Three years on.

Peacock butterfly sunning it's self.

Although we are still in August the weather feels and looks far more like autumn. The plans that had been made for today went out of the window and into the heavy rain. A day of gardening had been planned,

Susy and Zara inspecting the new bed.

the new bed has been completed and given the once over by two of our cats, but I still have plenty of things waiting to be planted in it, and the new hedge was to have been started, some people might say that there is no such thing as bad weather only unsuitable clothing, maybe they are right but there is not much enjoyment or need to make a martyr of yourself and get soaking.

Planting will have to wait for another day.
Not getting outside I was browsing through the thousands of photos that we have stored on the computer I came across photos of the cottage and grounds as they were when we first saw the place.

2011 when we first viewed the place.

Two bare fields, bordered by low hedging, it was a blank canvas.

Three years on and the cottage can barely be seen.

 We are both amazed at how much we have planted and how things have grown in just three short years.

                                    We are still developing the gardens,

Our garden outside the kitchen.

one day we might reach the stage where they just have to be maintained.
 However, the veg garden produces all we need plus surplus that we can give to friends and the flower garden gives me flowers for the house for at least eight months of the year, I'm still working on the other four months.
We have been given inspiration by some of the Secret gardens of Sligo that we have been visiting, the last one was  manicured but not too inspiring

No mud would dare to show it's self.

apart from the beautiful easy to use raised veg beds, very well laid out but the gardens lacked character.

A very neat herb bed.

The herb garden was very nice and practical, no muddy feet here.

Ripe now we think and ready to pick.

Our peaches are now just about ready for picking, we are debating as to whether we should leave the tree where it is in the sunroom or forfeit some space in the tunnel, one for us to think about over the coming months.

Hopefully a years supply.

The onions and garlic have now dried and have been platted, they are now hanging in the workshop, ready for winter use.

Misty and Freddy, the best of friends again.

Freddy is now back to normal and has had his stiches out, he and Misty are again the best of friends. I'm not too sure how happy they are going to be later on this week, a friend has asked us if we can give a home to one of his late fathers kittens, as this friend keeps us well supplied in fresh trout and salmon we cant really refuse, not that we needed too much convincing. I just hope the kittens take to the new one.

Red Admiral enjoying the Marjoram flowers.