A sunny morning "hello" from the Toms family

[SusieG]

Morning - and a big welcome to the Toms family (be you green or red...!!! )

Your garden is fabulous - thanks for sharing your photos with us. I'm sure it'll evolve over the years as you get used to how it all behaves etc.....

Have fun! And if you're stuck for an answer on (almost!!) anything, you've come to the right place...!!!

[Baldy]

Welcome along - lots of good advice here. Nice size and aspect that you've got yourselves...

[Bren In Pots]

Hello Toms family and welcome to the vine

[fiveaday]

before you get attacked with a pointy stick, the Chicken Man is a Woman..................

Note to self, check out profiles!!

Thanks for the heads up BM, sorry VC

[Guest]

Our daughter is only 9 months old so maybe a little early for her. But judging by your username you maybe the man to speak to about chickens. I'm sure we'll chat some more.

I would say give it a year to convince Amanda. Once my girls reached 2 (oldest is 3.5yrs youngest 2.5yrs) they came out in the mornings to let them out, collect eggs and feed them and they love it. Having said that my oldest did get a brief phobia although still wanted to help but she is over the worst, but having said that I have quite a few birds But I would recommend a few chickens or bantums

[Snoop Puss]

Hello and welcome. Looks like you've found yourselves a lovely spot.

And, yes, I'd vote for chickens too. You don't need many - three as a minimum as they're flocking birds - and they are quiet most of the time. You don't need a cockerel for eggs, so that helps to keep the noise down. They're not expensive to feed. One thing that is pricey is a hen house. If you're good with tools, you can knock something up for not much of an outlay in comparison.

[Small pumpkin]

Welcome to the vine
I also think chickens is a good idea
Your garden is looking good, what you got in the greenhouse? Not that I'm nosey or anything

[Ms-T]

Hiya and welcome

[lottie dolly]

Hi and welcome to the vine,you sound full of fun,{cooooeeeeee rary,you got competition on here},what a lovely space and place you have found,look forwards to more pics

[cariann88]

Hello and welcome to the forum

[happyhumph]

Welcome to the vine - ooh, South facing...... quite jealous. Loads of people on here with children so plenty of tips/ sympathy on involving them. Chickens are great, loads of advice from peeps on here.

[fiveaday]

Your garden is looking good, what you got in the greenhouse? Not that I'm nosey or anything

Hi SP. Feel free to be nosey, if I had anything to hide I wouldn't have made it from glass hmm too much for the first day?

Not a lot in there at the moment. We've been busy this year as first time parents so this year we're treating as a "transition" year.

Tomato in pot
Cucumbers in pots
Aubergines
Several chilli varieties (we seem to be good with these)
Some Aquilegias we salvaged from our old garden
Some sunflowers
Hollyhocks sown from seed which we "borrowed" from someone down the road
Coleus Wizard Scarlet (a new favourite)
and more

Come to think of it there is a fair bit, but time has been our enemy. Most of these things should have been planted out ages ago but every time I create a new bed I fill it so the greenhouse and small pots remain their home.

Hence my reference to mistakes.

[fiveaday]

Welcome to the vine - ooh, South facing...... quite jealous. Loads of people on here with children so plenty of tips/ sympathy on involving them. Chickens are great, loads of advice from peeps on here.

Hello to you too HH.

I'm sure like us children are a big factor in creating a veg garden for many people. Can't wait for her to get involved.

As for south facing, we sometimes wish we were the other way around as the garden is so long that the house would probably cast less shadow than the trees at the bottom!!

[Snoop Puss]

As for south facing, we sometimes wish we were the other way around as the garden is so long that the house would probably cast less shadow than the trees at the bottom!!

The sign of a 'proper' gardener: things could always be that little bit better!

[fiveaday]

The sign of a 'proper' gardener: things could always be that little bit better!

I guess I'm just a water butt half empty kinda guy