We Found A Wall & Balcony In Our Driveway Renovation 

The palm trees really reflect the Victorian Era and tie in perfectly with the station. Keep it authentic.

Looking great! I suggest renting or buying a brush shredder to turn all that old foliage into mulch. It's a great way to recycle it and turn it into fertilizer and cover for your flower beds, etc. Also, I love that your channel took off massively in just a few short days.

I vote to keep the palm trees. They were fashionable in the Victorian era. Hugs to your furry supervisors.😂 too cute the way they are always "lending a paw".

Palm trees were introduced to the UK in the early Victorian era. They would have been the height of fashion at the time. Such a satisfying project.

The Victorian era was the height of the English empire, and saw the empire reach its greatest territorial extent. Goods from around the world were being imported and I daresay non-native plants such as your palm would have been a feature in a Victorian garden. You should certainly keep it! Oh, and a hearty 2nd to anyone who may have suggested a wood-chipper. Free mulch!

Victorians loved palms. Keep them they're lovely

A chipper will greatly reduce the volume of all the cut vegetation, A contractor will have a chipper big enough to take the whole bush in one gulp and most likely, the price will be lower if he can leave the chips and not pay to dispose of them. They will decompose if they are piled up wet. The higher the pile, the faster they decompose.

I've got 5 of the palms or Trachycarpus and there lovely amongst all the other trees plus you get greenery still in the winter and they look lovely with snow on. The Victorians loved palms and had them inside and outside...Keep em 👍

The driveway looks great! You guys made great progress on clearing out the vegetation 👍. I was going to chime in about the palms but after reading the comments I see that the case seems to have been made for keeping them 😂. The Victorians were very proud of their gardens and palms were exotic and symbolic--certainly symbolic of far-away lands, but also of wealth and means. It only seems right to keep them in your quest to restore this Victorian property.

BTW: The ivy-covered platform you've found is probably a base for railway signal equipment. Those stairsteps were the way up there from the embankment. Might be a cool place for a flagpole.

The palm trees are a part of the station & it's approaches,not to mention heritage.Pleeeeze leave them in place. What a trove of history.

Keep the palms the Victorian era was when people went out and brought plants back from different parts of the world. Councils and train company's would have planted them to show off and make people think they were in an exotics part of the world.

I live in California once the palms are cleaned up and fertilized they should come back .Amazing video it’s going to be such an adventure xxx

Clearing the brush from the driveway is good exercise and fresh air. It's a lot of work now, but the maintenance should be easier.

Palm trees are of the victoriana era. As for the balcony, I think a bench was back towards the palms, overlooking the garden to the right.

You are to be congratulated on you fantastic progress, well done, I look forward to more secrets being reveled

We agree please keep the palm trees. They really add to the special ambience of the place

Love the secret garden. Can hardly wait!

Probably the best time of year to tackle something like that before it gets too warm. 👍

Here's another vote for the palm keepers. I've always regretted cutting down anything unless there was a very good reason for it to go! 🌴🌴🌴 I think the little balcony framed by palms would be quite scenic.

Lol if it’s good enough for Torquay it’s good enough for your driveway, who doesn’t love a palm tree in the garden 🥰

We are enjoying your progress. Please keep sharing.

I will say this a lot: I adore the quietness of your videos and your voice. You could make a million with your lovely soothing voice. I have trouble sleeping and i would love a long youtube of you reading a calm story. this is just info, in case that ever sounds fun (in between your nonstop project. lol). 😊

Congratulations on blasting past 25K subscribers! The comments reflect my thoughts. Yes, keep the fan palms. I was surprised they survived in Wales, thought I've seen them in videos of Cornwall. I live in Southern California, so palms are everywhere. They can be trimmed up to look very nice, and might complement the brick balcony. The trunks are fibrous and they have deep tap roots; another reason to let them be. If you can work out a deal for mulching services, that will save so much money when you are ready to landscape. I've done 'sheet mulching', where I use flattened boxes (none with shiny printed paper, only plain ink) and other cardboard; layer and cover with mulch. It works for preparing flower beds, and keeping paths from getting weedy. I love the line of trees along the driveway. So structural! I agree that taking things slow allows you to enjoy discoveries. Heavy equipment and crews who don't care can damage or destroy things you want to keep. Our neighbors lost a 100 year-old oak tree when the demo guys working at the adjacent property were not told the location of the property line. :( The best thing about this type of work is seeing drastic improvement. Later on there will be tedious jobs...

Loving the videos. So interesting finding out the history of the station. Keep up the good work as we are all watching and waiting for the next episode. 🤓

I am so enjoying watching the vids. Just a small comment on the running commentary though? You should consider getting a pop screen between the mic and your mouth. It make for a MUCH better listening experience. You two are taking on SUCH a heavy load with all this work, it is SO daunting to watch. I hope at some point too, your husband takes up the commentary in some spots. This is fast becoming one of my Favorite RU-vid channels!

I have a feeling the palm trees are very in keeping with the Victorian theme. Queen Victoria herself loved them.

