This part is dedicated to our Greenpod, not quite a greenhouse and not a polytunnel, a wee plastic covered half sphere.
Nothing is simple here as we have very bad weather and very high winds , pretty much all year round, although highly likely to have to take the pod down in winter as winds go well above the 40mph the pod advises.
So we needed a wall to protect from the most exposed sides and it is somewhat in a dell between house, salmonberry (an invasive shrub planted years ago by the estate gardeners probably for much the same reason, wind protection).
It works well at doing this and is largely why we have some trees here, unlike most of Orkney.
The birds and bees also love it. But we tend to try to contain it and push it back as we plant in sections. Currently a good wind block from the east winds though. Also where we often get a Sedge warbler come back every year to breed. A relatively rare warbler with a very active song. Like a jazz musician and it sings constantly, throughout the night.
I'll try and get a recording if it returns this year!
Front of finished wall. turfs from plots and what has been dug out from flooring used to create mound. some rubble and round stones used at based to add solidity. Bench added to reduce turf requirements, use up some lovely flat stones and also as somewhere rest at the end of the day. Catches the evening sun perfectly and semi wind protected.
Mound itself was created to soften wind more, add stability beyond all need, disguise wall somewhat and also has been planted with wildflowers and a few other other small plants. Not sure how much will grow after birds have all pillaged it and cat has run up and down the mound. May come back and reduce gradient more and have mound so we can lay on it.
Once the wall was built we dug out behind the wall for the base for the pod, as we have a slight slope and also wanted to get the pod hunkered down as much as possible. We then found the middle of the circle and dug out enough for a small plank with a chain attached to its centre. we then dug out space to put a cinder block at each end to keep it firmly fastened down. We used storage heater blocks for the centre of the flooring covering the cinder blocks and just leaving the centre with the chain so we can attach to the underside of the roof of the pod for extra protection against the wind. We then stoned to the edges and added sand to fill gaps and around the edges to keep pests out.
Then the plants got brought up from the main greenhouse. The cage in the middle is for the mixed beans to grow up, and they all growing on nicely now