DOING-IT-MYSELF (Part 1)

Last weekend, with the help of my friend Paul,  I spent two days outside in the glorious sunshine painting the exterior of my flat.  It is a job that I have been meaning to do for several years - the window frames were in serious need of some TLC - but it is only now that I'm getting it ready to put on the market that I have found time to do it.

Unlike most lower ground floor flats in London mine has a rather large south-facing patio area to the front.  This is because, as an end of terrace, the 'front' entrance is actually on the side of the building. 

Fill, sand, paint, repeat!

This is one of the aspects that persuaded Mr VKH and I to buy the flat in the first place (along with the potential for modernising the interior), but I never quite got round to maximising the utility of the space.

It is ideal for a bike shed but, after mine got stolen a few years ago, I moved Mr's inside and it has remained there, unused, ever since.  

I love a bit of upcycling so when Paul produced an old tin of Hammerite that he'd found at home, I was determined to find a use for it.  We inherited a couple of plant racks when we moved in and although I have attempted to make use of them every summer they could look better.

It was a fiddly job but now instead of a rusty green/blue they are a lovely hammered grey.  Très urban chic!  All I have to do is dress them with some colourful flowers, cue a Sunday morning trip to Columbia Road flower market.

Nice shiny railings!

This week, weather permitting, I shall paint the masonry and finish dressing the space with a few plants and accessories - watch this space for the 'after' pics.

Now that I'm faced with the prospect of leaving this place, I've suddenly become quite fond of it.  I'm doing all the little niggly jobs that I've just never gotten round to, like changing the light switches and fixing the gate.  

I want prospective buyers to see that although it wasn't right for me it could be right for them.  

Or maybe I'll just get a lodger and stay ;-)

How does your garden grow?

Now that the inside of our home is as good as it's going to get, I've become more than a little obsessed with making the outside look just as fab.

I'm away from home this week and have entrusted Mr VKH (not your average...horticulturalist)  with it's care.  I imagine the way I'm feeling about it is a little bit like how a new mother feels when leaving her baby with someone else for the first time: very nervous, constantly checking to see if it's ok and wondering whether it'll still be alive when I get back!

I've always had a mild horticultural interest, passed down from grandparents and parents but now I've clearly reached that age.  I find myself watching Gardeners' World voluntarily -sometimes I even watch it on iPlayer, eek! - and actually paying attention to the progress of Monty Don's tomatoes.  Ahem.

It saddens me greatly when I see pictures (usually on estate agents' details) of neglected, untidy gardens. Space is such a premium in the city and it annoys me that people don't make more effort to maintain what precious little of it they have.  Of course, I understand the reasons - gardening requires time and effort, or for those wanting an instant fix, quite a bit of cash.  If you share a garden it can be difficult to persuade co-owners to help out.  But, if you are willing and can afford to put in the initial  hard graft you could easily maintain it with as little as twenty minutes each day, depending on the size, and maybe add a little bit of value to boot.

A little bit of colour hides an ugly drain

I find it quite therapeutic just pottering around with a coffee in the morning (wine in the evening!) deadheading and pulling up the odd weed, and a good planting or digging session not only helps me to properly switch off, it's also a great workout!

I'm also learning patience, something which, my family will vouch for, I have very little of!  It's very rewarding when you can see the progress in such a relatively short time, so I wanted to share a few pictures that show just that. I'm no expert at all - it's more trial and error than knowledge but in just one year our unloved back yard has been transformed in to a place where I want to spend all my time.   

I hope it will inspire you to give whatever outside space you may have a little TLC.

October 2011

After the wind blew down the plum tree, it just had to go.

April 2012

I began by ridding the beds of weeds...

June 2012

A tidy up and some new plants (thanks mum!)...

April 2013

We laid some new turf for just £35...

June 2013

What a difference a year makes! 

All images ©VeryKerryH 2013