Hole in the World

I mentioned on Friday that we had asked the landscape gardener working next door, to give us a quote for replacing our decking. I knew it was rotten, but I only realised how rotten when I stood on it today! Tubs and planters can hide some of the damage, but we don’t have anything big enough to disguise this particular hole!
Apparently you’re supposed to clean and treat wooden decking on a regular basis to keep it in tip top condition. Who knew? I just sort of hoped that if you left it alone for eighteen years it would be ok. It isn’t, and that’s why it needs replacing.
We still can’t decide whether or not to move, but fixing this decking is now something that needs to be done, whatever. But there is no need to go complicated. When the man comes to measure up tomorrow, we’re just going to tell him to make it the length of a standard board and the width of however many whole boards fit between the edge of the lawn and the fence. That way there should be no waste and no cutting. Which should make it cheaper.
No need for us to worry about upkeep either. If we go it’s somebody else’s problem. If we stay, that area is earmarked for some sort of garden building which will require a more permanent base, so the decking only has to last for a few years.
As you might have guessed, I have a very “hands off” attitude to garden maintenance. But this is the first time we’ve lived anywhere long enough for that particular policy’s shortcomings to be exposed!
If we do move house, I sense a lot of low maintenance materials going into any new garden. Think hard landscaping, composite decking and lots of gravel!