Author Topic: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')  (Read 15816 times)

Jayb

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #40 on: February 15, 2011, 14:44:51 »
You both look gorgeous on your special day, beautiful pictures  ;D

Look forward to reading how you develop your garden plottie  ;D
Seed Circle site http://seedsaverscircle.org/
My Blog, Mostly Tomato Mania http://mostlytomatomania.blogspot.co.uk/

1066

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #41 on: February 15, 2011, 17:14:02 »
great to see you back again, and how special to have Otter tracks !!

The herb garden plans look grand  :)

small

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #42 on: February 15, 2011, 18:12:20 »
So glad to see you back, I'd been wondering how you were getting on. All the best with your dream - lovely to be young, fit and happy with everything in front of you. Keep us posted!

bridgehouse

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #43 on: February 18, 2011, 13:15:06 »


Hello, it all sounds lovely to me .
Live your dream ,good luck.
   June.

Daipie

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #44 on: January 26, 2012, 11:13:53 »
I am slightly afraid to post on here as to what will happen next but here goes nothing. The first time I posted (Aug 2010), I spoke about buying our property and moving in shortly and the plans we had for the garden. The second time I posted (Feb 2011) I spoke about now finally having the time to start the garden and hoping to have things up and running in no time. Well, we had a little surprise later on in February. In October that little surprise decided to make an appearance and the two of us are now three of us. News of Elis George Summers arrival, when we found out in February, led to the abandonment of the garden plans and the escalation of the house improvement plans so it is with the utmost shame I come to you again to tell you that we are about to start the garden once again. I hope me posting here isn't going to lead to another delay as I don't think we are quite ready for another baby just yet. :)

So onto the garden. Its actually done us the world of good not to rush into the garden and have that time to see what happens in the garden for the whole year. I can describe it in one word. Weeds! Weeds like I have never seen before. The patio at the top of the garden was a forest of ragwort. I would say for every slab down there was at least 8 ragwort plants surrounding it. Weeds like dock leaves with white flowers fanning out across the soon to be upper vegetable patch like a climber populating a wall. Other weeds are populating the rockery area which are now dried out but sticking out for the winter. The extra allotment area behind our neighbours shed is darkened throughout the summer by the surrounding trees in an eerie twilight sort of quality and the ground is root city because of the trees.

The other annoying thing that is apparent and extremely annoying and frustrating to me is the amount of rubbish the last owners dumped in the garden. It has to be seen to be believed but it is easily 4 large skips full of items that cant be burned, reused or disposed of in any other way. Also, by my estimation, there is about 40 wheelbarrows full of coal ash which has been dumped between a wall and our shed and now has to be removed somehow.

However........... I am soooooooo excited to actually be starting. In the last 2 weeks we have disposed of around 80% of the rubbish by filling a trailer and making trip after trip to the local refuse site. I have reclaimed quite a few items from in amongst the 4 hoovers, 3 broken strimmers, large plastic toy house and burned as many of the weeds as I could find. There is a working checklist now;
build duck run
clear remaining rubbish to tip
dig veg patches and de-weed
stain the woodwork
gloss the doors and windows in the duck coop
powerwash stone work
move rocks to rockery area
repair pond
get rid of coal from side of shed
relay patio area
clean plant pots and paint up old large plant pots
repair fence panles
build new fencing.

If anyone has any ideas about the coal ash and how to get rid of it I would be eternally grateful. I have had a thought of putting it in with the hardcore when I lift and relay the patio. However I don't know what under there and if the rest of the place is anything to go by the patio is probably laid directly onto the earth which rules out getting rid of the ash that way.

What we can do with the shaded allotment is also troubling my brain so any ingenious ideas regarding that will be gratefully received. In an added bonus the area is also, we believe, the home to the local rabbit tribe.

My cauliflower seedlings are growing very well and will be ready to go down in march when hopefully the allotment area will be waiting for them. My lean to has been a god send with this endeavour as it is heated and also allows the suns rays straight through its plastic roof sheeting.

The ducks should be coming our way in April and Elis is being regaled by stories of various type of ducks already. The term brainwashed comes to mind. You will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks, you will like ducks.

