A new garden, start to finish

We seem to have such busy weekends, and this one was no exception.  What a result at the end of it, a whole new garden.

On Saturday Mark had his apprentice finally build an edge round the in-ground watertank, ready to shape the corner of the carparking area.

To then make the new garden, this is what we did:

Spent a whole morning, with Mark on the tractor bringing cow feed poo/hay from the paddocks, and dumping loads onto the gravelly base of the ground.  Our ground there was basically river gravel and large stones, no topsoil whatsoever.  I spread  the cow muck round with a fork, and the help of four reluctant small children (2 of our own, 8 & 6, and two nephews 8 & 10).

At this point the largest stones were set round the edges of the tank for a bit of definition.

Then, a second round of tractor visits with topsoil from a pile we have been saving for such an occasion

The we broke exhausted for lunch.

Next Pam, my mother-in-law arrived with a carload of plants.  She has been amazing in taking cuttings, dividing plants, and on-growing things that she has been nurturing for this garden.  It is in quite a prominent position, being right by the house and carpark.  All visitors will see it on arrival.

We unloaded the plants and set about deciding where to place them.  Then I got to work with a thistle grubber making the planting holes, and away we went.

Last, but certainly not least, we put over two bales of peastraw to finish it off.  Only running out of pea straw at the end.  I need to get one more bale to finish it off.

A few moments of fun along the way (notably the cat catching another rabbit, and 3 birds during the day), and it was done!