From desolate wasteland to something possibly resembling a garden

When we moved into this house, the backyard was a wasteland of cushion stuffing, holes, dust and rubbish. It wasn’t fantastic and we’ve spent the last few years trying to get the garden up and running.

On one hand, SUCCESS!

On the other hand, now the weeds actually grow and my pumpkin vines appear to have taken over the path, fence and gate. Which would be awesome, except they’re also vicious, resistant to being trained and despite five metres of viney wilderness, there are only two pumpkins in there.

I’m contenting myself with the fact that where the pumpkin vine is growing, there aren’t too many weeds.

Which is more than I can say for the rest of the garden, which is growing lovely lush grass, while my greens get eaten by grubs.

Grumble grumble.

The mint is doing rather well however. As are the prickles and the couple of apple trees I grew from seed.

The best bit about all the work we’ve put in however, is seeing the return of the natural eco-system. My perpetual spinach is the favoured hunting place for my frogs, the pumpkins and tomatoes have drawn in the bees and there are butterflies coming in as well.

It’s nice to watch – even if the frogs now mean that I can’t cut back the (seeding) perpetual spinach that has taken over half of a garden bed.