Friday, July 24, 2009

A Postcard from London - Not the Chelsea Flower Show


Last week the tenants who'd been in my house in London for the last two years left, and the agency sent me a report describing the house as needing repairs and the garden as being "overgrown". So I came back to have a look.

This is the rose garden.


Here's the rockery.


This is the path down the side of the back garden.


And here's the vegetable garden.



Grass, borage and nettles as far as the eye can see. It's even worse than it was two years ago when the last tenants left. Excuse the rant, but why on earth do people who can't be bothered even to cut the grass rent a house with a garden? Go live in a flat.

So I now have a month to get it back into shape. Watch this space ...



11 comments:

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Oh my Sue, what a job you have in front of you!

Yaacov said...

Ouch! I'll fly over from NYC for a free month's rent in exchange for some serious work.

Autumn Belle said...

Yeah Sue, it is sad to look at. But, I'm sure you'll do a great job turning it around to look good enough for a postcard. Look forward to see the results.

Carrie said...

No, that just isn't right. Next tenants need to LOVE gardening, how upsetting to see your lovely work so overgrown and undistinguishable. I feel so sorry for you. Hey, Andrew and i could live in London for a while and look after it for you, hehehehe (only if it's free - we aren't flush ;)but we love the big smoke!)

Jan said...

That must be so disheartening, and annoying! You're going to need a month for that, so be careful with your back - don't go too mad!

We have two houses in the UK rented out (courtesy of managing to sell our 4 bed and getting two repos at the right time), one of which only has a strip of garden in the front so not too much to go wrong there. But I've just got my fingers crossed for the back garden of the other - we know the front's ok as we sneaked a look the last time we flew back. Agents inspect the house for us, but I don't think they take a lot of notice of the garden. Good luck.

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

Some tenants are not passionate about gardening i guess. Take your time Sue, the garden will soon brighten up!

~ bangchik

VP said...

How annoying! I met up with an ex-colleague a week ago who's over from Oz at the moment. She said the only depressing thing about coming back was seeing how her tenants have messed up her much loved family home.

What's in the tenancy agreement re looking after the garden? We rented when we first moved down here and had to agree to look after the garden. If we hadn't we would have had to have paid for someone to make it look good again...

Chris said...

Sue I am sorry and feel your pain. I have come upon gardens that were abandoned or abused as I would like to call it. It always seems a little overwhelming at first but in time its really therapeutic.
Well good luck with your project I hope you get it all sorted out.

Val said...

Only a month! A full time job then. I wish you lots of luck but no doubt as you get into it, it will take on a momentum of it's own and could even be fun! Hope your next tenants are gardeners! Val

Sue Swift said...

Thanks to you all for your comments
Yaacov and Carrie - if I didn't have to rent the place immediately we leave, I might take you up on that :)
Jan - you're right. Agents' ideas of a tidy garden tends to be one where you can still walk to the front door ...
VP - yes, it was in the contract, but ...

Anonymous said...

Oh my! I totally feel for you! That is awful that they treated your home and property like that. We have the same problem in our neighborhood even with home owners! I don't get why they make such an investment and don't put anything into it! It's truly a pet peeve on mine! Wish I were there to help you!

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