5 weeks not at the Bothy
I finally traveled back to the UK on June 14th after a long 6 months away. Even until I arrived, the plan was to move the camper van up to the Bothy and start working. When I came, I ordered all the materials; chainsaw, strimmer (weed wacker in the US), Hedge trimmer, buckets, shovels, brooms, gloves, etc. We spent the first week preparing the camper van, as we had just gotten it back from being renovated. That week slipped by, then another, then another! It also was unbelievably rainy and cold!
So research and dreaming from afar continued. Even tho we will eventually build a wholesale nursery we spent time visiting small retail nurseries to get ideas on how others are building gardens between walls!
Petershams in London was our first trip, and I fell in love with the shabby chic feel of it, and somehow the idea of what we were about to embark on became very real and exciting.
Our next journey was for 3 days through the Cotswolds, a region that begins only 3 miles from Burderop. We travelled through many towns that were only a short car ride away. These could be places we will regularly visit and shop. We made a point of really talking and meeting people from the area.
One great accidental find was a lovely nursery in Burford owned by a husband and wife in their 80’s. We spent a great deal of time hearing about his family, of which his great-great-grandfather built the house in which he and his wife still lived on the property. Again here we saw these great raised beds, and now not only could I see again how it would all look and work, but I could also see how we might be as a little old 80-year-old nursery owning couple!
