chezANIA Gardening & Landscaping

Favier - the hour of Pivoines/Peonies :D

2011-04-04T22:15:00.005+02:00

Plants either grown on or raised at les Limornieres - ready for their new home..

New home in need of pruning weed and soil enriching...

Previously the bed was mostly empty aside from the mature climbing plants on the south facing wall.

Now weeded, dug over and compost added we left it for a couple of weeks to allow any further seedlings to sprout. These were hoed and then planting began..

Paeonies (Lovely Louise x 6) were planted here - another 10 various colours & varieties in existing beds around the grounds.

To this bed and to the others we added - Papavers, pink and white varieties,gaura lindheimi, nepeta, sedum, iris siberica, macedonia knautia, cerinthe major, heuchera.

To ensure full floral display for a big get together in June perennial and annual plants have been added throughout the garden and we have plans to add more nearer the big day for a spectacular display.

Existing leggy perovskia plants surrounding the pool which we have pruned to ensure plentiful flowers on well shaped compact plants.

New perennial border - Mouzay

2011-04-04T21:59:00.003+02:00

http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.com/2011/04/naturalistic-planting-hiding-fosse.html

The wooden house has a covered deck running the length of the building. We have dug a new bed to ensure the view from kitchen and from the deck (perfect early evening apero spot ;D) is one through flowers all summer long.

Plants include Echinacea purpurea, clematis (unknown blue flower alpina variety :D) hemerocalys (deep red, yellow & orange) michaelmas daisies, annual delphiniums, iris, rose, calendula and more I forget at this hour....)

More interesting photo's of the plants established and in bloom to follow when the season arrives!

Naturalistic planting - hiding fosse mound in Mouzay

2011-04-04T21:22:00.006+02:00

Affectionately known now as the 'telly-tubby hill' this pile of soil is here to stay as it provides the filtration for the sustainable on-site waste management.

The plan is to plant it densely with perennial and annuals to provide a flower/colour filled view from the house April-October.

We cleared the weeds then shaped & levelled the land ready for Spring planting.

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5234239322293993771&postID=6295571385547978447

Returning in March after a mostly (relatively) mild & moist winter the grass and weeds had romped away. We cleared this green haze & got down to a timely planting into the warm soil just before a week of rain - perfect :D.

The mound is set in a woodland area of the extensive garden surrounding the recently built wooden house. Naturalist in style and surrounded by far reaching views of fields and woods a mown path surrounds the planted area, a mown grass path leading to a mown grass area on top (sun trap & perfect for a snooze or picnic :D) will help keep order during the growing season.

The maintenance will be as little or as much as the owner has time or inclination for with dead-heading helping to prolong the flowering season but a twice annual brushcutting being sufficient to ensure a repeat performance next year.

The plants are now in the ground (carex bronze, achillea 'fuerland' 'gold plate', verbena bonariensis, iris (purple and blue varieties) various michaelmas daisies, calendula)

We will visit periodically to ensure adequate water is ensuring the plants thrive in their first season and to pull the odd determined weed keen to out run the new plants.

Les Limornieres - Winter projects

2011-02-05T19:29:00.008+01:00

We have a list of jobs that need doing every year in Winter at les Limornieres to keep the garden resembling one rather than a jungle.

We have another list of things we dream up each year which we would like to do if time & money allows to improve the place for us & for our guests staying in the gites - more places to sit, more places to play, more shade..

And then there are those projects which somehow sneak to the top of the list because you stumble on a great find & motivation for constructing it is greater than more of the annual weeding & chopping back :-)

This week, we acquired a rusty metal tunnel frame...we saw it, we liked it, and thought we would worry about when and where it would go another day....perhaps it would even suit a clients garden..

We got it home and decided immediately it was going to live on our potager/veg garden.

So this morning found us digging a trench either side of our 'big veg beds' and adding a wooden edge, then the arch was bolted together by Alex et voila!

