The Garden Renovation Begins

This year, we're hoping to renovate our garden. It's a small urban garden, the size is typical of many London gardens. Here's a little video of the current state of our garden, (please don't judge us) taken the other day:

It's changed a lot over the years, but as you can see from the video in recent years it has really deteriorated, through neglect, I have to admit. Much of the decking is rotting and needs replacing. OH did replace some outside the back door, but the side return and more beyond immediately outside the back door, still needs replacing.

More particularly, the fences are starting to rot and fall apart. One fence was damaged in a recent storm. This one was our neighbours responsibility, according to the deeds, so he is replacing it and you can see that he has already replaced several panels down the side return.  The others, which are our responsibilty, aren't great, so we're looking to replace them this year.  

In doing so, we will need to take down and remove the old shed, which we've had for nearly 20 years. We bought the shed for our first allotment nearly 20 years ago. It then came home to our garden, when we moved to a different plot 15 years ago and has been here ever since. It's not in the best shape, although I did re-roof it a good few years ago and OH has done repairs to it at different times. There are, however, plants growing through it now, which is weakening the structure and we have plans for this end of the garden, so I'm afraid it's time for it to go.

Here's a few pictures of our current fencing situation:

As you can see from the last photo, OH has removed some grass type panelling that we put up for privacy, revealing the old trellis fence on this side, which is falling apart. This is the side that our neighbour is replacing. The other fences are the ones we are replacing. We're starting with the bare bones structural changes, as these jobs need doing before any vegetation springs into life come the spring.

Once the fences have been replaced, in the long term, we'd like brick paths laid around our raised beds, which OH built and which are definitely staying, as they are a great place to grow salad leaves and pick them daily as we need them. This may take a while to achieve, as we need to find someone to lay them, but that would be the ideal. The bark chippings that we put on the paths don't work, as the dog scatters them as she runs around and some of the local cats use them as a litter tray, which is certainly not ideal. There are virtually none left now anyway.

We'd also like a new large shed at the end of the garden, that stretches the whole width, offering both storage for tools, bikes, etc. and a place where we can sit and read or hang out in. It is going to cost a fair bit and might take a while to materialise, but that is the current plan.

I'll keep you updated as the renovation progresses.  Wish us luck.