Well I think it would be a fair start to explain how the scope of the gardens has changed in the last year!

After many years of saving money, looking a various house options and life getting in the way and changing our direction - myself and my other-half finally managed to buy our first house together. If you're an Anne of Green Gables fan, as am I, you will understand the full meaning when I say that it is 'Our House of Dreams' and one we intend to have for a long time. (If only so we can avoid all the packing and unpacking stages, some of which still isn't fully achieved a year on!)

So from looking after the small garden of a terrace house, see top picture - with lawn, two borders and veg in pots on a yard we now find ourselves with a pond, small front and back lawn, 7/8 borders and patio. So quite a change.

Work on our new garden was slow to begin with, as it had to be fitted in as and when between decorating jobs. This was particularly hard as last summer was nice and we were inside with a brush in our hand - hopefully this summer will make up for it.

But eventually we were able to start the challenge. The bottom of the garden was in quite a state - and included a giant thistle (which definitely wasn't for architectural interest!), weeds galore and overgrown trees and shrubs and the front borders were not much better!

But seeing the potential was the key and eventually over the course of the last year, we have built raised beds for veg from old left over wood and paint, tamed everything that needed to be tamed or dug-up, and planted new things as and when we could afford them.