The start!

My first post of my new Gardening blog - how exciting!
I guess I should spend this time to fill y'all in on my style of gardening and the conditions I attempt to garden in - without boring you guys too much.
So, my garden consists of almost 4 acres, waaaay too much space for one gardener no matter how enthusiastic. My husband does try to help me but he's a self employed builder who is finishing the building of our new home so doesn't get so much time.
At the moment my garden consists of 4 areas that in no way flow from one to the other but instead are dotted about in various areas, each being made as a need arose.
We have the back garden which is just getting renovated now,  a greenhouse area with outdoor veg beds, a polytunnel with new outdoor beg beds and a huge pond area. 2013 will hopefully be the year that sees drastic structural and aesthetic improvements to those areas and, fingers crossed, a flow through at least 3 of the areas.  
Gardening here in the Scottish Highlands has been very demanding and has forced me into a completely different way of gardening. Alot of my favourite plants that would have flourished in my English garden simply will not even entertain some of the harsh conditions we have here. We live in the very far north with all it's windy, unpredictable weather and are a few acres from the North Sea Coast. With no near neighbours as such we are extremely exposed!
Despite the pretty naff conditions I still like to grow plants that are borderline hardy for this area and have had decent success, as in all areas of the country some plants do better than others  and I think I will be having to make some harsh decisions in the coming year with regards to some of my favourite plants that while they are clinging to life are hardly flourishing!
The veg garden and polytunnel will be filled with both the old faithful, easy to grow veggies and some new ones that I've never dared to grow before - it will certainly be interesting.
My gardening style revolves around recycling everything and anything, I am too tight fisted to buy what can be made. I build my own planters, composters (barrel style as well as traditional - tutorials to follow :) and pretty much anything else I decide I want or need.

So I shall leave you with a quick glimpse of my garden.

How apt for this time of year! 

These Lilies flourished in my Polytunnel this year and looked fab with the sweetpea. (this is my image but is watermarked for my craft blog).

Waterlily that suprisingly flourishes on the pond alongside 4 others.