In May 1996 we moved to Pentyrch and, as I waited for our furniture to arrive, I sat on the back step and cried.  The ‘garden’ was so small, steep and dark; three areas of grass, a deathly slope as you came from the path and a waterlogged mud bath that housed a swing and the base of a shed that had been removed by the previous owners.  The whole area felt closed in by the trees in the surrounding gardens and the two huge conifers in mine.  I had left a 200 foot garden that I had lovingly tended and which visitors said was worthy of the Yellow Book.

The whole thing depressed me and for a whole year I did nothing.  I just watched the light moving around the garden with a feeling of huge loss.  The bare brown fences, the scrappy grass and the closed in feeling from the towering trees gave me no inclination to get out there and get on with it.  The garden has always been my place for total relaxation as my mind is cleared of everything except what I am doing and, although I loved Pentyrch, something was missing from my life.

In spring 1997, I was invited to Barbara Rodd's for coffee.  We sat in her tiny back garden that was full of colour and interest.  As I sat there I realised that I could do something!  I could not wait to get home.  I could cover the bare fences and create something from the wasteland!

Over the next few years we worked to recreate a garden that would provide a sanctuary for us.  In 1999 we were part of the first Pentyrch Open Gardens weekend – my dream of the Yellow Book was fulfilled – (yes I know we are not in the Yellow Book but we do have visitors and, over the last nine years, hundreds of them!)

First the overgrown conifers came out; borders were cut around the garden; and the fencing was replaced.  The shed was moved to the one area that gets no sun at all and the old shed base used to build a seating area for the afternoon sun.  The slope that was so dangerous in wet weather had a wooden retaining wall built to give me a raised bed which, over the last few years, has housed a pottage, perennial bed and now has a lavender hedge with planting inside – this spring it housed 100 black tulips.

Each time I said ‘I have an idea’ – my husband Chris would get out his vast collection of DIY tools, visit the local suppliers of wood, sand, cement and paving stones and just get on with it.  However, this year's idea of borrowed views nearly finished off thirty years of marital harmony.  I had purchased the wrong mirrors and the wall was not true!  ‘Think outside the box’ I silently fumed - bless him, he did and we should finish the ‘idea’ this weekend!

More turf was removed as I ran out of planting space.  Then I decided we need to grow up – up wooden poles, along ropes which in July 2004 (our Silver Wedding) snapped in the storm that had seen our garden look like a ghost story!  We knew the storm was coming and had wrapped all the roses, clematis and other delicate plants in fleece as we were opening our garden the following weekend.  Now there are metal arches for the roses to climb.

We have had a pond, pebble fountain, slate water feature, greenhouse, patio areas, vegetable beds (no plot, as nowhere near large enough), raised beds, sheds of varying sizes and so it goes on.  My garden will never be finished and if I could have about fifteen feet of my rear neighbours' gardens - well that would be another story!  Oh yes – and the weeding – he doesn't have time as I will soon have another idea!