Sunday 10 February 2013

NEW DIRECTIONS


Some of you might have read that we have sold South Acres Farm.  We have lived here for eight years, have renovated the old house and created a beautiful 5 acre garden from scratch.  We would have loved  two more years but it sold sooner than expected.  I will miss the quiet of the countryside, the clean air, misty afternoons, the birds and even the cows!.  

The interesting thing about the 'missing' of something, is that this 'missing' seems to happen before the actual separation occurs.  I have had a lovely quiet reflective day here on the farm.  The perfect morning - warm and breezy was a good reason to take a cup of tea outside and enjoy the birdsong and the soft light....first signs of autumn.  After sitting awhile and  feeling a little nostalgic about things,  I took the camera and started wandering around the garden  accompanied by Bunny and Penny, looking closely and remembering the planning and planting of each and every tree and plant.  Below are a few of many many photos taken today and some memories and thoughts   



A good cup of tea..

looking at this


I will paint these (there are 2)  a different colour

I have loved this potting shed!

Box cuttings for the next garden!

They are coming with me!

taller than me!
so many happy morning teas here in the shade!


Might repeat this combination - Hydrangea Paniculata and Hosta
This H. paniculata is the only plant from the original garden

The agonies when we pruned the Limes too harshly and waited for ages for the pleaching to happen!

I prefer the sedum (Autumn Joy)  just before they colour, as they tend to collapse .. although their lovely russet autumn colours are lovely too.

the March lily.. a favourite

only a few glimpses of the farm as the Rill has almost closed itself off from the rest of the garden

happiness - they love the farm/garden



   Just some of the many, many trees we have planted 
the roof never did "grey"... I stopped the painting (sealing)  of the whole tea house,   but too late for the roof!
I have loved collecting the Carlton ware!


after 7 years,  these Planes have trebled in size.

The Lime Walk - from the other side. 

Back inside the old cottage - always cool, always home...

Hopefully, I have begun dealing with the 'missing' process and all that  remains is for me to look forward to the planning the next garden - a tiny one this time!  
      

11 comments:

  1. Its truly beautiful Jen. An amazing place to live but as you say new directions!

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  2. Thanks Den... Yep... it's time to move on now!!! xx

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  3. Such a stunning garden Jenny- you should be very proud of how beautiful it looks, and the wonderful legacy you leave behind, however heart wrenching! I have run up the white flag myself, and just engaged a garden designer. I feel completely out of my depth with the remaining 3/4 of the garden to cultivate, and decided I didn't want to waste the next 5 years experimenting and making many, many mistakes, rather than having the growing and enjoying of the garden. Love the beautiful carltonware too - I have some (in a box in storage) that I used to collect around 15 years ago, including a tea set. Enjoy the lovely weather xx

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  4. Hello Heidi... you always leave such lovely comments!... I wish I lived nearer as I would love to see your garden and suggest a thing or two... but I am sure the designer will be a great help. Sometimes it is the structure that is most difficult.. I love the plant choice side of things.... I am trying very hard to do the next one myself - I had Peter Fudge help with this one but have changed it radically over the years. He was so brilliant in structuring the northern lawns... stepping one down from the other by just 40ml.... I think I would still like a herbacious border in the new garden, but in different colours. I have a neighbour interested in my collection of Carltonware... but think I might hang on to it... it's so pretty... As a result of one of your previous posts, I am now 'using' much more of my 'special' things... ie the Doulton teapot in this post!!! Cool and drizzly here today.. perfect xxx

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    1. Oh I'm so glad my blog has done some good.... so far the only feedback on posts of that ilk has been that someone has gone shopping!! A cup of tea in a beautiful cup is definitely much more special. I would LOVE some help with the plants - my mother was the knowledgeable plant person, and she was too ill when I was planning the front garden, so I spent a lot of time with garden books googling to try and work out what the plant was that I liked. It's mostly ok, but the back is such a big area that I definitely need help. I think the value a beautiful garden adds to a house is not always appreciated. I also get tired of seeing all those same old imitation Paul Bangay designs (lots of rows of things, but not nearly as interesting as his designs). Hopefully the garden designer will be a good choice, she is very experienced....the meeting is on Thursday so I'll be interested to see what she has to say! I would have loved to have Peter Fudge help out though - good bones are essential xx

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    2. I totally agree about the very minimalist/rows and squares - also beginning to bore me!! I feel that the garden creates the magic before one even enters the house... it is more than 50% important to the overall value of a property. A garden creates mood, softness and layers of beauty. Even the smallest gardens can do so. Looking forward to hearing how the meeting goes and watching the development of the garden and the house. xxx

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  5. Over the course of time people will come and visit the garden you have created at South Acres Farm. They will ask in hushed reverential tones: Is this a Jenny Rose Innes garden? And the others will nod quietly in awe. xx

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  6. Liora!!!.... you are hillarious!!! xx

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  7. Glad you got this comment, it didn't show up when I posted it!! I mean it. xx

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  8. Your garden is so beautiful and I am sure you will make your next garden just as lovely. Moving on is always hard but change and all it brings is an inevitable part of life.

    I am like Heidi and toying with the idea of a garden designer for certain parts of our garden. I know what I want to achieve and know what I currently have - the problem seems to be getting from one point to the other!

    All the best for the move and all it entails.

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  9. Thank you Farmer's Wife!! It will be so interesting keeping up with our various gardens as they develop! Good luck with getting the garden up and going... sometimes a designer is just the thing.. even if just to confirm all of your own ideas! Thanks for the encouraging comment! Jenny xx

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