already the plum tree and the cherry trees are in full blossom.  I was so pleased to see also today that the fig tree (under the plastic covering - for protection against winter frosts - on the centre left) has got new leaves just in bud.  I thought we had lost it as it looked just like a dead twig so here's hoping we get a few figs from it this year - we only planted it last year so haven't had any fruit yet.  There's still more to do  - digging and preparing the soil, weeding and putting in new plants and bushes.  I have already bought a few that are now at the point of almost bursting out of their pots so if it's still fine tomorrow, I should get them in the ground.  We also ordered a 3 seater swing-seat so we can sit and enjoy the summer outside.

Some plants almost bursting to get into the garden where they'll have a bit more space to grow.

  People say you're nearer to God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.  I know that is theologically incorrect - God is everywhere present - but there is definitely something about being amongst nature that seems to bring us more in tune with the love and peace of His presence.  I think that maybe it has something to do with the fact that God is creator and being amongst creation it's as though we are touching not only what He has made but touching Him.  We are connecting with what God is about in a non-controlled, directed or organised way.  It's not about listening to someone else talk about Him or sing about Him - it's a direct and immediate contact with the Creator Himself.  I just love it!