Whilst prior planning and design is what we are all advised to do with our gardens, it is much more fun making it up as we go along :D I think the expression is that is has 'evolved'...

The path between the two beds makes much more sense now, it will provide a much more stable growing frame for our beans and some annual flowers too and will make the path to the chicken run all the more grand too!

We acquired a pair of enthusiastic helpers this morning too..holes were dug and shrubs were planted - will help enclose the play area a bit more...keeping them in or out... :D

Rose pruning - le Grand Pressigny

2011-01-28T21:15:00.005+01:00

Before

During

After

This garden has many different areas. This week we have been working on getting rid of all the old wood, the plant which has grown beyond its pergola, currently onto and into neighbouring building!

The job was long & fiddly as the established rose shares the pergola with equally established wisteria and honeysuckle...

It doesn't look much at the moment...but by the summer the re-growth should re-cover the pergola providing shade and the flowers should be in view without binoculars! Photo in bloom as always will follow!

We cleared the base of the climbing plants, added bulbs and shade tolerant plants to brighten up this poolside summer evening BBQ and apero spot :D

More Iris bed maintenance....must be the time of year!

2011-01-28T21:09:00.002+01:00

Last week it was at ours http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.com/2011/01/iris-bed-maintenance-les-limornieres.html now an iris 'pond' in La Guerche gets the treatment ;D

Will post a pic of this lovely iris bed in its full glory later this Spring...now without last years' grass, brambles and dead leaves...

Iris bed maintenance - les Limornieres

2011-01-17T21:58:00.006+01:00

3hrs on a mild and sunny January afternoon I decided it was time to tackle the 30m of straggly, slimy dead iris leaves...

During the previous year plenty of weeds & straggly grass has also crept in between the iris.

So before the iris get growing again, I donned some gloves and mostly pulled out the dead stuff, the weeds and the grass by hand, then using a half moon tool...I put a new edge on the grass verge next to the row of iris and with any luck by May we will more of the following :D Ok...what is next?!

Courtyard garden - Azay-le-Rideau New Year New Pergola

2011-01-17T21:50:00.003+01:00

http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.com/2010/10/courtyard-garden-azay-le-rideau_20.html

Construction of pergola to span the width of the building and out to the back of the garden.

The existing mature wisteria (pictured bare and asleep in Jan ;) will quickly cover the new support and provide scented shade in the spring and summer months.

Pergola constructed in oak posts fixed to metal posts concreted into the ground - the wood stays off the ground and will therefore last longer, also tends to look little more elegant in our opinion than concreting the posts directly into the ground.

Next step will be to return to lay the patio, plant the beds with perennials and cover remaining surfaces with gravel.

Mouzay - new boundary hedge

2010-11-15T17:35:00.002+01:00

Planted new boundary hedge, mixed flowering shrubs which will be left to grow to their full size.

Apricot and Cherry tree planted in front, in between two existing mature fruit trees.

Will return to see their progress and perhaps next time we'll take better photo's!

Client: Anna Tanvir, Mouzay

Mouzay - long summer flowering view from kitchen

2010-11-14T16:05:00.002+01:00

Following our last visit..when we cleared away the summers growth & broke up the big lumps of earth,

we went away again to wait for autumn and ground to soften up!

We returned in early November & strimmed where the grass is to stay and dug over and removed weeds where flowering perennials and annuals are going to be planted.

We have shaped the hill slightly..(or emphasied the shape it had already settled into :)) to allow for a grass path over as well as around...thus being described as the telly tubby hill more and more but better that than the 'fosse pile' ;D

In this visit we cleared the bed along the deck and planted with a range of sun loving, tall, robust and colourful perennials to get the 'flowering view' started as soon as possible.

The verbena bonariensis, echinacea, leucantheum, hemerocalis etc. should flower in their first year and survive will little or no watering or maintenance, except for a chop back at the end of the season.

The 'hill' is now ready and waiting for a spring planting of many small perennials, mostly varied colour achilleas, grasses, verbena bonariensis to help create a dense mass of naturalistic planting to flower through out the summer and beyond.