I like the Palm trees, I think they should stay.

The balcony find is enchanting. Perhaps it was intended to be a true secret garden - a place of reflection and calm beauty. I think the fan palms lend an exotic and unexpected beauty to the station garden. Please keep them!

keep the palm trees, they look amazing

I vote to keep the palms. They're lovely, unique, a conversation piece

It's been great to watch you renovate the old station

The sooner planning comes through, the better for you all. You’ve purchased a beautiful building and I can’t wait for the final video. Best wishes for your endeavours.

When I was a little girl, my father had a bulldozer, and his job was to clear brush off land. He would take us with him sometimes and we would sit by him on the bulldozer and, even on a heavy piece of equipment, it was tough work plowing through the brambles. I can’t even imagine how much work it would be the way you are doing it. Great job!

Enjoying the videos, keep up the great work! USA Indiana here...

I think the palms are exactly what the victorians would have loved to show off. visiting places like Kew Gardens would have been seen as an adventure and having a little bit of it at the station would have bee a show off moment. Keep up the good work and maybe look for a used shredder thar can turn the bushes into mulch and stop the weeds in future.

The palms are definitely in-keeping with the Victorian era, they LOVED them and stuck them everywhere they could, because they were considered so exotic. Just look at some of the old palms still living today in Victorian gardens.

It's probably worth you buying a shredder with so much greenery there etc ? and use it a mulch under trees ? Also saves a trip to the tip.

yep put the waste through a shredder and use it as Mulch ) you may find more of the stone gutter stones that you have outside the front of the building

I love to clear that lot ..so interesting

I love the palm trees. It adds to the feel of the place.

I agree with most, if not all, the below comments (not having taken the time to read all). Blood, sweat, and tears, culminating in joy, having worked relentlessly unwrapping your beautiful hidden "Secret Garden." God bless and as always, love, from CA USA. P.s. What fun! Hard work, but fun. My guess is you're sleeping well at night. You've earned it.

The brambles and ivy are something else. Hard work. If you keep the palms shave them close to the trunk and make sure the fronds are cut above eye hight.

Really glad you are enjoying the process of discovering. I mean - what’s the big rush. Yes a bigger tool may go faster & machinery saves on sweat. However in all the noise and petrol fumes certain nuances can be missed or crushed. Plus working and becoming familiar with every inch of your land helps you create a fully rounded view of the whole property. Very envious of your pile of ‘brush’, I’m forever having to bring in wood chip and other amendments to my large garden. I do hope you take your own time to decide if the palm trees stay ( it’s not like you can put them back !)

That path will look amazing when you get it done next to the road

Exactly like that! Do it. Film it. Enjoy it! Reap the benefits of it in a year or two. Agree. Big pile as possible to generate that heat and breakdown.

Victorians loved tropical/exotic plans. My house as a kid was in central London Victorian railway cottage it had a pig tree in the garden.

The victorians loved palm trees, a reflection of your wealth and far off exotic places.

Love the clean and wider driveway. It is looking beautiful. Looking forward to seeing the next video and what else you find buried in the rubble. Thank you Laura and "We" for the videos. Stay safe and warm till the next one.

Looking good, thx for bringing us along on another adventure... Take care...

No! Don’t delete the Trachycarpus Fortunei. They’re beautiful when maintained correctly. I’m Head gardener and groundsman at a private Manor House in Leicestershire. I really want to install them on our grounds, but my boss and project manager just won’t have it. Give them space, and time to develop. You’ll be so glad you did.

I love discovering hidden hardscapes! It looks so much better with the curb.

That which you call a brush cutter is actually a string trimmer, not made for land clearing, but for much lighter duty. It will work, but don't expect it to be what it is not. Save the palms. I second the idea of renting a mulching machine. Pity you can't get a burning permit and have a place to burn it all. The ashes do make a fertiliser. Thanks for the videos. Anxiously awaiting the next one. Jon - Ian on your side of the pond.

When you completed most of the cutting back, you should consider hiring a commercial shedder and use the mulch for your garden

It's amazing how fast nature can reclaim things.

A wood chipper would make quick work of those brush and free mulch is a definite plus. Really enjoying watching your journey. What a lovely family ❤

Nothing like a discovery!😊

What a way to pass a day, wonderful. discovering all this beauty, I love the palm trees, but that's a personal choice. Bon courage, keep going, you're doing a beautiful job. Hurry back, 😊😊 ❤❤

Maybe your holding out on us more goodies like the sidewalk under all the foliage. Keep up the good work Great Job! 18 degree below here in the States Yes I would love to live where the palm trees grow. Wow your garden years from now will be beyond beautiful.

Although I'm not a huge fan of the trees, Victorians loved them as a symbol of the wide reach of the Empire... I believe. Even here in Dubbo, New South Wales we have a dozen or so from the 1870/80s in our big central park - Victoria Park.

Looks like it will be a fantastic looking home, full of character!!! I would get rid of the palms and also cut all those trees lined up along the driveway. A not to tall beech hedge along the driveway into your property will look lovely and neat, allow more light in your site and also give a small glance to your house as you enter along.

