A quick picture to show progress on the lavender cuttings. It’s taking longer that I thought it would and I have lost a couple (which I have replaced), however, the majority are still alive! SCH
These cuttings are slow growers!
The house is perfect! A quick four-day trip over to France was all that was needed to confirm that it was the property destined to become The Little Grange. It has all the proportions of a grand house with the feeling of a warm and cosy home. It has four large bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, wide hallways on the ground and first floor, a spacious kitchen, three big reception rooms and bags of character. There is also a whole other floor for renovation and a barn for when I run out of things to do and need more projects!
We had a viewing on Monday and plan put in an offer this week. Exciting times indeed as we really start to create The Little Grange! SCH
Iron detail above the front door
In last month’s post I said I would be looking for gilded frames for The Little Grange so today it was back to our local auction to size up the bargains!
I found just what I was looking for in the shape of a set of four mirrors for £31. One was modern and not of interest but the other three were ornately carved and gilded. I’ve since cleaned up and polished the mirrors and have been thinking about how they are going to fit into the overall scheme at The Little Grange.
Other recent finds have included a rattan/rope-effect stool with bun feet – also from the same auction house – and a terracotta plant pot from our local household waste recycling site. The stool cost £45 and will go in the barn/workshop as a coffee table; the plant pot was £1 and is already planted up with summer bulbs. SCH
I know it sounds a little crazy to talk of edging a 100 ft garden path with lavender when I haven’t yet found the right property, but given the amount of work that goes into building a mature garden it seems wise to make an early start! Despite my impatience and general inexperience, I’m hoping that by taking cuttings from an old, gnarled lavender bush and planting them up now I will have the perfect-sized lavender plants within two years.
There are other benefits too: the cost of planting 40+ established plants from a local nursery is prohibitive (I estimate somewhere in the region of £400). With this being one of many ‘essential’ garden projects at The Little Grange it is hard to justify such a spend and the alternative – planting a few smaller plants – just wont have the same impact. By taking cuttings I will have all the plants I need for (virtually) nothing at all.*
I followed these simple steps:
Step 1: take an old lavender bush with lots of new shoots
Step 2: choose small pots, fill with compost and water lightly. For ease I planted 36 cuttings in two pre-formed trays of 18
Step 3: using secateurs, cut off a semi-ripe shoot of about 5 inches from the lavender bush
Step 4: using a sharp knife, cut just below the lowest leaf bud
Step 5: take off all leaves apart from the top set; thin out the central leaves
Step 6: using a pencil or similar-sized implement, make a hole in the centre of the compost and pop in the cutting
Step 7: using small wooden stakes and a see-through polythene bag; protect the cuttings; keep them out of direct sunlight
Once the cuttings are firmly established – they will sprout new shoots and will have a good root system – it will be time to pot them into bigger/individual containers with poor, stoney soil and leave them in a warm, sheltered spot. SCH
* Remember to factor in potting compost and water!
What a fantastic way to spend a (partially) sunny weekend… looking around other people’s gardens!
In a small village, about two miles away, Mum and I visited 24 gardens over two afternoons as part of an open garden festival. I love looking through magazines for inspiration but nothing compares to seeing gardens up close.
Aside from getting that warm fuzzy feeling, the whole experience provided a fascinating insight into the British psyche… Armed with a map of the village we roamed from house to house on a mission to find new garden design ideas as well as new planting schemes.
No two gardens were alike; some were large and formal; others small and rambling. Planting was generally organic rather than staged and you could tell that people just loved to garden (and their gardens). What I hadn’t bargained for was the extent to which people moved beyond plants and soft/hard landscaping to create their own little havens matched perfectly to their personalities and obsessions! For example, the first Georgian house we visited just off the high street had a miniature train track running around the perimeter and a very excitable owner keeping the train and carriages moving past their stations. Another garden lover had a corner plot complete with hot tub, pond and chicken coup!
Other fun elements included a hill with secret kiddy tunnel, an enormous medieval castle dominating the back garden of a family home, and a teeny weeny garden filled with all manner of decorative objects including the inimitable gnome! All set in a small village no more than two miles square… what a treat.
However, for me it was the traditional garden elements that I enjoyed the most. Above are some of the ideas I hope to introduce into the garden at The Little Grange: stone boundary walls, big old gnarly trees, formal buxus hedges, wisteria in full bloom, well-planted vegetable patches and a suspended garden bench. SCH
I have been thinking a lot about garden design recently. True: the RHS Chelsea Flower Show was on TV and was as ever full of great ideas, but it’s the practical side of design that prompts me to write.