Courtyard garden - Azay-le-Rideau PROGRESS

2010-10-20T21:06:00.003+02:00

http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.com/2010/10/courtyard-garden-azay-le-rideau.html

A pause in the ongoing building work brings us back to the courtyard at Azay le Rideau.

No surprises...the weeds have been busy since we were last here

Prep and layout of the concrete sub base in preparation for their new patio.

Then we will be back in the New Year after the interior is done & the windows are fitted to construct the pergola for existing mature wisteria.

l'art & lard - le Petit Pressigny

2010-10-09T11:23:00.008+02:00

Success!! Trout and cat fish (truite et poisson chat!) 2009

Poterie 2009

l'art & Lard - Fete d'automne

le Petit Pressigny 37

dimanche 10 octobre 2010 10h-18h

les delices de Pressigny-le-Savoureulx

Activities include, trout fishing for 3-12 years, guess weight of the fish..pottery workshop, face paint and trampoline also for the children. Local food, drink producers, services and artisans will be there, the art is displated throughout the village in gardens, courtyards and caves.

Come and see us at the autumn fayre in le Petit Pressigny on Sunday 10th October where we will be hopefully enjoying some fine weather, good local food and perhaps even winning the odd fish or two from our pitch on the village square ;D

We will have walnuts, hazlenuts, pumpkins and plants for sale and would be happy to discuss any plans you may have for your garden in the coming months.

Bon weekend! Alex & Nicole

PS...Have not got to grips with either copying text into a google blog OR the means to add accents to french text within a google blog...that is my excuse for remaining in English....will try harder..

Potager to be - Mouzay

2010-10-07T21:50:00.005+02:00

Clearing ex-hedge which has morphed into tall light stealing trees over recent years into manageable height and depth ready for bonfire to sterlise soil and kill grass and weeds this autumn.

Next step later in Autumn...build raised beds ready for 'Potager season 2011' ;D

The potager makes way for croquet lawn - le Petit Pressigny

2010-10-06T23:11:00.007+02:00

http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.com/2009/11/potager-project-le-petit-pressigny.html

The potager has been regularly cut throughout the year and a pear tree moved from another garden in Spring.

We have been back in September to help with the preparation of the croquet lawn. After killing off the weeds. The top layer of the soil has been turned and raked to remove stones and remaining weed roots (dandelion, thistle etc..).

We are back to sow the grass seed in this lovely soft October (so far ;D) and hoping the mild, even warm weather with regular night rain continues.

In November an apricot and apple tree will be planted too and iris and other flowering plants moved from where they have outgrown to provide a backdrop.

Update on the apero spot in Preuilly-sur-Claise

2010-10-06T22:23:00.003+02:00

Check out the finished article - link to property owners blog, Cheers Simon and Susan :D
http://http//daysontheclaise.blogspot.com/2010/09/our-garden-yesterday.html

Update: New bed in front of 2 gites, les Limornieres longere lavender bed

2010-10-02T22:02:00.003+02:00

Early June, Saule (left) and Noix (right).

Update at the end of the first season - the climbing plants have made good progress in their first season. The lavender all provided a great display of fragrance, colour and flowers - filled with hummingbird hawkmoths, bees, and butterflies.

They were planted as small young plants and so remain as individual balls. To ensure a long season of colour and flowers, we underplanted with allium and sowed cosmos seeds.

Next year I expect we will want to remove some of the cosmos as the lavender bulks up but the allium should be able to remain and provide flowers before the lavender does its thing.

Oct 2010

Before: http://chezaniagardens.blogspot.com/2009/11/create-lavender-bed-plant-supports-for.html

Restoring hedge - Mouzay

2010-09-20T23:02:00.001+02:00

Before. Phase I

Asked to reduce height of Privett hedge to gain view across fields and encourage new growth to dead looking gappy bottom of ground level to 50-80cm.