Palms were definitely a thing in Victorian times. I would tidy them up and leave them if possible. Great job on clearing that brush, quite a job.

I am still binge watching, I nearly cried for the Royal "we" are using an electric mower. poor fellow. Cheers

In lieu of getting a skiff to haul debris away have you considered getting a chipper shredder and converting all the trimmed brush into mulch for future garden plantings? Wishing you and your family a blessed week as you continue your renovation project journey. Peace

good luck with all the work which will be needed to maintain it, mother nature will certainly be working 24/7 to reclaim it.

I’d also add, the first bamboos at Kew Kew's first bamboo plant arrived in 1826 - a Phyllostachys nigra (black bamboo) - at the start of what was to become a national obsession with plant-hunting, including voyages to bring specimens back from China and Japan.

It's like christmas finding all the stuff hidden 😆 i love doing stuff like that it makes it look so nice getting rid of over grown stuff to find what was hidden foever

If there are any neighbors with goats, you could bring them in to naturally remove the ivy and overgrowth, leaving only the branches to cut back.

Love the palm trees. I hope you keep them.

This is looking good. I went back and watch all your videos. Wish they were longer.

Yes, get rid of those palm trees and then you can take in the view from the balcony in the secret garden. Also have an arborist take a look at those older trees to check their health and take the ivy off of them, as it weakens and can kill the trees. It will be fun to plant some native trees up there, maybe some fruit trees. What a great opportunity to take this project on!

Love seeing the progress

I see that your adorable Beagle had definite opinions whilst you were clearing out the initial bushes❤❤

Any palm bad ass enough to establish itself like that deserves to stay. Maybe after a light trim.

This is a beautiful project! Congratulations! I would keep the Palm Trees, they deserve it! I am watching your Station from West Hollywood, California, and have myself restored old buildings!

Being From Miami,I Love Palm Trees.Their A Unique Feature of The Property,Keep The Palms🌴🌴

I see someone else making the comment that Palm trees would have been fashionable at the time (I'm thinking of all those parlour palms ) Your brush cutter will be worth its weight in gold. Getting to look wide and stately.

You are really working hard, well done. It will be fantastic when its finished, I'm really enjoy watching your progress, thank you for the time you put into your videos and for sharing.👍

Looking soooo good already!!😊

I thought I saw a sidewalk (walkway) next to the curb in the old photo. Keep scraping those vies and see if there is a sidewalk underneath it.

It seems to be quite obvious that the brick fence and tree line is the edge of the overgrown driveway, if so you have found a good parcel of land!!

Very exciting finding all these hidden things 👏

Have you thought about using goats to remove the overgrowth? Here in the states, there are farmers who "rent" out their goats to clear heavily overgrown areas. You'd be amazed at how fast they can clear an area. They fence off the sections you want removed and let the goats do their thing. Fascinating to see.

Quite agree about the palms. They’re quite tall and look like they’ve been there a good few years. Please keep them! I’m finding your renovation project hugely interesting. Thank you!

Just subscribed and watched your previous vlogs here in New Zealand. I used to live near Manchester and loved the old railways. Amazing how anything built by the Victorians are still standing yet modern stuff doesn't last that long. Awesome project, will be watching more. Good luck.

I love the efforts you’re taking to manage the chaos of the overgrown driveway edge. I think you should keep the palms. The Victorians & Edwardians were mad keen on palms & ferns. The palms are quite possibly from the period when they were in fashion Possibly make garden beds around them with ferna.

Loved the update, thank you! The "secret garden" looks impressive! Great job clearing the driveway, can see it looking awesome with lights running all the way down!

Well done it’s looking so much better bet you are pleased

came across the channel by accident what a great project good luck 👍👍

Loving your videos of the station and progress, congratulations to you all. Looking forward to seeing more ❤ xx

💕You need a large garden shredder then you could put the shredded material down to make a fantastic compost bin for all future garden projects & raised beds💕CUT UP the thicker twigs & trunks for your wood pile as you will need it for all of the wood burners you plan on using💕

Such a cool place and interesting project.

A lot to uncover quite literally. A lot of work but at the same time exciting. It's going to look great.

The victorians were very much into palms, very exotic there

Fabuous to see how quickly your channel is growing. That driveway is going to look terrific. You both better find a good Chiropractor and physio nearby. Something tells me, you just might be needing them. :-)

Exciting stuff guys! 🥰

Love the dogs.

I’m with him! Take down the palms!!

What a great discovery, it will be nice to have the wider driveway. So much work to clear out years of growth; it's going to look so good to have it completely cleared and groomed. You guys are amazing and so impressed with your energy and devotion to this project. P.S. I live in Florida, palm trees are pretty abundant, may species are "trash trees" and do nothing but shed debris and a place for bugs to live. I had the one in my yard removed for these reasons, looked just like the ones you have.

Keep the palm trees, they are beautiful and they add a bit of tropical splendor to whichever part of Wales you are in 😊