Here's the plan for the garden from Anthony, our master garden designer! He has found a heritage nursery that can provide tradional french plants and trees for the garden.


Entrance (area ‘a’ on outline plan)

This area will be a formal and practical space acting as both a traditional courtyard space and car parking area. (also possible use as petanque pitch)
This area will be surfaced with compacted self-binding gravel, the gravel will be chosen to match the façade of the barn.
A formal, circular water feature will be built, using the local stone, to act as a centrepiece / focal point.

planting :
- Lavender border planted in front of house
- large planters (local stone) evenly spaced along front of barn containing uniform, ornamental
planting


Walled Potager (b)

This area will be enclosed within newly constructed walls and the existing hedgerow. Raised timber beds will be built to form a traditional vegetable garden, a gateway will connect this area to the orchard.

planting :
- Blackthorn (Sloe) bushes planted through the existing hedgerow
- Vegetable beds : use of local and heritage varieties


Natural swimming pond (c)

A natural swimming pond (size to be determined) will be built behind the orchard area. This will include a swimming zone and a plant regeneration zone. Marginal pond plants will be used to soften the edge of the pond. Suitable young trees and shrubs will be used to create shade and privacy.

Natural arbour /outdoor dining area (d)

The existing trees will be pruned and trained to create a natural arbour which will be used as a
shady outdoor dining area. Roses and other scented climbers will be planted to grow through
the tree framework. The ground will be covered with a bark mulch.


Rear of barn / woodland area (e)

A formal gravel garden area will be created adjacent to the rear of the barn. This will link
the patio area to both the outdoor kitchen and the planned swimming pool.
(possible use of stepping stones to create paths)

A shady ‘woodland’ area will be created by thinning out some of the unsuitable trees and
underplanting with suitable shade tolerant plants.

Two low curving stone walls will be built to separate this area from the more informal and
wilder sections of the garden.

planting :
- various herbs grown in pots adjacent to both the kitchen door and the outdoor kitchen area
- a border of lavender planted to separate gravel area from the shady area.
- suitable shrubs and perennials planted in shady area.

Informal planting (f)

This area will be planted with drifts of large perennials and grasses. This will create an informal
area of colour and movement, needing minimal maintenance, that will link the formal areas
at rear of the barn with the wilder meadow /pond area.


Wildflower meadow with pond (g)

This area will be sown with various wildflower and grass seed to create a natural wildflower
meadow.
An informal wildlife-friendly pond will be situated towards the rear of the meadow area.
A seating platform will be built extending over the pond. The view from the platform will
look out over the meadow towards the barn. A suitable tree (willow) will be planted to create
shade.
A mixture of marginal pond plants and grasses will be planted to merge the pond into the meadow area. Various shrubs will be planted through this area to ensure winter interest.
Gaps in the existing hedgerow will be filled and new hedgerow will be planted to enclose the end
of the meadow.


Miscellaneous works

- a path will be created to link the various areas and focal points. The path will meander through the
property, at times formal, at others less so.

- the orchard will be slightly thinned out and other suitable fruit trees added.

- if feasible, the well adjacent to the farm house will be reinstated and suitable damp-loving
plants planted in the area

An extra door - this is for the master bedroom!

The door from the kitchen through to the hallway is also on.

The wall that is in the wrong place - at least we caught it in time (before they did any more work). It should be under the beam so that the beam shows in the bedroom (so it is in the middle of the beam)

The underfloor heating pipes going down in the second bedroom.

We have DOORS inside the house - they look great. more to follow

These will be the sinks in the other bathrooms.

This will be the sink in the master bathroom.

These are the taps we have chosen - hansgrohe again.

shower taps!

These are the shower heads we have gone for in the 3 showers,

This is the toilet that will be in the bathrooms/wc

When we were in France we met with the plumber (Mr. Lambert) and re-chose the bathroom fittings. We felt that €1500 euros was a little steep for each shower. We did go with Philippe Starck designed stuff from Axor/Hansgrohe for most of the stuff however....

The builders started to put up the partition wall between the master bedroom and the en-suites. It was in the wrong place. The lovely beam that we wanted to be in the bedroom was going to be above a plasterboard ceiling in the bathroom, completely hidden from view. I phoned Didier to ask for an explanation and he said it was because the bathroom pipes were in the wrong place (which we had asked to be moved several times previously...). He sorted it out and they will be moving the pipes (and partially completed wall). Job done.

The new doorway into the second bedroom.

The third bedroom is very nice and airy. We are plastering over the plasterboard walls.

The second bedroom is now boarded out. The tilers will put down a traditional floor over the underfloor heating pipes so that the tiles can be shifted into this room whilst the liquid concrete floor is put down throughout the rest of the barn. (allegedly the liquid floor takes 5 weeks to dry, but they have bought some dryers....)

The hallway has some great original features. It is a bit dark so we have asked for another socket for a floor lamp (as well as the spots)

The WC looks bigger than we thought. Seems like a good size.

The hallway is now boarded out. You can see where the right hand wall was straightened up from the end beam.

The kitchen now has all it's walls and a ceiling.

Mr Idely (the partition wall man) has cleared out their equipment. The main room is HUGE. Didier has finally come around to having a large traditional fireplace..

One of the poplar trees in the back garden (at night...)

Our friends, Don and Connie, visited for a long weekend. We had lots of great food!

Lots of stuff

The toilet is taking shape!

The en-suite for the 3rd bedroom is taking shape - they have moved the toilet pipes into the correct room!

The baunderie has walls!

Looking down the hallway towards the kitchen

Standing in the 2nd bedroom looking towards the hallway. The gap on the left needs to be completed.

Standing in the 2nd bedroom, looking at the partition wall (with the salon and dining room on the other side)

Standing in the 2nd bedrooms en-suite looking into the 2nd bedroom. At least they are looking at the plans whilst putting up the walls.

Looking out of the third bedroom, through into the second bedroom, with the patio doors of the second bedroom in the background.

in the third bedroom, with the doorway to the hall on the left

Standing in the third bedroom, looking towards the en-suite bathroom.

This is the new hallway, with the entrance to the baunderie followed by the WC

This is the kitchen. The belfast sink will go against the new partition wall.

The partition walls are going up - finally. They had buggered off to do a supermarket job as there were penalties, leaving us for three weeks. This is the wall that the fireplace will go against.

The lane that leads to the property has been resurfaced! It was getting a little bumpy.

The rails for the partition walls. You can start to see the size of the rooms. The closest room will be the 3rd en-suite. There is a rail in the middle of the room that will form the wall to the shower on the right.

The partition walls are almost ready to go up - we thought they should be up already. Not sure what has been going on for the last two weeks. We are visiting this weekend, may need to kick some ass...

The Shutters are finished. They still need to be painted.

Starting to look great

They have started on the partition walls...

starting to look great.

The shutters have to be varnished to protect them from the weather. We have yet to decide what colour they will be.

The tree surgeon has taken down the large spruce that was outside the little house. The light is now is amazing...

Lots of shutters etc.

This is the kitchen window, the builders have nearly finished here.

The kitchen walls are up - I had to choose the type of plaster that will go on the walls

The master bedroom now has a wall. not sure they are enjouying working around the massive pile of tiles.