We have a good 1-2 years for the hedge to be in best state as the property is just coming to the end of being a building site. We are going to be working on other areas of the garden itself to help get it in shape to match its new home in the coming months.

As the privett hedge is providing a screen for the ongoing 'works' for the timebeing we decide to cut down the inside shade side of the hedge to 15-20cm below the desired hedge height during the first sign of a week of damp and rain.

We will be back after the last of the hard winter (dry, NE winds and -18 degs C last year so playing it a bit safe ;D). Our next step will be to cut down the outer side of the hedge and give it all a good load of organic matter at its feet to encourage a vigorous growth in the Spring next year. We plan to trim the new growth to desired height and depth next autumn.

Next...'Flowers' - Mouzay

2010-09-20T21:24:00.002+02:00

We have been asked to make a plan to improve the view of the mound of earth that is the very necessary fosse filter bed...'flowers' and a better view is the only request, no deep penetrating roots is the consideration we have to think about.... ;D

The satellite dish is being moved elsewhere..we have suggested a small area of deck to cover the actual concrete septic tank (fosse) whilst still allowing access for maintenance (and perhaps a morning coffee or evening apero spot :D). The deck will also provide a step off the veranda and into the garden via a cut grass path.

We are planning to plant the 'mound' with perrennials & annuals which happily self-seed in this region. Plants such as Alliums, achilleas, verbena, calendula & grasses...and mixing in a cut grass path and grass circle on the top off the sun trap mound, this area will provide a great flower filled view from the kitchen from April-Oct.

Maintenance: the seed heads can be left all winter or strimmed off for a tidier result - or all strimmed early spring before all the new growth starts growing again.

We will be back with more photo's and progress report in Nov.

Courtyard garden - Azay-le-Rideau

2010-08-10T22:31:00.000+02:00

BEFORE/AVANT - Garden in 'post-house renovation' state... ;D

Brief to provide terrasse, pergola to provide shade and extend to support existing mature wisteria. Gravel remaining ground, save beds with bulbs and low matenane, drought tolerant perennials.

Work to clear site & mark out new terrasse, footings for pergola etc. starts 11th October 2010.

More photo's to follow.

Post storm damage repairs to established rose arbour - Leugny

2010-03-10T22:31:00.001+01:00

Following the destruction caused by Tempete Xynthia in Feb 2010, we helped owners to repair the structure. We took the opportunity to remove dead & damaged wood from the established rose collection before re-tieing in all stems in anticipation of the flowers to come.

After a long cold Spring, we were rewarded with a fantastic display by summer. Photo to follow next year as I failed to coincide having a camera when the flowers were out ;D.

Block up old doorway in outbuilding - Preuilly-sur-Claise

2010-02-22T19:51:00.003+01:00

Before: gap in outbuilding.
Plan for 'apero terrace' means this needs to be blocked up to create 'corner'.

See later posts for progress on this.

Hidden garden pruning - le Petit Pressigny

2010-01-10T21:48:00.000+01:00

Here we were Autumn 2009 in lePP & as the maintenance work in the garden is ongoing, I thought a photo update would be an idea. Above: the fig which had grown to over 6m high & way too deep was pruned and tied into the wall whilst dormant. By May signs of new growth are in evidence, and the sunlight is now to be seen too!

Repairs to the wall capping follow:

Brief: new garden boundary wall in place of pile of rubble! le Grand Pressigny

2009-12-17T16:55:00.011+01:00

Before - pics supplied by property owners

An area 10m x 1m at the rear of a traditional stone house in the village centre of le Grand Pressigny.

First a collection of rubble (3m cubed+) from previous owners DIY over decades needed to be removed.

To clear and re-instate boundary wall to tidy up and provide an out of sight area to store garden furniture etc.

removed...

Exposing neighbours (leaning..) concrete block wall.

Re-building of wall using local stone and lime mortar (chaux). Metal rods used to re-inforce.

Remedied uneven ground levels to provide a more even path from grass, to gravel and patio etc.