Anyway I thought I would touch base with you all and apologise for our extended silence. I hope you are all well and hopefully this will be the first of many actual updates instead of continuous start up messages.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2012, 11:32:35 by Daipie »

shirlton

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #45 on: January 26, 2012, 13:07:31 »
I missed this post first time around so its day 1 for me. Don't forget the pics will you. Congratulations on the birth of your baby.
When I get old I don't want people thinking
                      "What a sweet little old lady"........
                             I want em saying
                    "Oh Crap! Whats she up to now ?"

small

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #46 on: January 26, 2012, 14:10:25 »
so glad to see you back, I had wondered what had become of the dream - well you had every excuse for hanging fire! Congratulations on your new arrival, anyway. I think you were actually lucky to have that space to see the garden through the year - it's spared you the heartache of planting in that shady spot. I don't want to sound discouraging but it's just not worth trying to grow veg in shade and dry root-filled dust (making some pessimistic assumptions there!).
As for the ash - do you have another use for that space? How urgent is it that you move it? It's not going to be good for your veg in those quantities....
I'm not being very helpful, am I, and here's another thought, in your free year did you see any foxes? They really really love ducks too....
But someone will be along with the positive stuff in a mo, and meantime enjoy, can you tell I'm just envious....

Daipie

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #47 on: January 26, 2012, 16:48:31 »
I accept the fact that growing veg in the rooty ground would be no good but I could solve this by growing in builders bags, plastic tanks etc. I was just wondering if anyone knew of anything that would grow in that half light really or whether it would be better to use the land for something else altogether. I suppose it could be used for bee keeping when we get to that stage (not something we are even contemplating this year). The coal ash may not be a problem if we can use it in the hardcore of the patio area so I am pinning me hopes on that. As for foxes, there are loads in our area but the ducks will be in a concrete coop (our converted shed) and the run will be on a concrete hardstand which will be penned in and covered with chicken wire above as well. I dont have any worries about this. When they come out they will be with us anyway so hopefully this will not be a problem.

goodlife

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #48 on: January 26, 2012, 17:07:29 »
Large containers...sacks etc. are fine for growing almost any veg..so that is no problems. But it is the amount of light that may limit what you can grow. Generally anything that are eaten as 'green' propably would be best choice..as flowering veggies will need more light.
Perharps you just have to trial and see how much you get 'away with'. Is pruning the trees a option to let more light in?
You could grow currants and gooberries in large builders sacks..they are quite adaptable for different light levels. I've seen them growing in quite shady situations in woodland edge where the seeds have been spread by the birds...and they still been quite productive. Gooseberries particularly don't have very deep root system. In a garden where I work I used gooseberries as a underplanting amongst trees. I did have to hack through some tree roots at first when planting the bushes..but bit of TLC in first year and ever since they been fine. They might not be biggest and best looking bushes but surprisingly productive for such a scrawny little things. Every autumn I pile lot of fallen leaves around those bushes to give some goodness into soil and following general organic feed in spring. That's it..they are happy little bushes and space it not wasted and produce a filling for a pie or two... ;)

Digeroo

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #49 on: January 26, 2012, 17:47:20 »
Your to do list is huge, and I suspect that with a new babe the list will get longer and some of the things will get put off. 

Do nasty chemicals leech out of coal ash?

Nice to hear how you are getting on.

Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #50 on: January 26, 2012, 17:57:02 »
One traditional use for coal ash is path building. Chemicals probably do leach out to some extent, but we put it all on our paths in Cornwall, and it never did any discernable damage to anything.

green lily

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #51 on: January 26, 2012, 22:17:38 »
Raspberries, red and other currants will cope with a certain amount of shade. In the darkest bits I think I'd plant ferns and make a beautiful fern garden. Cyclamen like to be under deciduous trees and so do bluebells. Would it work to swap the allotment and the garden over with the veg in the garden and the decorative stuff in the shady bits? There are lots of good books etc on planting shrubs and stuff in shady areas. Best of luck and just keep strimming the weeds- mind you hens can eat a lot so long as you are fox proof- day and night. :)

rugbypost

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #52 on: January 26, 2012, 22:29:11 »
Are you from Kidwelly or did you move there. I was born in pembrey, and went  to burryport school, Joined the army in 1969 met my wife in 1974  so been living in pontypriddfor the past 38 years . My parent are both buried in ST Lltyd church in Pembrey i go down twice a year. The water in kidwelly could kill a horse its full of lime try and  water from a water barrel. As for soil we grew everything, as for manure there are more local farms than you can shake a stick at. Take your time enjoy being a family time goes quick you got a lot to do but you will get there give yourselfs colour as well as veg for on those dark days it will make you smile ;)
m j gravell

sunloving

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #53 on: January 27, 2012, 09:14:05 »
Hi Congratualtions on the new baby and with your new place.
We use coal ash for paths to. And raspberries dont mind and semi shaded spot and you can leave them to it with some manure.

