Happy Anniversary

Cannot believe we have been in our new home for exactly one year, and what a long way we have come!

This is the before:-

December 2011

 And this is the after:-



December 2012

And these are photos of the finished result, we are very happy with how it has all shaped up, still a bit more planting left to do this year, plus a water feature and garden lighting, but essentially, it's finished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The blind side of the house

 
The veggie garden

 



Alfresco Area




Behind the garage

Across the back yard

 

 

Merry Christmas to all our friends and wonderful neighbours that we have met down here, we are looking forward to having some Christmas drinks with them tonight out on the deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Spring has sprung

Happy fathers day to all the dads out there.   What a great day for the first day of spring, and my baby garden is starting to show signs as well:

Dwarf Peaches in flower

Azaleas starting to bloom

On another note, The Avenue at Casey website has had a revamp and now has artists impressions of our new future shopping centre.   Looks good.



It will be great to see some action on that pile of dirt at the front of the estate!

Ready Steady Go Veggo!

Finally my veggie garden has arrived and is in place ready for us to fill and plant.   

We now have pavers and pebbles up the dead side of the house and Raymond has paved around the veggie garden for easy access.   Now to buy some fruit trees and get some mushroom compost and pea straw, but that can wait till after this weekend.

Veggie garden with paving all around

Dead side of house now completed

Ready to go!

Near Map Update

Here's the latest nearmap update of the estate:

12th April 2012

Front Garden Finished!!



 It was a very wet week this week, but luckily the weather was kind to us on Sunday and we finished the planting and ordered a metre of mulch to finish off the front garden.   Very pleased with the result:

That was then

This is now!

 We still have the rest of the nature strip to finish and the sprinklers fitting off, but that's all folks.   Now we just need the plants to grow!

Front lawn & garden

Thank goodness the weather was kind to us on Saturday, as it was turf laying day!!!


So exciting, the turf arrived at 7.30am and Raymond at 8.00am, so we were off and running.   Raymond commenced the day installing the irrigation and sprinklers for the lawn and garden beds, I started on the planting, and made cappuccinos for the both of us to keep us going.   I did as much planting as I could at the time so once Ray started laying the turf, I offered to help.   So by the time we were finished I was absolutely filthy, not a good look, as our neighbours discovered - Janine with no makeup, hair not done and gardening clothes on that were disgusting, but boy I felt good by the end of the day despite the appearance and my aching knees, legs, back etc. etc., even managed to mow the back lawn as well seeing I was on a roll.

And where was David, you may ask, well he was keeping the country running at work for the weekend, so I sent him progress pictures as we went, he was very pleased when he came home to see the progress we had made.   Here's the pics: 

My little hedge along the front path -

Irrigation drippers for the garden beds.

The finished result, we had some turf left over so have started on the nature-strip, to be completed in a couple of weeks.

More frontage progress & drainage



Sorry for the lack of updates but we have been at the mercy of the weather here lately.



Charlbury Stream

 Firstly, this is what Melbourne's downpours did to our sideway:


Charlbury River



After consultation with our plumber Darren from Sustainable Solar and Plumbing who I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who needs help with drainage or any general plumbing.   This is the finished result:







Now, we should have absolutely no problems
with water laying up against the slab or fence as it will all drain into the silt pits that are connected to our storm water drains.

Meanwhile, after two wet Saturdays in a row, the boys came back today and completed the brickwork for the front garden beds, around the taps and boxed out the naturestrip ready for the replacement tree which died.   The council said they will replace it during the cooler months.

Looking a tad more presentable

Next week (weather permitting) we should get a massive load of soil delivered and we will be topping up the garden beds out the back and spreading soil out the front ready for turf hopefully the week after (yay!).
I now have to start seriously thinking about what plants we need for the garden.   Hmm a trip to the nursery is in order soon.

Front garden progress

We have now moved out to begin the front garden, so far we have purchased the pavers that will be our garden bed borders and Raymond & Aaron have been busy digging the trenches ready for footings.



Misty checking things out


 

In the meantime our back lawn has grown heaps and had its first haircut last Sunday.

  

 

You could literally watch the grass grow!!


   

Its so easy seeing green

The day that I have waited for for 3 months arrived yesterday.   I never thought I could get so excited about seeing a lawn, but after so long staring out the windows at dirt, I am one happy lady.


Here's the progress pictures:

Village Green turf delivered

Even Raymond is doing a happy dance for us

Installation in progresss

The finished result complete with sprinklers

The weather was just perfect today for laying the turf, now to get it established for 6 weeks or so, then mulch, paving and my modular vegetable garden can be installed.

Next weekend we begin on the front - too exciting!!

Cupcakes & Morning Shade

Very happy with these - and they taste good too

Big day here at Charlbury Manor, so many people coming and going!!   Firstly its Megan's birthday on Monday so we decided to celebrate it today, as I have to work tomorrow afternoon and we all work on Monday.   So I have made beautiful Vanilla Cupcakes courtesy of the famous Magnolia Bakery recipe book (famous cake shop in New York).   

Our trusty ex-neighbour Keith returned to install the awning for the master bedroom window, two reasons for this, it just adds to the whole character of the house and also will help keep out the heat from the morning sun and will protect the drapes from fading.   I am so 

 rapt with the end result.   I have spent the last two weekends priming and painting it in preparation.

 

The birthday girl

Raymond and Aaron were also back today installing all the irrigation in preparation for the turf which should be ready to go down in a couple of weeks.

Deb and John breezed in to have a quick look and collect some aggi pipes that we had no use for, and they have use for, so its great to pay it forward.

Best friend Deb came for afternoon tea with Keith's wife Jan and then Ryan and Kris for dinner, so I have felt like I have cooked all day.

Roll on turf day!!!!!