Progress and Misery

30 - 31 January 2020

The workforce are hard at it, and by Friday had completed the second bed, which had turned into a heart shape mostly by accident.

 The new walls for the old kitchen garden bed, including a separate section for mint to attempt to control its spread.

 The pond, now topped up to nearly full, with tap water, waiting for plants to arrive, promised for tomorrow

 Because the pond was dug out a little too close to the hugel beds, the front edge of the lower one had to be moved back.  We weeded and tidied while doing this, so it can be mulched and planted.  The hugel beds were based on heaps of rotting wood, which has now mostly turned into excellent soil.  The unrotted wood was pulled out and can be chipped for pathways.  Self-seeded borage plants have made themselves at home here.

 The fabulous curving flight of steps from the house to the pond and lower garden.  Very very pleased with these.  Exactly to spec, and much better than I could have made them.

 The temporarily transplanted mint, waiting for the walls to dry on its new home

On Thursday, we spent the afternoon getting some seeds into pots.  Some vegetables for the annual beds, and these, which are creeping thyme, chamomile and nasturtium to plant around the front paving and walls.  We took cuttings from lavender and prostrate rosemary, too, hoping they will grow roots if kept in water for a while.

All this is good, wonderful stuff for our incredibly lucky life here in Greece.  

But the misery of the title is of course for 'Brexit' - that unnecessary political debacle taking place tonight that removes our rights as Europeans without giving anything back. 

Rain Fail, and Steps

28 - 29 January 2020

Overnight we attempted to fill the pond with rainwater.  Unfortunately, the most recent deluge came before we had installed all the gravel, so we still had to wash down and pump out before starting with a clean pond.  We had rigged a hose up to the two x two-thousand litre tanks which collect all the rain off the north side of the roof, and overnight we let that run into the pond.

 There was some rain overnight, if not a deluge, but including the stored water in the tanks we were pleased the next morning to see the level was over the first shelf.  Nothing to do now but wait for more rain.  And order the plants, of course.  These are coming from a specialised nursery near Marathon, called Gryllis Water Lilies.  Ioannis who runs it has been very helpful, obtaining the liner for us, and now providing a wishlist of water plants, including edible ones.  We cut down the list a bit - the pond is, after all, an experiment! - and arranged for delivery hopefully on Saturday 1st Feb.

 Waiting for rain ...  tum ti tum ...

This is a mock-up of our intended outdoor kitchen - a barbeque and cob oven where the workbench is, and a double sink at right angles.  This had to be positioned in order to make sure we kept open pathways to the washing line and log store behind it.

As the workforce are away on another job, we set to organising their next phase: the steps and the herb/salad garden by the kitchen door. We've had a kitchen garden here since we've had a kitchen, constructed out of roofing board offcuts, and only just still holding together.  The new design is bigger, with a 'keyhole' entry for easy access, and will stand about 40cm high.  

There are things growing in it which we would prefer not to sacrifice: rocket, mint, parsley, kale and young cabbage plants, also a self-seeded Mulberry sapling, and two baby avocado trees.  We dug out the parsley, mint and the avocados and relocated them (the mint temporarily homeless as it will get its own contained section of the new bed).  Some of the rocket ended up in lunch, and the remainder, with thecabbages and Mulberry, we are hoping can be built around, to continue growing until we need to put more soil in to raise the level.

 The pared down bed - which, after various trials for shape and size, turned into a heart shape.  Slightly kitschy, but if that's what it wants ...

 Work continues on fabulous new steps leading down the bank towards the pond.

Still no rain.  Despite forecast. 

 If it holds off, we will have to fill with tap water, at least a day ahead of the plants' arrival, to let the chlorine evaporate out.

Flushing the Pond

26 - 27 January 2020

We have had four bags of round pebbles delivered for the pond.  We have to half fill it, to weigh down the liner, then edge each planting shelf with larger stones then infill with gravel behind.

 The first shelf edged and gravelled.

 Meanwhile, the workforce have finished the snaky bed - a very nice job done.  We asked them to only use lime mortar, rather than cement, in order to match the house.  But it means we can't fill with soil for a week or so while it dries.

 Second shelf nearly done, with edging carried across the ramp to stabilise the gravel for a beach area.

All gravelled in, including the beach.  We pumped out the pit, then Dave hosed everything down one last time to wash through as much sand and dust as possible before pumping out a final time and filling with rain water.

