Oakmeadows Cocker Spaniels

My Garden

With a little help from two friends (well rather a lot actually), the weeds and grass around my farmhouse have been transformed into a beautiful garden.

It began in April 2002 when I asked Maureen and Dave, my neighbours, if they could make a patio area for me by the conservatory from some old York paving slabs I owned and it has just grown from there.

There is an orchard, two gravel areas containing raised beds and some planters. The main garden has a lawn and herbaceous borders containing interesting trees, shrubs, cottage garden perennials and some annuals and bulbs. There is also a small wildlife pond. Cut flowers for the house are important to me and the planting reflects this. In 2004, we reclaimed part of the front paddock and planted a small arboretum with some shrubs and a larger pond with koi, a water garden, a bog garden and willow arbour seat. In December 2004, Maureen and I attended a two day willow-weaving course at Aberystwyth University and now we each have a living willow seat. In 2005, I bought a polytunnel and cuttings of the plants and seedlings are grown on with some strong, healthy plants now being available for sale.

Wildlife is encouraged with wonderful dragonflys hatching from the ponds and also tadpoles, frogs and newts. There are plenty of bird boxes and feeding places and I get a wide variety of birds visiting the garden including woodpeckers, nuthatches, long tailed tits, finches, jays and of course the red kite flys over regularly along with buzzards, barn owls and bats.

The latest project is taking place in the orchard where the paths are being made, areas cleared and planted and a fernery established.

Garden Open Day at Oakmeadows at Maesyderi Farm

I opened my garden for the first time in June 2007 for the National Garden Scheme (www.ngs.org.uk) combined with the garden of Dave and Maureen Allen who live just a few yards down the road and are responsible for all the work and maintenance of my garden. We managed to raise £800 for the NGS charities which include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Help the Hospices, plus others.

Although the weather was wet all summer we only had two light showers on the open day so many thanks to all the visitors who made the effort to support us. The homemade cakes and tea were very popular as were the plants for sale.

This year we are opening on Sunday 29th June 2008. The garden continues to mature and improve and this year we have made a few changes – the wooden garden shed has been removed and replaced with a pergola with climbers and a gravelled seating area. We continue to work on the orchard the fernery there is looking good.

Please come along this year to support us – SUNDAY 29th JUNE 2008 – the money raised goes to such good causes.

Visits can be arranged by appointment.

Photo Gallery

Here is a selection of photos of my garden before and after the redesign work. Click on each thumbnail photo to open up a larger version of the photo:-