just in time for autumn

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I have spent my summer whipping the garden into shape. We've owned this house for twelve years and despite my best intentions the back garden has always been a mess. The previous owners had created a garden that was half decking {with a built-in pond} and half gravel. Oooh, nice! I thought. Low maintenance. We failed miserably with the pond and it became murky and yucky, a chaotic mix of pea-green sludge and an unpleasant aroma that wafted around the garden on hot days. And cool days. And wet days. The decking rotted. We added a lawn and the NHS kindly added a shed. But I knew when I broke up from work for the summer that *this* was the year I was going to get it done. I wanted to create my own little Garden of Eden. It took me the whole seven weeks {thanks, Great British summer rain!} and I found myself aching in places I didn't know existed, whilst sweating profusely and getting lightheaded at times, but it is done. It is done. I have emptied, weeded, sowed, painted, prettified, dug up, dug in, mulched, mowed, potted and pottered, found long-drowned gnomes, given homes to fairies, made some steps, found new uses for odd little objects ... The best thing is that it cost me barely nothing, except sweat, scratches and a few frustrated tears; if I didn't already own it, I bought it with vouchers and money earned on survey sites. Thank you, Survey Sites! It. Is. Done. But it isn't done ... I could have painted the arch. The decking is now protected but still rotten. I still need some garden furniture. But it is done for this year. And this morning I sat in my garden and enjoyed my breakfast and a nice cup of tea whilst listening to the sounds of birdies and wildlife {and some screeching machinery somewhere}. I even saved a buzzing bee who was caught in a web, getting to him just before the ginormous spider did. I hope he is kind to me in the future. I suspect the spider will fall on my head at the next available opportunity. I like this sense of achievement and the knowledge that the garden is now nice {and interesting} enough to have people round. Even if it is too late for this summer.