The Gardens at Kings Cottages

Kings Cottages are a row of 3 storey cottages built in the 1890s. They are set back from the road and raised up which is just as well as the area around Wateringbury is prone to flooding. They all have long thin gardens about 150 feet in length. Traditionally they had a narrow path down one side of the garden and all had those washing lines that look like they are a ship's mast. Each garden would have a small private section near the house and the rest was kept open and the neighbours used to chat and swap produce etc, Lovely I thought!
Next door on one side are Betty and Derek, who have become good friends.
The other half of my house belonged to John Wilson; he had a sign which said "Holler" as he was deaf, in his 80s and a keen gardener. He had been widowed in 1954 and spent his working life at East Malling Research which specialised in fruit tree grafting.His garden was overcrowded but amazing, full of apples, plums pears vegetables and even grapevines, you could hardly move in there.
The weekend I was moving in John was flying to Russia for a holiday, he used to fly to Moscow, catch a train and travel. Sadly this time he never returned; 3 hours from Moscow he had a stroke. He eventually was flown back to hospital in Bristol, but died there. I was very sad to lose my new neighbour and had been looking forward to geting to know him. After his death I did get to know his daughter Paula but thats for another time.

Before I moved in the builder had annihiallated my garden, removed everything and turfed over all the rubbish. Some of it was ok but some of it was dreadful, lumpy bumpy and dried out sods of turf. The job is still unfinished. Here are some photos of it when I moved in.