Finished path with gravel.

Renovation of cobbled courtyard/driveway - Preuilly-sur-Claise

2009-12-07T13:15:00.005+01:00

Before: There was a mix of gravel, sand and concrete filling a hole in the original cobbled courtyard.

During: Once the area was dug out to a decent depth to allow for replacing the varying shape & size of the original cobbles was prepared, they were re-laid by Alex to provide a finished surface suitable for foot traffic and parking.
Finished.

Photo's supplied by property owners Simon & Susan http://daysontheclaise.blogspot.com

Additional cobbles required to finish the job were sourced by the property owners via M. Douady, le Petit Pressigny.

Renovation of well-head - Preuilly-sur-Claise

2009-12-01T21:46:00.007+01:00

There was an existing concrete plinth to well

Project was to disguise existing & to raise the level of lid following garden groundworks.

A retaining wall for new lid was built using local stone and chaux mortar.

Driveway & Gates- Preuilly-sur-Claise

2009-11-20T21:14:00.007+01:00

Following earlier ground works and retaining walls.

Dalle-gazon chosen to support car access on grass drive.

The dalle-gazon is laid & levelled, then topped with soil & seed.

Back-filled area & dalle-gazon drive ready for grass seed.

Owners original plan and photo of the finished article..just need the Spring to arrive for the grass to return.

Renovating existing flower beds - le Grand Pressigny

2009-11-16T18:28:00.000+01:00

Following a project to create a new bed for a client in le Grand Pressigny, we were asked to look at two others within their gardens, these had been created over a period of time since they renovated the property. The brief was to produce more colour throughout the summer.

The two beds included well established shrubs which had initially offered shape, form and a green backdrop. They had outgrown their space (things grow well in the Indre-et-Loire!) we agreed those which were best to stay and those which had to go!

We removed shrubs, then pruned and shaped those staying. The rest of the bed was dug over & enriched - the soil is heavy chalky clay with alot of flint mixed in, this becomes very compacted over time especially when the rain runs straight off the roof onto the bed. Although existing plants don't seem to mind new plants can quickly rot in winter or die of thirst in summer!

We then add our own secret mix of compost...not all that secret really just a labour intensive mix of various organic matter and patience while it changes to a rich dark crumbly stuff :D

The beds were then underplanted with a mixed colour range of tulips, then alliums which will grow through the shrubs before the are at their best.

We then chose a range of perrennial plants which provide a long flowering period and will perform well during hot dry summers and will very likely re-flower during the same year if cut back after first flowering - echinacea purpurea, papaver, penstemon, geraniums, scabious, verbena etc.

We also split and re-planted the clients overcrowded established plants such as iris, geraniums to rejuvenate and encourage them to flower profusely.

By mid November the plants are in place to make the most of the cooler wet months to establish a good roots system. We will return with photo's in Spring 2010 and beyond to see how the plants top growth performs!

Create lavender bed & plant supports for 2 Gites - Longere - le Grand Pressigny

2009-11-15T21:39:00.000+01:00

Before - sleepy cat, grass up to edge of practical but ugly concrete path along front of longere which is divided into two 2 bedroom holiday rental cottage.

The front of the building offers very little shade in south facing courtyard in summer and the right hand cottage 'Noix' has no other 'private' outdoor space.

The aim is to provide some shade, fragrance, increase feeling of privacy within communal courtyard.

Pergola over each entrance with range of clematis/vines to provide shade & flower between April and October.

Strip bed of lavender, underplanted with range of alliums to provide drought tolerant and fairly low maintenance flowering between April and October.

This will provide additional interest with butterflies & bees hovering in the lavender during summer and will provide an excellent morning coffee spot or evening apero/owl watching spot for guests staying in Noix!

More photo's of progress to follow..

Oct/Nov 2009

New Perrenial Poolside Bed - le Grand Pressigny

2009-11-11T23:06:00.002+01:00

Our brief was to provide a new bed next to existing pool - to provide summer long riot of colour, using drought tolerant perrenials - with colour preferences to cool tones, the space (close to pool) is most often used for early evening aperitifs.

