To start at the very beginning...

This is probably the most gentle slope in the garden, all uphill from here. The picture was taken when we moved in, during the lovely summer of 2006. The "leaning tree" is a hawthorn, above the bird table a lilac and a wigeleia on the left hand side. All in the garden is lovely and lushly green. Particularly the beech tree on the left hand side, neatly covering a copper beech planted four foot behind. A bit of sawing obviously required.



This bit is getting to the nitty gritty of the vertical stuff. Behind the wigeleia are some steep steps leading to the top of the garden. No visible means of support for the climber, crampons required in winter. The grass on the slope is growing round some promising primulas, past their season now, but hopeful for the spring.

The blue conifer attacks the climber on the shallow steps ... shh but its days are numbered. Campion gives a lift of colour in this spot which is very welcome.