35m x 45m and where to start?

[amandaandherveg]

I've recently given up my allotment after we bought a wee rundown cottage right across the road from our house. After we've finished renovating we'll be renting it out and will section off the massive garden - one part will go with the cottage whilst I keep the other part for growing.

This is by far the largest area I've had to work with before and it's exciting but I'd welcome ideas and suggestions from fresh eyes. I asked nicely for polytunnels vouchers for my birthday and christmas and planning on building fruit cage. I believe the ground was part of a Market Garden many years ago and much of it has been covered with plastic. There are some paths and beds under the moss which have yet to be discovered.

Thoughts and ideas most appreciated

[Matt94]

id agree with you it does look like things have been grown there before - you'll have to keep us updated on your progress with pics! - id be interested to see what it looks like when you un-earth the beds from the moss! good luck!

[winstonwobble]

wow what a great project

[taff]

I think you have an opportunity not to turn it into an allotment. I know I bang on about permaculture, but if you have a large space, there's no reason why you couldnt have your own ecosystem there. You can still have the tunnel for stuff that needs heat or long seasons, but looking at the garden as I've done it so far, I missed a trick by not knowing things to start with, I just bashed on and made pretty much what amounts to an allotment in the back garden, instead of thinking of it as a holistic place where everything could be integrated

[amandaandherveg]

I think you have a good point there Taff. My last house had a large garden which we split into different areas/sections. I usually go at 100mph to get things done but this time I'm going to really have a good think about what I want from this space and look for lots of ideas and suggestion. A friend of mine wants rid of her Summer House so perhaps that could be an area surrounded by flower beds, hanging baskets, etc. There is also a stream that runs down the full RHS of the plot and from this I'd like to set up some sort of watering system/pump.

[Aberdeenplotter]

It's absolutely mahoosive, beautifully so but way beyond cultivating by hand. Find out if you have a friendly local farmer who would be prepared to to plough it for you

[Kaiya]

How lovely! What about an orchard area? Or a pond? What's the sun like - are those trees an issue?

[amandaandherveg]

Fruit trees are a big yes, there's a line of conifers which you can't see to the right of the pic running alongside the stream which are around 30ft high. I have a friend of a friend coming in to take a look and give them a serious 'haircut'. The trees at the bottom have been neglected and many have burst through the old dry stane dyke. A local chap is coming down to take some of the large overhanging branches down for firewood and to cut down the 'vandal trees' grwing through the wall.

[Florence Fennel]

Wow there's some work there Amanda, good luck with it all.

[Two_Sheds]

French potager style, instead of allotment style? (it's all a bit square and symmetrical for me)



This one's a bit softer, more cottagey: