I hadn’t actually asked the question, as in how many stages are involved when it comes to demolishing a section of load-bearing house wall. I suppose I had wondered how the two steel beams (inside and out) would be inserted in the sitting-room-kitchen wall. And logically I would have assessed that this must be done before the actual wall, window and door were knocked out.
I also knew that this would not happen until the new kitchen extension was nearing completion (several weeks away). In other words I had not prepared myself for a double dust-storm event, mostly because the chaps, as in other half and builder Alan, had given me only scant (evening before) warning of the beam insertion process.
But the dust!
It was all I could say when I learned what was planned. Alan raised his eyebrows – part apology, part goes-with-the-territory. Plastic sheeting was duly taped, floor to ceiling, across the back of the sitting-room and across the ‘L’ of the kitchen. More sheets were thrown over all the furniture, doors that could be shut were shut, and then the hammering began – first the plaster, then the wall whose bricks, as bricks go, are strangely adamantine. It’s likely they were made just down the road, in the days when Bishops Castle had a brickworks.
And so here we are, a week on, still dusting; an activity that will doubtless segue into demolition phase II sometime in August.
But at least the acrow props have gone now and the furniture is back where it was, also a critical factor in a small house where we presently have more stuff than rooms to put it.
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We’ve also been receiving deliveries – the front garden now looking like a builders’ yard.
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One half has been commandeered for supplies, it being the most accessible space for unloading. But I’ve hung onto a small corner and put in some Gigantes butter beans and two yellow courgette plants, tucked in between the insulation boards and the front door. Well, can’t miss the planting season, can I. And that border is particularly sunny. I popped in some Korean mint (Agastache) too.
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As to the bed on the other side of the front path, I staked a claim back in April, so the roofers wouldn’t bury it in waste tiles. I’ve put in three small rows of potatoes – Rocket and Charlotte, which have sprouted well. There’s also the beginning of a herbaceous border under the sitting-room window: a lone delphinium accompanying some young alcalthaea plants (a cross between mallow and hollyhock), knautia and verbascum, blue geraniums and achillea, a purple toadflax with has turned out to be pale pink.
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Meanwhile out in the back garden, the lawn has been continuing to disappear. Most of the turves are in the compost bin which is now full. I’m now stacking the rest, leaving them to rot down.
The more I dig, the bolder the blackbirds become, nipping in around my feet. I watched one carefully gather a stash of worms on the lawn whence they could not easily escape. When the bird had a good beak full, off it went, doubtless to feed a fresh brood of nestlings.
Tish Farrell 
what a major undertaking, but I trust it will all be worth it in the end
Thanks, Beth. I’m sure it will be worth it in the end.
Patience Tish. Once it’s all done and you’ve done your final dusting and vacuuming, it will be beautiful. And your garden will also look great.
That’s a beautifully positive image to keep in front of brain, Anne. Many thanks.
wow!all that and you still are growing things ..I’m impressed..keep up the good work..it will all be worth every speck of dust.
Thanks for the encouraging words, Beverly.
Oh, bless you, I wouldn’t have the heart for all this, Tish. We walk past houses being gutted and reconstructed on a regular basis here, and I always think ‘thank God, not mine!’ But you can retreat to the garden, where all is blooming.
Yep, the garden is a good place to retreat to, Jo. Trying to detach self from the domestic chaos 🙂
😵🌸
It will all be worth it in the end, Tish.
I looked enviously at your soil. In our new-build house’s garden it is all clay and hard core/ builder’s rubble. And when it rains, it is a quagmire. Still, great oaks from little acorns grow…
I truly sympathize with your builder’s soil issue, Ian. No Dig gardener Charles Dowding would probably advise covering the clag with cardboard with raised beds on top, and buying in a ton of compost to fill them!
As for the dust, it takes forever to finally get rid of it.
You are doing major works and it is all coming out beautifully.
All the best.
Cheers, Mak. Appreciate your thoughts.
And looks like we have almost similar weather. Nairobi is getting chilly at the moment following the end of the wet season
I remember June/July being chilly. Lighting the fire in the evening.
This June and July is confused. It seems unsure whether it wants to be cold or warm
Here, it’s just cold. More like autumn than summer. Lots of chilling wind.
Great to catch up with house and garden Tish – nice to see some of that dust settling and amid the chaos I see a very orderly mind (or two) at work. had to chuckle at your allocating space to pop in veg between the deliveries. The veg planting is impressive to say the least – the drapes of netting made me think of an open air theatre setting for a midsummer nights dream. Thumbs up to the Foxgloves – I have a dry hedge border which is in need of inspiration but too dry for Digis.
p.s. as you mentioned the unseasonable weather I’ve found that much seed that is directly sown has not germinated ? too cold and what does emerge some pest cuts off in first showing. In future I think I’ll always pot sow first.
Love the notion of theatrical drapes, Laura. That makes me feel a lot better about having so much netting, so randomly attached and disposed. The pigeons think our garden is their larder. Some days, when we do have sun, they lie about on the lawn. Most annoying.
And yes, the cold wet weather that the Met Office tells us is the hottest April and May ever etc. Complete misinformation. Complete nonsense. I start most things off in pots, but the French beans which I’d hardened off, or so I thought, are looking shivery now I’ve planted them out. This with a wrap of netting round them. I think the chopping and changing of temps is a problem. When the wind drops, and the sun breaks through the heavy cloud layers, it can feel quite hot. And then the next moment it’s back to dankness and chill factors.
Paradoxically – leaving seedlings too long in the greenhouse doesn’t help either. They get too hot in there. And nesh. I’ve had to do much juggling using a large plastic cloche/mini tunnel affair as a cold frame. All a bit haphazard.
