Discovering the Garden

Over the past couple of weeks while it has been dry, we have tried to get in the garden as much as possible, it is amazing now to go home after work and spend an hour digging and clearing. Discovering what lies beneath all the ivy.

I have cleared quite a bit from the terraces, but have not managed to get all the ivy off and the grass at the top seems to be stuck right in.  We are starting to get a feel of what the garden was like though, well the structure anyway.  I have been trying to find some pictures of a similar garden in the 20's or 30's but have not had much luck.  
I was so pleased to find the bulbs all coming through when I cleared the ivy off the right hand bit of the steps, I'm thinking they may be tulips?

Me and Tony were trying to decide what to do with this section.  We were thinking the borders need to be dug up and the shrubs cut right down, maybe planting cottage garden flowers and having  a little walk through them.

As I started to dig I discovered some stones under a thin layer of grass so I started clearing more and more to find a lovely stone path just where we had walked.
My hands were hurting and arms aching when I got to this point, I did try carrying on the next day but didn't have the strength.
Whoops I left a mess;) Tony is clearing all the grass I dug up while I'm making another tea.

The first section is nearly finished..just got to grow all the plants to go in the border :) Arthur will be having a little shed?playhouse there.
The view from the balcony is getting better, but still a long way to go.

I finished the path last night and did take a picture but for got to bring the camera to work, so will add it later. 

Can't wait for some seeds to grow, that will be the next project.

Spring is in the air!

I awoke early this morning and was lucky enough to see this very misty sunny start to the day:)
Really I should have stayed in bed as it was Mothers day, but Georges alarm was going off at 6.30 which woke me up. Once everyone else woke up I was sent back to bed with a Croissant and a magazine:)
As it was such a lovely day i persuaded George to come for a walk with me and Athur, Tony and Harry went off to a rugby match in Wareham. Just outside Wincanton is Penselwood which is a short walk from a nature reserve. The Crocuses were out in full bloom a beautiful sight.
The walk down to the woods was full of snowdrops another gorgeous sight:)
I can't remember the last time I went for a walk with George he's usually off skateboarding. It will not be long before he's off to university..infact he's waiting to see if he got into Falmouth to do a foundation. He is quite stressed not knowing and it has been 2 loong weeks since the interview.
The boys got to the nature reserve before me, I was taking photo's of the flowers with cry's of 'Mummy look what we've found' cutting through the silence ;)
They went into a bird hide then ran off following the map Arthur had picked up at the gate.
We plan to have a picnic here next time.
we went past the lake and up into the woods.
A few more signs that spring is here at last!
Arthurr wanted to go 'into the dark' so George took him and played hide and seek and throwing sticks.
I sat down while they climbed what was an Ancient Hill Fort.
Arthur did amazingly well, if I had gone on my own we would not have gone so far, I gave him a few piggy backs and George gave him a few carry's.
Arthur loves watching George do stunts and is trying to work out how he can do it! Usually I am in the background saying don't show him that! But if I have my camera I am to busy taking photo's lol.
Arthur had a go
then got a little help from his big brother.
he soon got his strength back, I was not running at this stage..but realising how long it had been since I went for a long walk. The picture above will become a painting eventually, I love the feeling of freedom the boys have as they run off :)
Stopping to look at a ladybird.
and finally back to the van, with a promise of a hot chocolate and one of my special Mothersday chocolates when we get home.

We have just finished a takeaway curry that Tony got so that I didn't cook, so a perfect end to the day :)
A Happy Mothers Day to all you very special Mums :)