I promised some months ago to keep you updated about the modifications we are making to the garden - it's a long process, because with the exception of Robyn's Tree, virtually nothing of the original garden exists. I couldn't bear to part with this tree; despite the fact it is a purple-leaved cherry, and I often look at it and think what on earth possessed me to plant it. 22 years on it is still a spectacular sight in Spring covered in pink blossom, and it marks the day my daughter Robyn was born. I actually went into labour planting this tree. My mother thought I had gone mad digging trenches and holes when I was already 2 weeks overdue. My logic was to avoid being induced, and it worked!

As I have explained before, but for the benefit of any new readers *waves encouragingly and points at the comment box*  my garden is an awkward shape - it is small, and it is much wider than it is deep.  Whilst the children were at home we left it as one large area of grass, surrounded by borders that quivered against the shelter of the boundaries, terrified of being trampled by their rough games.  Now they are gone, we have decided to make it our own, and work started in earnest last Autumn with the completion of the decorative partitions, dividing the garden into three sections, Woodland, Rose and Chicken Worlds. Chicken World has been mentioned often, and is now home to my motley bunch of ex battery hens and a small orchard.

 Woodland world is making good progress too, and the borders are now fully planted, all we need to do here now is fill in all the trenches ( about 50 feet of them) where we dug out masses of bricks that had formed the foundations of long defunct outbuildings, in the shape of a Vinery, a lathe shop and others that we haven't quite worked out, although they could have been more stabling. The cottage is a conversion that we took on in 1986 from a  late Georgian coach house and stable block, which was partially complete.

It seemed to make sense to me that we should recycle these bricks to build the new paths in the garden. As the bricks were subterranean for at least 100 years, it was fair to assume that they would be of 'engineering' quality, and that after all this time they would happily work as paving - time will tell. They are attractive bricks, red mainly with patches of dark salt glazed blue, and white stains from the lime mortar we removed. They are handmade and hand cut, and the same Hampshire clay colour as the fireplace in the sitting room that they are now looked out on; Rose World.

This area is what has been taking all the time. Stripping all the grass off by hand, improving the soil with countless barrows of horse manure double dug to give the roses a flying start. Digging a trench and getting the levels sorted so that we can lay the path. We decided on a basket weave pattern, because it was simple and something we could achieve given our limited technical skills as brickies! I also liked the simplicity of it, it wasnt too fussy and would make a good backdrop for the formal box hedges that will be planted as soon as its complete, and the remainder of the roses and other perennials too.

Progress has been slow over the last few weeks, because since they announced there was a drought, and implemented the hose pipe ban, it has done nothing but rain! We have snatched moments when its dry and done a bit more each time, but it really is coming on and I think you can see the intended effect emerging.  I cant wait to get it finished and complete the planting, and introduce you to Rose World in flower!