We favour the wild, natural look and like the birds, butterflies, frogs and other small animals that inhabit our garden, but we want it to be looked after. We would prefer it if the slugs and butterflies kept away from the vegetable garden, but of course they don't. We don't mind a few weeds and have plenty of space for them, but we are in a constant battle to stop the nettles, docks and brambles from overunning us.

Before the time when on-line activities took over from real life we spent a lot of time gardening. From when we first moved to Ladymoor Gate and began tackling the overgown parts of the garden and fighting to convert the grassed areas into lawn we had always wanted a pond. In 1999 when I was between jobs we decided it was a good time to begin.