Your dry hedge bottom sounds a challenge!
totally agree about Met hottest records – another case of misinformation just to make us feel we are going mad! Or they must be reporting from somewhere other than where our gardens are – surely the coldest June, the wettest winter and miserable Spring
p.s. I’m starting with epimediums in hedge border!
Ah epimediums, they will be so lovely. Good luck!
And as to being driven mad, it seems to be being generated at the highest levels. ‘Science’ – I don’t think so.
more like follow the science/ follow the yellow brick road 😉
Many sympathies over the building work/dust, been there, done that. When we had our kitchen done it took 5 weeks. Like you we ‘sealed’ of the works and the fitters were pretty good always cleaning up as they go. The electrician team had special vacuums attached to their machines when cutting in for all the new conduit but yes, when the door was cut out it was a bit, er, dusty. Despite the sheeting dust settled many, many months after the work was finished!
All commiserations welcome, Brian. We rise above the dust – eventually 🙂
I’m so impressed with your efforts to keep the veg coming, whatever the circumstances. And Korean mint? Where did you source that? My own food memory of Korea (among many) was how much we enjoyed fersh sesame leaves, and I wouldn’t know where to source those either – I should plant some seeds and see if that works.
I bought the Korean mint as seeds. Chiltern Seeds/Sarah Raven/Suttons et al stock them (agastache rugosa). I was surprised how well the seed germinated, and how easy the seedlings were to deal with.
Never had fresh sesame leaves. So there’s a thought, sowing some seeds.
Thanks Tish. And once I’d tasted sesame leaves, I couldn’t stop eating them!
You whetted my taste buds, so had to look this up. Perilla frutescens is the plant, seeds from Suttons. Growing and culinary uses at this charming little vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkGSJ6JRgsQ
It’s said to be a super food, so no wonder you wanted to keep eating it.
An interesting video. Let’s do it!
🙂
Oh, I do sympathise – I still remember the dust when we knocked two rooms together to create our kitchen, some twenty years ago! But it sounds as if you’re making good progress both outside and in.
Yes, we are moving forwards, Sarah, but quite a way to go, apart from the extension. Many parts of the existing house need some sorting out, including a luridly pale parma violet painted downstairs loo whose door opens into the wrong room!
Well, that sounds “interesting” 😀
Such progress! Looking beautiful.
Thanks, Jennie.
You’re welcome.
Oiiii! … and on it goes. 😀
🙂 🙂 🙂
and the dust just gets everywhere doesn’t it, once all done though I promise you will quickly forget how bad it was!
You have made me laugh though gardening around the builders supplies – revenge on them for the dust?!!
Ha! More a case of obsessive gardening disorder 🙂
hee hee, a nice disorder to have!
I’ve sworn to not remodel my old house. Unless Alan et al…..Your garden tho is magnificent, your green thumb doing its work. Cheers!
Many thanks for that high praise, Stephen. And you are surely wise to ban house remodelling as an option. I find I’m having to actively close my mind to much of it, though that’s hard when the whole house seems to be affected. Time for a dose of ‘this too shall pass’ mantra 🙂
Good luck with it. I’m sure it will be worth it at the end. It’s just until then that’s the problem!
🙂 Spot on, Stephen.
First, let me say I really hate home rebuilding projects. I grew up in an old house and I swear for most of our time in that house — 30 years, give or take — it was ALWAYS under construction. Some winters we didn’t have a wall on one side of the house and had to wear coats all the time. I have resisted major projects even when they were necessary. Evil memories of all those dusty, cold year. Ugh.
Of course I’ve had to do it anyway. I try to go through it mentally numb. This does not always work out well.
Have you ever watched “The Money Pit” (Tom Hanks)? You seem perfectly position for that particular movie.
Regardless, I think you home is going to be magnificent.
Much appreciate that last comment, Marilyn.
Your growing-up experiences of building work put our situation in the shade, but I recognise the attempt at a ‘numbing out’ strategy, and yes, it can partially work, especially when here on WP 🙂
Will look out for The Money Pit.
Sitting here in the kitchen discussing your renovations with Celeste over breakfast and bemoaning the fact we didn’t get the opportunity to pop down, even if only for a cup of tea. Next time I’ll make sure we are in charge of our own timetable.
Veggies looking terrific, Tish
Love that the lawn is being given over to food production.
There is a bloke in New Jersey called James Prigioni who I follow on YouTube. He turned his garden into a food forest in the midde is suburbia. Fantastic idea!
Your garden looks big enough that an allotment is no longer needed.
Insulation boards are also a fantastic idea.
My sister and bil used them throughout their farmhouse renovation in France. Makes a huge difference, especially with a stone building.
That’s v. touching, Ark, that down in SA you and Celeste are mulling over current operations at The Gables. That feels so comradely. And so yes, such a pity we didn’t get a chance to meet up, though with all that’s going on just now I’m not exactly my best side out, as mother used to say.
But I’m v. pleased with the veggie growing so far. It so helps having good old garden soil. It makes me realise how hard the allotment was with its cold and heavy clag. It somehow meant, too, I was having to use more ground in order to grow quite a modest amount of stuff. (I remember your asking once if we were self-sufficient in veg). And there was never the likelihood of ever having enough compost.
So: the new garden. It’s not actually very large, but it has potential for optimal usage – which may mean more lawn going! The blackbirds are becoming nags, expecting me to go out there and dig for them. I also need to get G. on raised bed making. At the mo’ he’s into shed building (our builder Alan says he’ll also help with that.) But there should be leftover construction material for beds.
As to insulation boards, they are great, but also very messy when being cut to fit, making their own snowstorms along with the dust.
I’ll look out for James Prigioni. There’s so much really creative gardening on YouTube.
P.S. I’m still thinking about Celeste and Em’s cakes. Mmmmm.