Finishing the Summer's Work

Firstly, here's a picture of the finished sash window (upper left window in the picture right). It was a lot of work - probably more than 60 man-hours - but it was worth it simply for the satisfaction of a job well done, plus the appreciation of t'other half!

As I said in August, I'd like to think that the finish on my window is better than the (not so long ago professionally refurbished) window of my neighbour (upper right).  Certainly mine was cheaper and still has the glass that it had when I bought it (although two large panes are not original wavy glass).

Apart from the sash window, I have also done the garden (right) along the side of the house.  This is the bit seen from the kitchen window, so it was really good to get it done before winter.

Having moved half a ton of earth from front to back, the side garden was ready for some turf which I acquired from a well known home store.  The bit recently done is in front of the shed up to the brick wall.  The turf didn't cost the full price as it was quite yellow but, having been down for ten days, it is now indistinguishable in colour from the stuff laid earlier (in three separate phases!) which stretches to the back wall in the distance.  NB The grass ramp is to allow me to push the mower up (as the same mower has to do this raised lawn and the front lawn) - I could lift it up now but know that one day soon it will become impossible for me!

I needed a small amount of top soil to sort out the levels of the last turf beside the shed; this was planned to come from laying a bit more driveway in front but this job just didn't get done for ages until happily it all happened suddenly a few weeks ago.  The new space (left) is only a small addition but I didn't want to loose too much of the lawn out front.  It allows much easier turning of cars in front, as well as a bit more parking when the family visit.

On the left is the view from the back of the garden looking along the side of the house. The back gates still need some work but otherwise now everything is just gardening rather than earth-moving, brickwork or stone work.  As my wife said, "you did all of that yourself!"

Compare this view with the next picture below, which was taken from pretty well the very same spot.

 

Here's a couple of reminders of what it looked like just before we bought it:

Firstly (right upper), looking forward from beside the kitchen, from the far end looking forward to where the back gates and my "repaired" wall now are (where the green bin is in the picture):


Secondly (right lower),  the view looking to the rear from beside what is now the kitchen window:

The tree (visible in both pictures) beside the wall of the house was a lovely pear tree which sadly had to go.  It was so close to the house that a chain saw could not fit between the tree and the wall, but a woodturner friend managed to fell it for me (in exchange for the wood!).  Note the concrete path (along the side of the house) which was about six inches above the floor level inside, whereas my black limestone slabs are five inches below the same floor level.

At the time these photos were taken, we had not actually found the side wall of the garden (somewhere to the left of the bottom photo) as the undergrowth was so thick!  Eventually (about three months later), to our surprise, we found that the garden widens out as you go back (and our neighbour's garden narrows) - I think it is because it follows a boundary along a mediaeval street, which predated both houses!