Surely one of the most common traits between gardeners is making do with the materials around you. This is exactly what I have been doing since December, whenever I have had a few hours spare – and I’m loving every minute of it.

I am lucky enough to live in Rutland, on the Northamptonshire / Lincolnshire / Cambridge border – it really is the mid-lands. As a result, we are blessed with an endless amount of local stone, some of which is just a couple of centimetres from the top of the turf. Raised beds and lots of soil preparation are essential for planting, but when it comes to dry-stone walling we are really fortunate.

In my back garden, I am digging out a small area (2 x 3m) which eventually – wife / children / family permitting – will become a seating area to catch the evening sun. All the spoil is being used to form a low mound, hiding the kids’ sandpit and other children-paraphernalia. At the front of the mound comes the dry-stone wall (or technically, I guess, dry-stone retaining wall): slowly growing to about 70cm in height, it is my pride and joy. Getting the lines right, balancing the stone depths and making sure that the ‘cock-and-hen’ coping runs smoothly are self-imposed but achievable demands.

Uncovering some of the stones dug up from the patio area, combined with other stones lying all over the garden, makes for a satisfying feeling of using local materials for a simple but effective garden feature. I have already planted it 20 different times in my head, but two plants I bought almost this time last year (Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ and Pittosporum tobira) will help with screening.

When all else seems to be getting a little gloomy in the world, time digging and making my wall is all the tonic I need. Next time I blog, I hope I will have got it planted!

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