Bishop's Mill - both the garden and it's webpage are still developing

BELOW: July, 2024, the new project, as left by the previous owners. The bungalow into which we moved in 2024 only had in its back garden 4 plants, some paving, two delapidated chicken sheds and a lot of grass. Partially surrounded by a high laurel hedge, the otherside of which flows a lovely mill race. Although out of sight, the sound fills the garden. The covered bench beside the existing laurel and mahonia bushes came with is from our previous garden.

BELOW: August, 2024: Work started on the back garden with turf being lifted and the planting areas to be rotavated - we had professional help with this. Jean attacked the old chicken sheds with woodworm treatment and then painted them in a more attractive colour. John started to erect the pergola to go in front of the sheds, and the raised bed started to take shape.

BELOW: May, 2025, 9 months since we moved in. The garden is coming on a treat. John has completed the pergola and brick raised bed. Jean has planting well underway. The ceramic birds, created by Jean, are in the bed adjoining our only neighbouring property. The covered bench is the only place in the garden that gets shade, and the soil is extremely stony and in need of much organic material. A series of water courses used to cross the area of the garden in the 19th Century feeding the many cotton mills and a spade manufacturing water powered forge.

July, 2025: One year from when the Jean and John started creating the garden.