Plan - We suggested blocking the right hand opening to the outbuilding as not used for access - this helps provide a better backdrop for climbing plants to continue into corner.

We selected clematis, ceonothus, scabious in cream and blue, ajuga, echinacea white swan and other complementary perennial plants.

We underplanted with muscari and tete a tete dwarf daffodils for early spring colour and tall cream alliums to join the gap between spring and summer.

We included plants which are half-hardy such as cerinthe major and verbena bonsarensis, these perform very well locally and tend to reliably self-seed even if the main plant doesn't survive a hard winter.

We used local stone to edge the bed in keeping with the rest of this gardens existing landscaping.(The stone is dug up with just about each spadeful in these parts.. :S)

All the plants have had a good start this autumn as the mild, wet weather has given the plants a good chance to establish a good root system before we mulch against winter cold (-18 last year and a fweek long foot of snow...).

It is our preference to get plants in the ground in an available warm wet window in autumn to help plants get well established before they experience their first long hot and very possibly dry summer.

As we left the bed at the beginning of November. We will post updated photo's to see how this bed gets on through the coming seasons.

Potager Project - le Petit Pressigny - started in Oct 2009

2009-11-11T09:51:00.001+01:00

Brief: To restore asparagus & strawberry beds, plant additonal fruit trees and create a croquet lawn!

The potager site (approx 50m x 40m) had been untended for a couple of years so the first step was to strim the 80cm high grass and weeds, and to cut back the boundary 'hedge'.

We had the bonfires to burn the rubbish in places where we will plant the fruit trees to help prepare the soil (additional potash) and kill off the grass and perennial weeds.

(Sorry...no photo's of the before you will just have to believe us :D)

Owing to the exceptionally dry and warm autumn we were able to follow on and cut the grass with a ride-on lawn mower. The areas left are where the asparagus will need hand-weeding and strawberries are being moved from.

The land has a series of long raised ridges of earth sloping dowhill towards the stream which used to grow annual veg.

The rotorvator was used to break up the mounds and prepare the ground where it will be further flattened and prepared, then sown for the croquet lawn in Spring.

The asparagus beds were extended to the full length of the plot to provide an area to move the strawberries to.

We will return in Spring with more photo's..first jobs...transplant a pear tree, plant up strwberries, plant 3 more fruit trees, cut grass, further prepare croquet lawn (15m x 20m) sow seed.

Groundworks & Drainage to create fenced back garden - Preuilly-sur-Claise

2009-11-10T19:53:00.005+01:00

Previously a stable yard, the compacted soil was dug to prepare for footings & blockwork to support fencing.

Drainage & footings for the new perimeter fencing.

Block retaining wall to level garden side ground.

Back filling the block retaining wall with topsoil.

Read following blogs to see the garden's progress...

Pruning - le Petit Pressigny

2009-11-01T09:05:00.000+01:00

Before

A mature fig tree & rose needed to be reduced in size (from over 8m high down to 4m) in order to tie in & encourage lateral growth.

Further pruning and tying in will be required in Spring when the new growth re-appears, more photo's to follow :D

Recent achievements...

2009-10-31T22:23:00.009+01:00

Mr et Mme Alex Crawford

2009 'Paysager en environment' - 2eme prix

du Grand Pressigny

Mme Nicole Crawford
2008 'Maison Fleurie' - 1er prix
Comice Agricole de l'Arrondissement de Loches

Mr et Mme Alex Crawford
2008 'Paysager en environnement' - 2eme prix
du Grand Pressigny

Renovation of garden walls - le Grand Pressigny

2009-10-28T21:18:00.000+01:00

Before - courtyard boundary wall with no remaining pointing/mortar, showing increasing signs of wear and tear with each winter...

Using chaux enduit, a new wall cap was formed to match the original pierre end stones and wall re-built at entrance.

