@thecuriousglasshouse Lifestyle Blog by Oxford Cottage Gardener
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We’ve been growing veg for quite some time now but I’d been thinking for a while how lovely it would be to grow my own flowers to cut and bring into the house without ruining the look of the boarders. So as part of my planning I’d decided to have a veg plot with space for cut flowers.
Still trawling Rightmove…… I think I genuinely am OCD over searching on the website, I look probably 3 times a day just in case something new gets added and I miss it ?
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ne.
It's got nearly 1/2 acre✅
It's already had an extension to make a large kitchen ✅
The old garage has been demolished and a modern one built ✅
The garden is a blank canvas ready to go ✅
Ok the kitchen needs remodelling, and an en-suite needs adding but otherwise it's got all the basics.
Unfortunately it's a bit out of our price range whilst we still own our Oxford house but..... I need to be resourceful!
I've booked a viewing for Saturday, in case someone comes along to buy it under our noses (again) Let's see how that goes.
We viewed the house and loved it, trouble is 2 other people have viewed it and one person has had a 2nd viewing already! Hmmm I find the whole thing so stressful, now we’ve got to see if we can raise the extra finance and get an offer in ASAP if we want it.
To be honest if someone does put in a full asking price offer, I’m not going to get into a bidding war with them, the asking price is really what it’s worth so I wouldn’t be prepared to go any higher anyway.
So we’ve had our offer accepted ??? now to pay for a valuation to finalise our mortgage offer. That’s the nerve wracking bit …..what if another seller pulls out!
Sunday – We’ve picked ourselves up after the last disappointment and have got back onto Rightmove with gusto, the only trouble is I don’t think there is anything there in our price range in the area we want. It doesn’t matter how many times a day I go on to look, no new houses that match our criteria are being added! Are we really that picky or do houses with good size (I really big BIG) gardens not exist?
Monday – Ooh wait, I just spotted a possibility, hmmm I’m rather put off by the artex ceilings and the property seems to be surrounded on all sides by well manicured but clearly hard work to maintain, conifer hedging! That would be two expensive items we’d have to get rid of before we start.
But on the plus side the garden, without the encroaching conifer hedge, is massive and already contains 2 very large greenhouse and a poly tunnel, they get big ticks from me, you can see where my priorities lie!
It would need a big extension and completing remodelling with a new kitchen and bathroom but that’s fine.
Definitely worth a view, just a question of when. The evenings are too dark now for an evening viewing and travelling next Saturday would be a long way from Oxford.
Tuesday – I rang the estate agent to arrange a viewing, the property has already sold within hours of it going on the market apparently! I’m starting to get the distinct impression things are not going our way, oh well good luck with the artex whoever has bought it, not that I’m bitter.
Another super one came on the market today, so as soon as I saw it, I thought I’ll ring the agent and arrange a viewing clearly this area is popular and things are selling fast, only to be told after placing her house on the market for 2 hours the seller has got cold feet over the timings and has withdrawn her property for sale.
This is definitely not my week, but what is it with sellers getting cold feet, this property buying and selling is turning out to be the most impossible job! I would just leave trying to buy all together for a while but we continue to pay ‘dead money’ for rent on the weekday flat which I’d rather not, so I’ll continue looking, let’s see what gets added tomorrow.
Who doesn’t love the taste of new potatoes, warm out of the pan, dripping with melted butter?
Credit: bbcgoodfood.com
There is no doubt that homegrown ones are so much tastier than any shop bought ones and they are so simple to grow and really don’t need that much space.
If you want to guarantee a crop to eat during the summer months, you need to get started now.
credit: pinterest
I buy my seed potatoes from our local garden centre, I like to buy quality as that will ensure we get a good crop.
I like to buy first earlys, these are potatoes that can be planted out in March and will be ready to pick by July/Aug
When you get them home, the first thing you need to do is ‘chit’ the potatoes, what that means is you encourage the potatoes to form sprouting roots. I lay the potatoes on a tray on a sunny windowsill in our utility room.
They will sit here for the next 4 or 5 weeks until nice healthy shoots appear.
I look forward to getting onto the next stage…………
