April 23rd 2015 - Decking Squares

April 23rd 2015 - Decking Squares

If you have been following any of my blog you will be aware that we are in the process of building a decking.  This has been a long process as we have had to dig out loads of soil from part of garden to move to opposite end as garden is on a slope.  Hubby says I have got to be the only person that can buy a house that is on a hillside with a sloping garden and then want a patio (we did last year) and a decking that is also flat!

We started buying the decking squares last year every time we went to the big town (we are in a harbour town with minimal shops) where b&q is.  They have varied in price from £2.52 each to £2.97 and a few were on offer at 2 for £5.  I noticed yesterday that b&q had the decking squares we are using reduced to £2 each, I know that isn't much of a saving, but when your doing a big area on a limited budget it helps. 

I transferred £16 from the savings account (now has £2 in it!) and hubby got £4 for his petrol to a meeting today, I was given £10 that a friend owed me yesterday and we were going to use £10 from main bank account so £30 in total and 15 squares, when we got there they only had 25 squares (I needed 35 to complete area) so we bought all 25, yes it cost us more than we had planned BUT we don't know when they will be getting any more in stock - its a "as and when they arrive item" according to the store. 

We are stuck however, we don't have the wood for the frame work so work has had to stop until next week when hubby gets paid so we can buy some more timber lengths and carry on again.  I will have a decking by summer, but today and the past week has been like summer - very hot, garden thermometer is reading 26C.  If we have temps like that in April what is July and August going be???  I can't wait!

Today I have been sat around in the sun doing not a lot as I have re-hurt my knee after doing lots of walking and standing yesterday.  But I can cope with lounging around in the sun!!

March 2nd 2015 - Raised Planter

March 2nd 2015 - Raised Planter

If you have been reading any of my past posts you will be aware that my youngest son has taken a liking to gardening and wanting to grow his own plants, fruit and veg.

Well this morning in between rain, snow and hail and sunshine (yes its march and snowing but its typical UK weather), me and hubby went outside and made a raised planter, similar to the pinterest one.  However we have used decking squares to make it.  We had planned on using these to make the decking but I have since changed my mind as they have big gaps between the slats and went a funny colour in the rain.  But they will be fine for the planter and I even plan on using them to make more planters for my flowers along the garden fence.

 

 

Really pleased with how its turned out, need to wait for the weather to sort itself out before we move it over to beside the fence, but we need place the membrane down on the ground as its going ontop of a patch of very patchy grass that didn't take to well.  Then I read that if you put cardboard down again it stops/kills weeds but will disintergrate once its gets soil and moisture on it and it works as a compost.  On top of the cardboard I am going to place my wood chip that is in front garden as it has turned mulchy and yucky, so the front will be replaced with stones when I get round to it.