Six years ago, towards the end of July 2012, we bought our first house. We were renting at the time and decided to do a bit of cleaning and redecorating before moving in. However, the first thing we did when we got the keys was put up a newly purchased swing seat. A few weeks later we took a few photographs of the garden, and by freaky coincidence we took six. So this week’s Six on Saturday is a quick ‘Now and Then’ selection of how the garden has changed during that time.
1. The view from the back door now
And back in July 2012
2. The patio now (rather cluttered with plants that need, err, planting)
And in July 2012
3. The new round lawn
And the original rectangular lawn and old rotting shed
4. The bed that requires some more shrubs to add a bit of structure
The bed as it was in 2012; much smaller with too many large shrubs
5. A view towards the new conservatory
The view towards the old conservatory in 2012.
6. And finally, the view from upstairs now
And the view back then
And they were my Six on Saturday. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, take a look at the site of the nice fellow who started it all over at https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com.
One Man And His Garden Trowel 
What a transformation! It’s surprising just how much going curvy achieves. More pleasing on the eye and makes areas look much bigger. You really ought to put a few ferns in there somewhere 😉
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I will! It does seem bigger compared to 6 years ago. I wish it actually was bigger☺
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Fascinating. Nice to see a whole garden too, rather than close-ups of plants. You can’t have been sorry to see the tree top left in your last picture go. Had the previous occupants not been there long, it looks quite immature.
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The big tree on the left in the last picture was growing in the plot behind us. I think it was planted by the builders when the houses were put up nearly 20 years ago. It had been lopped, but the neighbour on the left disliked it and she and the people behind had a discussion and chopped it was chopped down. I missed the privacy it provided initially (though not the sticky sap) hence the small tree next to the grow house (which might get moved if I can face tackling the rubble and roots underneath it, allowing me to shift the small tree to the left a bit).
We chopped down the maple on the right soon after we moved in, thinking it would get too big, and put the prunus cerasifera hessei (I think) that was originally growing opposite the back door in its place. The prunus is only supposed to get to 2m X 2m in 20 years but has already exceeded that, despite getting chopped back a bit last year! If it had stayed where it was we wouldn’t get out the door now.
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Fantastic! I love how you took the time to give new life to your garden and create something. Before it was an ordinary garden, now it is alive. Congratulations.
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Thanks. There were too many straight lines and not enough beds to plant stuff when we moved. We’ve managed to re-use most of the bricks and paving that was already here. All the edging was originally laid on cement (a nightmare to break up initially and I’ve broken it up in stages). I’ve not bothered with cement, etc., for the new edging (the clay soil helps keep the bricks in place) so I can alter the shape quite easily if needed. It’s taken a while but there’s still a bit more to do.
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Ah, the rounded edges are so much more inviting. You’ve done a great amount of revisioning mixed with back-breaking labor. Well done!
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Cheers. It’s been a gradual thing, usually with one main aim – to create more place for plants!
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Nice job! Love it, quite the transformation. Big fan of the curves you’ve added. A much more organic shape. I’m gradually doing the same.
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Cheers. It still needs a bit more height plantwise in places but my nemesis, the rotary washing line, often scuppers my epic planting vision.
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Yup. I will eventually be rid of the climbing frame and trampoline, but the washing line? Never.
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It’s wonderful to be able to look at before/after photos, and see such improvement. Your new curvy spaces add so much to your garden. A lot of work for you, but it’s certainly paid off.
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Thank you. It surprised me when I found the earlier photos just how different it looks now and also how much bigger some of the plants that were already here have grown (especially the tree and the box plants).
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What a good idea! The number of times I complete a project, prune a shrub, redo an area or revamp some furniture and immediately think “Why didn’t I take a “before” photo?” Lovely pictures.
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Thanks. My sister revamps furniture sometimes. It’s always interesting a see a before and after photo but it’s remembering to do it. I don’t usually remember either, I’m too keen to get the job done!
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Well done, it is amazing how you have transformed your garden. It is beautiful and what a great use of space. Great that you have before and after photos. Each time I have a new project in the garden I forget to take a before picture.
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Thank you. It’s starting to mature a bit now. Some plants may have matured a lot more quickly if I hadn’t kept digging them up and moving them. They don’t get much of a chance to put down roots!
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Great Six. I wish I had pictures of my garden as it used to be. Yours looks beautiful now
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Thank you. It’s funny. When I look at the new photos I just think what should be moved, pruned, staked, etc.
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Late, as usual w/my comments, which have nothing to add. I’m always so amazed at how beautiful a smaller garden can be. My impression yours is like the others, that the curve makes the garden seem so much larger. W/the extra room for plants, it gives screens & invites throughout. Lovely improvement. Now come do mine.
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Your garden looks great as it from what I’ve seen in your Sixes on Saturday. The curves have definitely made our garden look a bit bigger, though I wasn’t really aware of it until the comparison pics. Often wish we had a bigger garden. If we could move the house to a new larger plot that would be good!
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