tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29417369285488720902024-03-19T02:12:58.231-07:00Woodlouse HouseA country home & garden journalPatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-86637302499659781662017-08-03T12:08:00.000-07:002017-08-03T12:08:51.252-07:00August 2017<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAV7lwg9asr3WdlzZphFIebQabBysJXZtAKVXrkdFmn2znbmJT0l4W5O61qFm4smvas7ky7gc_2Xu2aOzL0DVYfpcRPysJXgV4NxotgUa-cYHGP6fENst3wQwVqMWJbL39dKfv4SxnHs5/s1600/window+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1578" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAV7lwg9asr3WdlzZphFIebQabBysJXZtAKVXrkdFmn2znbmJT0l4W5O61qFm4smvas7ky7gc_2Xu2aOzL0DVYfpcRPysJXgV4NxotgUa-cYHGP6fENst3wQwVqMWJbL39dKfv4SxnHs5/s320/window+before.jpg" width="315" /></a>I should be outside painting the window frames but the rain arrived. The wooden frames were my idea ... people kept telling me to go for plastic ones but I held out! I got my way on the firm understanding that I wanted them, so I paint them! Now I wish I had listened to advice! Every year I hope the varnish will keep them protected and every year I have to get the ladders out! The varnish layers turned the wood from a lovely glowing golden shade to a dull dark brown.<br />
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I never imagined I would actually decide to cover the wood with paint but that is exactly what I am doing ... to be honest I think the lighter look has cheered the place up. Plus, I MIGHT get away with not painting next year! If not I am buying plastic!<br />
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I have not blogged since the beginning of April. What have I been doing!! Well, lots of things but not a lot of gardening so the place bloomed without me. Here are a few highlights from June/July:<br />
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I have been collecting seeds from the aquilegia, delphiniums and poppies. New lupin and wallflower seedlings are coming through and I have a few cuttings in the greenhouse ... there will be more once this painting is out the way!!<br />
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Visiting the B and Q isn't all bad ... they have a plant clearance section. The large geraniums are half price so I picked out a few bushy ones to propagate for next year.<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-64166117598991525022017-04-06T14:26:00.006-07:002017-04-07T03:54:55.121-07:00Spring Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was quite pleased with the back of the garden three weeks ago .....<br />
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..... but it looks much better now.<br />
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The warm days have really brought the place to life. It is not just the plants either: the birds are chasing each other about, butterflies have appeared and I have spotted hedgehog poo (but not the actual hedgehog yet!).<br />
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I have just started reading a book called 'Daffodil: a Biography of a Flower' by Helen O'Neil. I am enjoying it so far not just for the informative content but because of the beautiful illustrations. Apparently there are over 30,000 different cultivars of daffodils so I started to count the ones in my garden ... only forty two .... and that's just the ones I recognised as being different. Some of the differences are quite small but very significant to collectors who pay small fortunes for a single bulb.<br />
Here are a few favourites from my garden:<br />
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Belton House in Lincolnshire has better collection ....<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-89150967835963422812017-03-05T08:26:00.001-08:002017-03-05T08:26:55.050-08:00Early March<br />
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The purple and yellow crocus look lovely poking their heads through the lawn but I have to remember not to tread on them. I have been moving pots onto the grass while we pressure wash the paths. We have never done it before so you can imagine the dramatic colour change when 24 years of grime is removed ... what a difference! So that's something else I have to avoid treading on with my mud caked wellies!<br />
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More and more primulas are coming into flower and the tete-a-tete daffodils. The bigger daffs are not far behind now. Snowdrops are just starting to go over. We moved into this house 5th March 1993 and I remember thinking how wonderful the Forsythia looked as it bloomed behind the Japanese Quince ... both are a bit later this year. Next week perhaps.<br />
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The Helebores are making up for it...<br />
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I divided my seed stash into veg and flowers then divided the flowers into ones to propagate in seed trays, ones for pots and others that can be scattered outside. So the greenhouse is now filled with seedtrays and pots that I hope will be covered with shoots in next to no time. <br />