Good luck with all the work ahead and take care of your backs.
x Sunloving

antipodes

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #54 on: January 27, 2012, 09:24:43 »
My thought was, put the ducks in the shade instead of the veg! But maybe that's not feasible.
Love the fern idea!
Saw this:
http://www.letsgogardening.co.uk/Shade_Loving_Plants.htm
A few good ideas - says Quinces grow in shade???? Why not, they make lovely jams and jellies.
Hope that you work it out, congratulations on the little one, "your dream" sounds most appropriate!
Oh yes, pics please!
2012 - Snow in February, non-stop rain till July. Blight and rot are rife. Thieving voles cause strife. But first runner beans and lots of greens. Follow an English allotment in urban France: http://roos-and-camembert.blogspot.com

pigeonseed

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #55 on: January 28, 2012, 19:45:42 »
One traditional use for coal ash is path building. Chemicals probably do leach out to some extent, but we put it all on our paths in Cornwall, and it never did any discernable damage to anything.
That's what I was going to say! When I was little our paths were cinder paths too.

Daipie

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #56 on: January 29, 2012, 18:10:07 »
The Blog has been updated with a video of how the garden is at this minute. I only wish we had filmed the garden before we started the work this winter but you can see the work that still needs to be done there. I apologise for the strong Welsh accent and the mumbling in advance and if you need a translation just let me know. So any ideas, thoughts, or weed identification then please let me know.

http://breuddwyd.blogspot.com/

green lily

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #57 on: January 29, 2012, 21:33:43 »
What a big job you've got...  :oI suggest you get all the rubbish out as soon as you can. Would it be feasible to hire a small skip and have a 'work weekend' with some friends? The rubbish makes everything depressing although you've both worked so hard already-
Then give yourself a small bitesize piece of the garden to tend and grow a crop so you feel the joy of some food you've grown.For instance Runner beans don't go in until June so you'd have a bit of time to prepare a patch. If the soil is poor how about trying nasturtiums for a bit of colour? But I'd get plenty of slug pellets- they must think they're in clover! ::) Salad of course can go in your wonderful collection of tanks/ boxes..
Well done so far and keep us posted...

Daipie

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #58 on: January 29, 2012, 21:50:09 »
The rubbish will be gone in 2 weeks. Whats left is about 10% of what was there but we run out of time that day and had to take the trailer back. We will get the trailer in two weeks and I think one more trip to the tip should be enough. We are having a working weekend with as many friends as we can that same weekend. I think we can get the garden dug over.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2012, 21:59:09 by Daipie »

grawrc

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Re: Ein Breuddwyd (welsh for 'our dream')
« Reply #59 on: January 29, 2012, 22:50:00 »
I was wondering who that enormous tree belongs to? It looks as though it ha been pruned before and a good crown prune would give you a lot more light.

You could build raised beds which would give you a depth of soil above any tree roots.

i was thinking about the coal dust too. I'd be afraid of it causing damp in the shed.      It might be worth rebuilding the wall - you don't want your patio suddenly collapsing into the shed!! but you might need some sort of barrier to stop baby Elis hurtling down!

By allotment do you mean veg garden or is "the allotment" an extra bit of land you rent? What is the large building you walked past to get to the allotment area - is it part of your garden?

You have clearly put in a lot of hard work already but still have loads to do. I'd agree - take it a bit at a time: somewhere to sit and relax in the summer that's safe for the baby - maybe with your plastic boxes planted up with salads, spring onions, carrots etc and a few tubs of scented flowers. Cover up what you don't have time to do - cardboard covered with manure will suppress the weeds and rot down nicely for planting. Do an area at a time so that you get the satisfaction of seeing something completed. A big job like that is daunting but your garden divides nicely into "rooms" so you can develop it that way.

 

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