Going for a walk the other day with my lady-friend, we chose to explore the Southern end of the Lancaster canal. On the opposite bank to the towpath a long row of terraced houses had back gardens which came to the edge of the canal bank. The land on which the houses were built was on a gentle incline and at the lower end the gardens were below the level of the canal bank. This made it difficult to see what was in them. As my girlfriend and I walked along, the houses and gardens began to rise until at one point the houses were some 25 feet above the canal. It was fascinating to see what had been made of the various plots of land. On the level the gardens were, in the main quite attractive with attempts to make an attractive edge where it met the water. These varied in success from timber decking and flags to clumps of rushes and weeds. As the gardens became more sloped the variety of solutions became more interesting. One was nothing more than a single expanse of sloping lawn. Rather neat and tidy and I imaging fairly easy to maintain. Another had been terraced with low walls dividing the levels. Again quite neat but a little more work to maintain and not as user friendly. Then we came to one which had been abandoned. Overgrown with shrubs and bushes and just the vestiges of some long forgotten attempt to tame it. The next few looked as if they might be “work in progress” although it was difficult to say when they were last visited. Next we had a rather untidy bit of garden but a very well made timber landing stage against which was tied a pleasure boat. Obviously their interest was in boating rather than gardening. The angle of slope was getting much greater by now and sloping lawns seemed out of the question. Long flights of stone steps with small areas of level terrace became the typical view with assorted concrete ornaments, plastic ducks, garden chairs and the occasional plant. Then a totally different solution. Just tip a vast quantity of rubble and debris down the slope and see what happens. Well at least there would be no point in worrying about the bottom of the garden because it made it totally impossible to reach the bottom without sliding into the canal. Now we have an attempt to create some woodland. Or maybe it wasn’t created – it just grew. Some very substantial trees growing from the slope and making a dense canopy to hide whatever might be lurking beneath. At last we come to one which has had a considerable amount of money spent on it. No sign of any garden but a vast expanse of new decking, stepped down at regular intervals with wooden steps and wrought iron infill to the balustrades. A few thousand pounds must have been spent here. By now the angle of slope has reached almost forty-five degrees and the attempts to make anything at all of the land get more and more futile. Then we come to a very creative idea. A large garden shed has been built out from the house level on wooden stilts, with decking around it. Then a flight of steps to a much lower level which again has been built on stilts to achieve a usable area. Then a few more steps down to a small decked area by the waters edge. Hanging from two poles near the canal bank is a projection screen. Some barbecue equipment is standing around along with chairs and tables. I can just imagine that on a warm summers evening the owners and their friends might be found having a meal by the canal side with the football being projected from the garden shed onto the screen and perhaps a few more people sat on the pleasure boat which was tied up nearby.
By this time we need to turn round and retrace our steps back to the car but it made me think that with a little imagination something useful could be made out of the most difficult situation if the will was there. But I think that my personal choice would be to live somewhere else – like where I live now.
Musings from a Church Mouse 