The all-important wheelbarrow
I’m the first to admit to loving symmetry and tidy borders, but the day-to-day need for a variety of garden tools, sacks, pans, compost and water has made me realise that I am going to need a garden that ‘works’. Add to this the busy running of a B&B and you soon realise efficiency is going to be key!
We have been extremely fortunate to have had seven days of uninterrupted sunshine which has been instrumental in helping clear many an important seasonal job. I’ve spent hours trimming lawn edges, staking and trimming overgrown hedges, heaving compost into bags, weeding flower beds, potting up summer plants, thinning out vegetables and herbs, scrubbing moss off the old patio, and brushing down garden furniture… the list goes on and there’s always that unexpected job each day. But the point here is I’ve probably spent half the time traipsing backwards and forwards collecting or depositing ‘things’!
So in considering the workability and aesthetics of the garden at The Little Grange, here’s my practical design priority list:
1. Water butts in a variety of locations (fed by guttering from house, greenhouse, etc.)
2. Greenhouse for growing on new plants and for winter pot storage; ideally with a built-in earth bed
3. Tool shed attached to greenhouse as well as a similar storage solution closer to the main house
4. Potting shed attached to the main house
5. Kitchen garden within easy reach of the main house
6. Duplicates of key tools for those jobs that take you to the far end of the garden
I will keep an eye out for bargain buys at my local auction since there seems to be a constant stream of old tools, garden pots, lawn mowers, ladders, etc. You never know, I might even find that all important garden shed! SCH
On Monday, given the bank holiday weekend, I went along to our local market to buy some off-cuts of fabric. I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking for or what I was going to make but soon found a variety of lightweight, pretty prints. I chose three colours of gingham, a beige polka dot print, pink floral and a nautical boat print.
By chance, the next day I was looking through the kitchen drawers for a tea towel and found a number of old aprons (long and short) from around the 60s which got me thinking… would the floral print work as a short apron? It would need to be lined as the material was so flimsy, but it would be a relatively straight forward and personalised project for would-be crafters.
So here is the result: a few hours of measuring, cutting, pinning, ironing, sewing and finishing:
The materials and skills required to make this apron will be covered in the very practical Sewing (garments and gifts) course. SCH
I decided this is the week to begin work on the linen press… the sun is shining and there is no chance of rain!
The overall condition of the wood wasn’t too bad but there were certainly bits of veneer falling off and a couple of front strips that had come off altogether (although thankfully they had been left inside the furniture). Oh, and a small case of woodworm that needed treating.
The first thing to do was give the draws and box frame a good clean with a damp cloth and a bit of elbow grease; after that I used wood glue, clamps and masking tape to fix back the veneer. Having left the glue to dry overnight, I then waxed everything so that the wood was better protected and shone.
The drawers also needed cleaning inside as there was a warn blue lining in each made of paper. I used a similar method to removing old wallpaper while trying not to make the wood too wet. I am very happy with the result; the wood has a zebra-like grain running through it which makes for an interesting effect! SCH
The Little Grange is born!
The concept is firmly planted in my head… now to articulate it and make it a reality. I remember my cousin saying to me two years ago: “please be the one that actually does it!” . How exciting: to begin the process of setting up and running a B&B of sorts; something I have been dreaming of doing since I was about eight year’s old.
Time to get outdoors
The concept, then, is a boutique retreat set in a rural location with rambling farm buildings where people can spend time indulging their passions or learning new skills: from baking to sewing to DIY to kitchen gardening. All those essential skills our parents and grandparents knew so well… ones which are at risk of disappearing as technology takes over and reduces our leisure time. I want the space to be beautiful and inspiring; somewhere you can totally switch off. Food needs to be grown either on-site or grown locally. Guest bedrooms need to be fresh and comfortable with an element of surprise.
Until very recently I was working in Dubai running a PR training academy. I plan to use the course management skills I gained there to set up a schedule of exciting courses based around modern crafts and artistry as well as practical, everyday skills courses.
At the moment I’m busy sorting finance, spending hours trawling websites for the perfect property as well as sourcing items that are going to add to the overall atmosphere of the The Little Grange. Until Launch Day I will be documenting my thoughts and inspiration via this blog, as well as seeking ideas and advice. As the project materialises, I will be sharing practical experiences too (the good, the bad and the better)!
If, as you read this blog, you have creative inspiration or practical advice to share – please do! If you think an idea is crazy, I would like to know. Similarly, if you love, love, love what I have planned, do comment… that will give me the courage to keep going! SCH
Le Manoir Saint Gervais 