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Outside is taking a bit longer. One veg bed still needs emptying of flowers but the back border is covered with compost just waiting for seeds. Lettuce, cabbage and a few potatoes are already in. I can't decide where to plant the peas and beans! I have a trellis I could plant them against but it is West facing: I think they would produce more on the South facing fence. Decisions!!<br />
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On my way to visit my mum for her 95th birthday I called into a local garden centre and found two lovely planters reduced from £26 to £9! Could not believe my luck. I had to go back outside to get a trolley to transport them to the till and actually got slightly panicked at the thought of someone else grabbing them before I got back!! Here is one with the Tudor Rose on the side. The other has a lily pattern. Really pleased with them.<br />
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I was even happier when I saw the trays of Bellis and Pansies reduced to 50p. Little wonder this garden centre is so popular!<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-87574485199101729522017-02-20T09:01:00.001-08:002017-04-06T14:40:24.844-07:0020th February 2017<br />
The phone woke me up with a start at one o'clock in the morning on Saturday. My first thought was, "This must be bad news." As I picked up I imagined my younger sister telling me my 94 year old mother had passed. We are preparing a birthday party for her 95th this weekend but she hasn't been well recently. I steeled myself for the news. My youngst son was on the other end ... a moment of relief then the panic of 'Why is he phoning so late then? What has happened?'<br />
"Are you alright?" I ask.<br />
"Oh, " he says, "I've got the wrong number. Sorry mum did I wake you?"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First daffodil</td></tr>
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This lovely hellebore was one of those monthly offers from Gardens' World Magazine three years ago<br />
.... six free plants for the cost of postage. I received Helleborus purpurascens; Helleborus niger and Helleborous Double Ellen. They were all tiny and needed time to bulk up before planting out but they are all showing off today.<br />
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The good thing about a blog is the ability to look back to previous years. Looking at an area of primroses I was struck by how few there appeared to be compared with my memory of 2015. Sure enough photographic proof shows a full line under a large laurel. That line now has gaps in it. We had the laurel chopped back last year so that area was badly disturbed and it maybe the plants were killed. Easy to put right though ... plenty of primroses elsewhere that can be divided to fill the gaps. I have a seed tray full of seedlings I could use anyway but I really want to plant those at the top of the lane in the road verge. I know that is not my land but it could look so good with a little effort!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocus in the lawn</td></tr>
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I am filling the bird feeders up there every two days now and the bird numbers seem to have increased ... but I have no idea what it was like in previous years as the place was too overgrown to see any birds! I do know a couple of magpies have started to build a large nest there using my wood pile for supplies. They are pretty close to one of my nest boxes! Not good news! The sparrows and chaffinches are not impressed either!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgya8qDEoCuwgP4g1qcz46FSLvaOC6Q_1gZ4U2_7XrTjn75M4gBiRd9KrFYkuCeBxKEYS_dVOTXR4z-iBsB0RFhMK-lpZi3Vw7ZRxgsjQbyMP_GcFb63-wiaV96FCFlEJZODB6gdfd7yVpT/s1600/greenhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgya8qDEoCuwgP4g1qcz46FSLvaOC6Q_1gZ4U2_7XrTjn75M4gBiRd9KrFYkuCeBxKEYS_dVOTXR4z-iBsB0RFhMK-lpZi3Vw7ZRxgsjQbyMP_GcFb63-wiaV96FCFlEJZODB6gdfd7yVpT/s320/greenhouse.jpg" width="320" /></a>I was right about the frog a couple of days ago ... it found its way to the pond where a mate was waiting and the two are now making lots of froggy noises.<br />
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The clear out has continued. The seed trays are washed and ready for planting; storage boxes in the greenhouses have been emptied ... that was so hard to do! ... I am a terrible hoarder and look to find a use for all sorts of old rubbish knowing full well I will never do anything with it in reality ... this time I closed my eyes as the bin filled up! Years worth of saved plastic pots gone ... not all of them mind! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now</td></tr>
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I love this time of year ... everything waking up and the knowledge that this will soon be this ....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZMX9hyphenhyphenLVaWG-SrQ9OeiIGVeMO1il5V275yotgNcnSsmETSRiHFJ43NTbnAT0Z-euATpN4dDp1BzahrwxwrmgToNLofEAZ1JmI2ige_SbbkCpEvRO-fOIVHbY8m4d2rRvczxAu9ilfP5h/s1600/DSC00723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZMX9hyphenhyphenLVaWG-SrQ9OeiIGVeMO1il5V275yotgNcnSsmETSRiHFJ43NTbnAT0Z-euATpN4dDp1BzahrwxwrmgToNLofEAZ1JmI2ige_SbbkCpEvRO-fOIVHbY8m4d2rRvczxAu9ilfP5h/s640/DSC00723.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last April</td></tr>
