Ade, Gina and three-bed Pepper

Spring is in full bloom and outdoor living is now everyday life. Having previously spent a few days weeding our dry garden slope, Le Garden Rescue is now on hold, primarily because we want to ensure our more easily accessible terraces are as we want them before turning our attention back to the slope, which is still in the planning stage. I’m writing this very much with my mum and dad in mind, particularly mum who has the greenest fingers that I’d love to say I’ve inherited. I haven’t, but I do have a love of nature and every day I feel blessed to be surrounded by such natural beauty. Mum won awards for her garden, so here’s me pretending I know about plants and flowers. Again, every day is a learning, researching, talking to our plants and flowers day.

We decided to put the slope on hold and start working on our terracing partly because the untreated wood wasn’t liking the sun. So both terraces have now been protected and stained a rich, dark brown. When we arrived we inherited a geranium, a camellia and what we think is a phormium, and last week from a nearby outdoor garden emporium we acquired a lemon tree (Ade), a Mexican orange tree (Gina), two red robin plants, a clematis and some lavender (yes, we have named two of our plants). Ade has spent the last few nights indoors with us as it’s still a wee bit chilly, and is now looking happy after a traumatic first night outside. Apparently the locals generally don’t commence planting until mid-May, but hey… it’s feels like summer for us and every day now we see new blooms and colours appear, so we couldn’t wait any longer to brighten up our decking.

Anyway, it was a practical necessity as Pepper had got into the habit of jumping on to our shed roof and across to next door, unable to contain her excitement when Frank and Carol appeared. So our tiny corner plot containing the camellia is now bordered by decorative fencing with our red robin and clematis, acting as a pretty barrier between us and next door. It works perfectly as it not only looks lovely, but also when our neighbours appear Pepper gets all excited, then has to make do with jumping up on our side to make herself seen. She gets lots of pats and good girls but an adventure to next door’s garden and beyond is no more. Anyway, Pepper is now a three-bed dog so we think she’s doing okay, her latest chaise longue is her outdoor crib and she already seems very taken with it.

So, especially for mum, here’s some photos of our top terrace…

And from the lower…

Whilst our terraces give us the most incredible view – and if we’re honest are the main reason we have decided to live here permanently and not look elsewhere – they come alive when friends arrive. To be able to host our neighbours and other friends here is an absolute joy. Even our blue tits, great tits, sparrows, robins and collared doves who frequent our feeder and terrace are now comfortable enough to feed beside us. We will soon be on first name terms. We came to Rochechouart to spend as much time as possible living outdoors, and whilst our new home town is still locked down, our new life feels anything but.