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The Carefree Garden

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ACCOUNTS FROM AN ACCIDENTAL GARDENER - WITH A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE AND A LOT OF IMPROVISATION... In a recent article in Gardeners’ World magazine, Monty Don expressed his enjoyment and envy of the carefree gardens created by the programme viewers. It made me think of the barn garden, not just the hopes and visions I have for it but also my approach to gardening.  My style is what I think would politely be called, ‘carefree’. The easterly view from our home is one of distant rolling hills swathed in a blanket of trees above green fields dotted with sheep and meandering cows. On a clear morning, the sunrise paints the horizon in magnificent pink-orange hues, and on a not-so-clear morning the trees in the lower fields raise their heads above a sea of white-grey mist. The view is ever-changing yet consistent; no matter how much it is transformed by the light and the weather, it is always spectacular. Perhaps it was this dazzling view that blinded us to the challenges and sheer amount of wo
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Goodnight Gentle Soul

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  Nearly two weeks ago we faced the day that we hoped would never come; we had to make a decision that we knew was unequivocally right but felt heart wrenchingly wrong. On Wednesday 5th August 2020 we had to let our beautiful Jasper go. At this moment there is a gaping hole in our home and our hearts. We are grieving. French poet Anatole France said that, ‘until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened’. Over fourteen and a half years Jasper gave us companionship, unconditional love and comfort in abundance. We used to say he was as beautiful inside as he was outside (and by crikey he was handsome). Our beautiful gentle soul. Jasper was a Golden Retriever and all he ever needed from us was food and cuddles. Weighing almost six stone in his latter years, in his prime he was anywhere between seven and seven and a half stone. A big dog. His father’s official name was Digby and Jasper was his father’s son. His ‘golden’ fur was very pale and as a senior h
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Essential Accessories to Barn Life

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Sunday provided, what has become of late, a rare elongated period of dry weather.  Much of the day was spent clearing the steep embankment by the brook.  Despite the bite of the wind, jackets were discarded as the sun shone and the smoke from the incinerator permeated our clothes and hair.  New shoots from the weeds are just beginning to peek through but so too are the shoots of plants yet to be revealed.  Spring is an exciting time for any gardener but more so when you are about to discover what’s hidden beneath the bank of weeds.  This and small glimpses of life from the bare trees and plants are a welcome enticement to say goodbye to what has otherwise been a long and difficult winter. We have been assured by our new friends that this season has been exceptionally wet and windy.  By the time storm Dennis hit we thought we may have peaked.  It felt rather apt that the storm was called Dennis.  We once had a friend called Dennis, sadly he is no longer with us.  He, like the stor
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Wardrobe Matters

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One of the major decisions we made before moving to the country was that I would work from home.  Fitting in with the norm of country ways by having at least two income streams to my name, I would run our (not yet built) country cabin retreat as well as my own creative business.  Finances aside, there are obviously adjustments to make and various things to consider when taking the leap - like space to work, discipline and, of course, wardrobe. So how easy is it to adjust from working alone in a busy office, in a bustling environment, to working alone from home?  Forming a work routine has been an interesting experience, there are so many enticements to stop work and do other things.  Even when I am disciplined enough to sit at my desk and stay focused, I get visits from the blue tits tapping on the window, watching me watching them as they fidget on the sill.  I am getting used to it now, in many ways I have substituted distractions from colleagues with distr
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10 Things I Have Discovered Since Living in a Barn

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Stone walls are not impervious to mice I like autumn as much as I like summer Water from a borehole tastes amazing Biomass boilers are big and noisy Stepping outside and breathing the country air is good for the soul Our home lives and breathes too Sheep break wire fencing Living close to nature and open to the elements requires an ongoing maintenance plan I have never truly seen the stars until now Decaying mice stink
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Romantic Reverie and Reality

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As autumn is swiftly crushed in winter’s icy grasp and I am secure in the protection of our new home, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on life in the barn so far.   There are many aspects to share about this new way of life, not to mention how we got here, but more of that to come in later posts.     Right now the barn is talking to me, so that’s where I’ll begin. Up on a hill and parallel to a brook, our barn overlooks the rolling hills and valleys that lead to Powys Castle.   Over 100 years old with a slate roof and timber frame half of our home is built of 2ft thick stone walls and half of timber cladding.   Inside, all the rooms have exposed beams, rafters or purlins.   That’s a lot of wood.   Wooden beams are alive, they shift, expand and contract conversing with you through creaks that denote a change in temperature or the force of the wind.   They have character; some are straight and true whilst others stoically bear the weight of the building scarred by t
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