Finally a greenhouse – in (many) pictures

This January we decided that we would – at last – invest in a greenhouse to replace the plastic plant storage affair we had used for many years. [Short of time? Smart suggestion – jump to the end.]

DSCN4610Especially after the wind did this.

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We thought we’d finally use the old marble (see post  https://greenwritingroom.com/2013/04/19/happy-ending/)

DSCN3575However there were one or two things to clear first.DSCN4622

Then the fence blew down.
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We started clearing the site and preparing the ground.

DSCN5258 DSCN5265 DSCN5273Then there was the archaeology.DSCN5278 DSCN5287 DSCN5296 DSCN5306The re-siting of the big slabs that had supported an old oil tank.

DSCN5302 A heck of a lot of digging.DSCN5303 And levelling.DSCN5406 Laying of porous, breathable membrane.DSCN5428 And the shovelling of vast quantities of sand.DSCN5434 At last some of the marble can go down – using an intricate plan.

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DSCN5452 DSCN5455 DSCN5460 DSCN5463The greenhouse arrives.

DSCN5480 DSCN5481We exchange the big water butt for a smaller one and the base makes an appearance.DSCN5474 More brickwork required.DSCN5477
DSCN5498 The day dawns and help (daughter Amy) has arrived.DSCN5502 DSCN5507On Day One we get this far.DSCN5509 DSCN5512 DSCN5520DSCN5522 DSCN5523And on Day Two we finish the task.DSCN5524 DSCN5526 DSCN5535 DSCN5539

On Day Three I planned to sleep, but found myself starting on the excavation of the narrow passageway linking the greenhouse to the back of the house. I must be mad.

 

 

Happy Ending

Little story. In March 2008 I bought, rather impulsively, a crate of blue azure marble from a small paving company a few miles from where we live. It was for a tiny courtyard in an extension we planned. We soon discovered that the cost of the  courtyard would be out of our league. In November 2008 I emailed the owner of the paving company to ask if he could hold onto the marble for the time being. He said no problem.

In January 2010, I emailed again to ask if he still had our marble, if he would like to deliver it and what did we owe him for storage and delivery. He said he still had it and could deliver it when we needed it. Further emails revealed that although we had plans for the marble, we did not need it immediately and he said he was happy to hang on to it.

On the 9th March 2013 I emailed again to say that I hoped he might still have our marble. No reply. I rang and found the number discontinued. Then we visited the site of the company. It was derelict, the buildings empty, broken crates of stone all over the site. We looked for half an hour but there was no sign of our marble.

I had to accept that I had lost it and it was entirely my fault for failing to arrange delivery. I could hardly blame the owner for selling off anything he could, presuming the paving company had gone bust.

Today I had an email from the owner to say that he had closed the business in 2010. He still had my marble and had just loaded it into his van and was about to deliver it. He had carried what was for him a worthless load to his new address and kept it ready to deliver to us. He allowed us to pay a small sum for delivery, but that was all.

It is good to have a reminder that the world is full of decent human beings. My dream greenhouse may yet come into being one day.

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