a comfy house and two acres of land - what more could we want?

So, here we are, newly moved to our smallholding and farmhouse in the countryside and, to celebrate, I’ve spent a great deal of time standing around apparently doing nothing. I’m sure my better half thinks I should be unpacking boxes (there are still plenty left to be dealt with) but in reality I’m sizing up the new property, weighing the possibilities and planning what needs to be done in our new garden. There’s a lot to be gained from some quiet contemplation, apart from the opportunity to skive out of unpacking boxes.
It’s important, for instance, to look at the various microclimates within the garden, before rushing to plant out any of the things we brought with us from our old home. I need a shady spot for my ferns, Brunnera and hostas, a warm sunny border for the geraniums, day lilies and Echinacea, some free draining soil for self-seeders like Eryngium and opium poppies and a damp place for primulas and Darmera peltata. It’s obviously a bit colder here than it was in the town – some of the plants we heeled into the veg plot a few weeks before we moved have been badly frosted, unlike their counterparts back in Cockermouth – something to bear in mind when it comes to planting out our tender vegetables and bedding plants.
In order to save time and energy, it’s a good idea to look at the infrastructure of the garden, and to make sure everything is as handy and ergonomic as possible. One of our first tasks was to rig up a long hosepipe to the polytunnel and veg plot, to save carrying watering cans back and forth ad infinitum. Next, we need to fit water butts to downspouts in convenient places, so that we can begin collecting rainwater. Compost bins will need careful siting too – not too close to the house, but close enough to be convenient for kitchen waste.
The existing inhabitants of the farm need to be considered and accommodated – there are swallows nesting in the old stable now, so our plans to knock it down and replace it with a greenhouse will have to be put on hold for a while. Rabbits have noticed that the previously resident cat has disappeared, and are starting to creep into the vegetable plot at night. We’ll need to put some fencing round our crops before the rabbits do more than just nibble at the ends of the rows.
Finally I’ve been looking at what grows well here and in neighbours gardens, and what doesn’t. I think the soil isn’t as acidic as we’re used to – some of the ericaceous plants in the garden (rhododendrons and Pieris for example) are looking decidedly sorry for themselves – something that will affect what we plant in the future.

Home sweet home