Lining the Pond - part 3, continued

25 January 2020

We had left the pond liner doubled over, as it seemed a good idea at the time - but after a night of worrying at the idea, we both woke up on Saturday morning having decided that if we could, we would pull out the folds underneath.  The double layer was very slippery, and might make it very difficult to get in and out for planting and maintenance without sliding around and potentially damaging the liner.

Luckily Brian and Dmitri came round to borrow the scaffolding tower, and were willing to help.  The under folds came out surprisingly easily in the event, which was a relief.  And we were right, it was much easier to walk on afterwards.

 Dmitri and I up to our shins in icy water, 

just the job for the incipient cold I'd brought back from the UK

 The long view.  We were using water to push the liner down into the pit, and then using flat stones to define the shelves, and make sure the liner wasn't pulling anywhere.

 Laying the stones with extreme care, they can't be dropped or slid, in case of damage to the liner.

 The bank and levelling wall completed - with gentle curve around the apple tree (which is not in good condition, but decided to leave in place anyway).

 The workforce has moved on to building this fabulous snaky raised bed, exactly as we designed, to act as a defensive wall between the house and the Ha (half a Haha).

While we got on with introducing stones and gravel into the pond, after Dmitri and Brian had left, and filling up with more water to check the liner wouldn't tighten up and pull all the gravel off the shelves.

Lining the Pond - part 3

24 January 2020

Our friend Michael had said to let him know if we needed help when we reached this stage, and wonderfully he turned up as asked.  We loaded the 150 kilo pond liner onto a ladder, and with the help of the workforce, it was carried down and put in position.  It was massively too large, but we need the offcuts for overflows and reed beds and other future plans.

 Dave and Michael start unfolding and spreading

 The view from the hole

 Guess who decided to be the one at the bottom

 in January, with bare feet while the others poured in stones to hold down the bottom?

 All laid out as best we could

 Adding water to ensure the liner spreads out into all the nooks and crannies of the pit

My foot - what a fabulously clear print.  Damp dust from the pebbles

Lining the Pond - part 2

23 January 2020

The next pond layer, which was purchased 'proper' underlayment (as the Americans call it), on the belt and braces principle.

 This needed both of us, so I abandoned my terraced bed construction and climbed into the hole to help lay out the underlay and weigh it down with stones.  It ended up looking like the Starship Enterprise, or a giant manta ray.

 Meanwhile, the workforce had a good wiggle on, and had finished the bank.  They were now building a little retaining wall at the foot of the bank to be filled and levelled with hardcore and gravel to support more water tanks.

 Looking good

Later that evening, the real pond liner arrives - all 150 kilos of it.  The delivery people got it as far as the kitchen decking - the problem from here is all ours!

Pond, Bank & Beds

22 January 2020

The workforce for building the dry stone wall retaining bank below the house turned up today.  Given the size of some of the stones, it was interesting to find out the builder was called Hercules!

 The bank on the day before work started

 The workforce arrives - labourer and builder;

 plus Dave still moving sand 

 and me moving soil and rocks in the front terrace beds

 The wall progresses

 Lots of work on the pond

Sand and cloth layer finished.  Time to sit down!

Lining the Pond - part 1

21 January 2020

We have finally heard that the waterproof pond liner we want is due to be despatched, so it was okay to start work on the underlay.  We hadn't wanted to start too early in case strong winds or heavy rain destroyed the work before it was covered.

 As our soil is riddled with little sharp pieces of gravel, we have to protect the liner with buffer layers so that the pressure of water doesn't gouge holes in it.  Dave took on this job, barrowing sand endlessly to fill the base of the deep section and ramp.

 I rootled through the linen cupboard, and was frankly pleased to find a use for the excess of bedspreads and rugs from the days when they were the walls of our bedroom.  Hope I removed all the staples!

 The view into the pit, as the sand goes in

 A fabulous flowering borage plant overlooking the pond, self seeded here, but perhaps a bit vulnerable with all the work going on.

 Rugs to protect the deep sides.

 Sand on the first shelf - stomped down onto the rug tops to hold them in place

End of day one - lots done and Dave exhausted.

New growth

20 January 2020

It was nice to see, when I finally made it home after 36 hours of delays, that the re-potted orchid had thrown out a flower in welcome; and even nicer, to see that our mushroom bale in the shed had started producing lunches!