Hi all,

I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but I chose it because people of this forum are intelligent and dedicated, as well as diverse.

My neighbor is selling their house. They have a large side yard which they do nothing but mow. They have maybe 1 acre, I have less than 1/2 acre. My yard is shady except for the space abutting their land, which is where my veg garden is. I've asked if they can sell me a bit if their yard, and they are willing, but they have to see how a deal with another party goes before we can talk.

The spot is sunny and grows grass abundantly. The back is a bit wet in the spring then most of it dries out. There is a wet ditch which drains the woods behind my yard. If I had the land, my long, narrowish yard would be in a L shape.

The builder who built their house wanted to put two houses on the lot. That is why their house is way over with a large side yard. He would have built a house overlooking my back yard. Bad enough, but it also would have ruined my drainage further. The new home backs water up to my garden in the spring as it is, slightly worse than before the house was built. My house is luckily on the uphill. The town told him he could not build: so the area I want to buy is not buildable, as current septic plans stand. It is possible that it would be buildable in the future, after the town and owners go to great expense and effort. I think also it would be over several people's dead bodies. But life is stranger than compost, so who knows.

Price for about 1/12 acre would be$3200-$6500 as far as I can tell. $5440-$10000 if they sold me 1/8. We have not discussed it yet. I'd have to get a HELOC. I would have to pay lawyer and surveying fees too, probably another $800. The prices I mention are what buildable land has been going for near here.

My garden is 25x50' and I would like it larger. I'd also like to grow some dwarf fruit trees or another grape. My large compost bins would remain where they are, out of consideration for the neighbors.

My garden gets, tops, 7 hours of sun in the summer. In the spring, my veg garden is where the snow melts last. The area I want to buy is nice and clear then. I have already taken down as much as I can of my neighbors trees, with their blessing of course.

Would you pay this much to improve your garden? It's not going to add to the value of my property. It will add to my property tax and mowing time.

Another question-would you build up the soil level in the garden area to help the drainage further? I have raised beds now. In the spring the lower part gets puddled in the pathway.

Thank you for your input.