We've got the builders in.

We decided on our return to the UK that we'd stay in our former family home until the time comes for us to downsize and possible do away with stairs and a garden.

We love living in Malvern and our location is perfect, we looked around at other properties and even put an offer in one one place, but then we looked a the costs of solicitors, removal firms, stamp duty, estate agent fees plus all the work we'd want to do to personalise the new place. So we decided to stay put.

We had a new kitchen fitted last year, the guttering, drain pipes and fascias have all been replaced. We've done a couple of other repairs and we're having a single story extension built.

Before

After

Back in 2005 we converted the garage to a dining room and converted the loft to make an extra 2 bedrooms. But we've never had enough downstairs space. The conservatory was off the lounge and as the garden is North facing, it never got any sun and was too cold in the winter to use, so it's come down, a new room is off the dining room and outside the lounge doors (which are being replaced also) there will be a covered seating area.

We found these builders at a trade stand at The 3 Counties Autumn Fair in 2022. We paid £500 for plans and drawings up front and the rest is due upon completion around 4 weeks after the build starts.

Before

View from inside

View from outside

The work started while we were away, we came home to this 3 days after the work started.

We then went away for another two days and came home to this:

This was Monday.

This was Tuesday - one week on.

The work went really quickly after that, with two fitters, two plasterers and 2 electricians and on day 13 they were gone. I made the payment over the phone at 4pm, all the rubbish tidied and the skip was collected on the Monday morning.

Now the hard work begins. The plaster and the floor is still drying. Peter is in the middle of laying a new patio. The lawn has dried up a little, then it's painting, tiling the floor and moving the furniture in.

I received no compensation for the post, just want to sign post you to Dunraven for a job well done.

My garden in May and plans for June

Some big changes to the front of the garden in May, starting with the removal of the tree and creating a new border out the front.

View from bedroom window, we're not overlooked at the front or the back of the house. 

Before

After

My friend collected the logs for her wood burner.

The border had disappeared and was half weed, half bulbs.

I've since added a few new plants here, a fuchsia and lupin.

The back garden also saw some tree work, not as successful, but I did read up about how to cut a fir tree back to retain shape and regrowth, time will tell how it's worked out.

The lawn looks so much better now it is edged properly.

Bluebells growing in the garden.

I've been wanting a hydrangea for years, now I'm back in the UK I treated myself to one.

I'm growing peas, basil, mint, tomatoes.

I added some colour to the garden fence.

My friend distance dropped a table and chairs she no longer had use for off.

My garden plans for June.

 Repurposing my recycling I made mini green houses for my beans. I've been unable to get a plastic greenhouse anywhere.

The cat and dog have been digging up smaller plants, so I made this frame for the beans to grow around. I've been unable to dig up the tree stump so this is a good way for me to hide it.

I've prepared a spot to plant my pumpkin out and looking for somewhere for my cucumber plant.

Long term plans are to extend the conservatory with a lean too, to enable us to enjoy sitting outside more when the weather isn't as good. If anyone has done this I'd love to hear how easy it was to do and what costs were involved.

If you'd like to join in with The Garden Year and showcase your garden then you can link up with Stephanie on her blog Life at 139a. I'd love to read more gardening posts to share ideas.