The rest of the wall face was repaired with 'pierre apparent' finish. Oct 2009

Renovation of garden wall with a pierre apparent finish - le Grand Pressigny

2009-10-12T13:13:00.001+02:00

The garden wall which surrounds the courtyard had lost all its pointing mortar over the

years.

The result is a wall which becomes progressively more unstable as stones fall out, animals,

weeds & insects move in and the movement caused by adjacent tree roots do their worst!

By repairing the render finish in the traditional manner using a lime based chaux mortar, which is applied leaving the outer stones showing - 'pierre apparent', the wall looks better & is in a better condition to last a good number of years to come.

Pruning Front Garden Shrubs - le Petit Pressigny

2009-10-08T08:37:00.000+02:00

Before

During

After

Provide new flower bed - le Grand Pressigny

2009-07-22T21:00:00.001+02:00

Before - clear rubble & old tree stumps - enrich soil.

Level ground - plant beds with bulbs and drought/semi shade tolerant perennials.

4 weeks after planting and grass seeding.

12 weeks after planting and grass seeding - during hot/dry summer of 2009.

More photo's to follow - with maintenance we aim to improve grass...subject to co-operation from resident standard poodle :D , fill in any gaps in flowering times and straighten/tame the backdrop ivy hedge. Spring/summer 2009

Side access renovation - le Grand Pressigny

2009-03-20T20:54:00.000+01:00

Put up new canopy over front door.
Chaux render exterior block kitchen wall to cover concrete blocks.

Pave pathway.

Remove old, build and fit new gate.

Provide new shutters for windows, gate & paved side access - le Grand Pressigny

2009-03-04T20:54:00.001+01:00

Remove and re-construct garden patio - le Grand Pressigny

2009-01-31T21:42:00.000+01:00

Before - marble 'crazy paved' patio on concrete slab.

Brief - To address rain water drainage and provide new patio area.

After -

See following photo's which show progression of project to level ground, create flower bed and lawn..

Laurel Hedge - Boussay

2009-01-30T21:13:00.002+01:00

Winter 2008/2009

Fencing and Pyracantha Hedge - Boussay

2009-01-25T21:38:00.000+01:00

Winter 2008/2009

Here we are

2009-01-10T20:12:00.001+01:00

Just a quick note to tell you why we are here blogging....

The blog is by Alex and Nicole Crawford and its purpose is to share photo's of the gardening work we have or are working on at home and at the homes of clients.

We are an English couple with two daughters (aged 6 and 8) who moved in Sept 2006 from Surrey, England to le Grand Pressigny in the Touraine Sud - southern tip of the Loire Valley.

We have spent our first three years in France renovating a 'vielle corps de ferme' a romantic sounding description for a bunch of very tired stone farm buildings built around a central yard 3 km from the historic chateau town of le Grand Pressigny (60km south of Tours or 60km north of Poitiers depending on your direction).

The courtyard now offers paying guests a choice of three comfortable holiday cottages or gites to rent all year round.

More information about our gites may be found at http://www.franceholidaycottage.com/ or by visiting our Facebook page.

We have also been busy registering ourselves in the French system to offer gardening services. Between us we have experience in both the soft green and the hard grey aspects of creating a garden. In all areas from maintaining, improving or renovating an existing overgrown patch to starting from scratch.

We will add photo's of garden projects from time to time..probably without diligent regularity to enable us to easily show potential clients examples of our previous work or new clients ideas for proposed work.

We hope you enjoy reading and looking at our pictures, if you have any comments or questions please let us know.

Wood store/Shed - Charnizay Oct 2008

2008-10-18T08:21:00.000+02:00

Brief: To enlarge existing concrete pad and construct wood store/shed.

Driveways - Ferriere Larcon & le Grand Pressigny

2007-10-10T22:28:00.001+02:00

To provide fixed edge to driveway - retainer for gravel finish.
Before

During

After

Ferriere Larcon Autumn 2007

le Grand Pressigny 2008