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-26041926756695358182017-02-18T12:34:00.000-08:002017-02-18T12:34:05.228-08:00Messing AboutI got up this morning intent on spending the day tidying up the garden then did exactly the opposite!<br />
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I began well by sprucing up a small bed outside the back door. It doesn't look great just now but it is no longer covered in dead leaves and the old stems have gone. The patch in the middle will be filled with a tower of sweetpeas in a few weeks I hope. Haven't got round to actually planting any yet ... that's a job for tomorrow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSomKNjgwKWGGEPObDSp2YedjkIe8A_ykM15-o6eWkKjwnVGWsy1Q3PHJNQb5rcrtjwdf2alQe50tPP0eIoK6wQ8GvffWacNksy4e8ldgr9KFXttO51_oNBzaQAcQvIBlGNHkjEU2x39zP/s1600/IMG_1058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSomKNjgwKWGGEPObDSp2YedjkIe8A_ykM15-o6eWkKjwnVGWsy1Q3PHJNQb5rcrtjwdf2alQe50tPP0eIoK6wQ8GvffWacNksy4e8ldgr9KFXttO51_oNBzaQAcQvIBlGNHkjEU2x39zP/s200/IMG_1058.JPG" width="200" /></a>The composters looked ok next to the shed but I decided to move them to behind the greenhouse. Stupid idea! My back is now killing me! The reward is loads of lovely compost and plenty of empty space in the bins. The down side is the mess I made! I piled loads into the back borders where the veg will be and filled some large pots but had to leave this pile when I ran out of energy to move anymore! The robin was pleased.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwQI87yi4zOwmNpJE8a9YBEIey5qjPRVS8pLB_Nq-gIPlw86rqbYq0GANUi0AzfbQCirDmUIzrXeiPayfiVHogAnxpvlVVvWk6vMicwXMOacp5I4gfYNFnD7g3_NijPAasWLsvzPPcsSb/s1600/IMG_1236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwQI87yi4zOwmNpJE8a9YBEIey5qjPRVS8pLB_Nq-gIPlw86rqbYq0GANUi0AzfbQCirDmUIzrXeiPayfiVHogAnxpvlVVvWk6vMicwXMOacp5I4gfYNFnD7g3_NijPAasWLsvzPPcsSb/s320/IMG_1236.JPG" width="277" /></a>I moved a table to behind the greenhouse too.<br />
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Now I know this looks a mess at the moment but I have a plan! It involves a saw, a screwdriver and a pot of paint ... could be very messy! I have been on Pinterest .... I LOVE Pinterest! .... and spotted a lot of quaint potting benches made from old tables and pallets so how difficult can it be??<br />
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This is the look I am going for:<br />
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I have the green paint, some planks of wood and a couple of metal shelf brackets. I want some sort of pretty sign, a twig heart and a few painted pots. If you don't see a photo in the next few weeks you will know it went horribly wrong and ended in a trip to the tip .... and we won't need to mention it again!!<br />
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Next I started to shift the dead leaves from the herb patch when this young lady jumped out and I decided to stop. She is massive ... obviously about to pop if she doesn't down load all that frog spawn soon. I think our pond will be seeing some action tomorrow.<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-83432715111979063352017-02-17T15:06:00.000-08:002017-02-17T16:24:14.434-08:00February 2017<br />
I have been shopping!<br />
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I made the most of the Lidl special offer .... 5 pks for £1 for the veg seeds and 5 pks for £2 for flowers. Unfortunately I then chose to go through the self service till and somehow managed to over charge myself by £1.60!<br />
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My Garden Club always offers half price Thompson & Morgan seeds but this year the lady who organises this decided to quit ... no one was stepping up so I volunteered to take over. It took some persuading to get to the minimum order level of £100 but we made it on time for the seeds to arrive for the February meeting. I was giving out the seeds when two more orders were handed in .... just when I thought I had finished!<br />
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Looking at details of another garden club in a neighbouring village I noticed they had a talk about barn owls. Now my husband is a keen birder so he agreed to accompany me. The owners of <a href="http://www.teanvalleymeadow.co.uk/" target="_blank">Tean Valley Meadow,</a> Alan and Sylvia Williams, retired in 2002 and bought 11 acres of meadow and set about creating a nature reserve. Thirty three young owls have been fledged from their owl boxes over the years. It sounded idyllic. What a great thing to do in your retirement. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2duO-iC0dGXXTzmgmHVkm6ira_ydVKZXQJI6N9-zRegtVaDErPogjv0nfXzH1LUzqRISJRD7SsEgFj5cN5KA8ORRqUwJeDWSwg85axDl2XheprNSo1WBaskhfOKvTF65tOSj3kmBSyQ-J/s1600/IMG_1232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2duO-iC0dGXXTzmgmHVkm6ira_ydVKZXQJI6N9-zRegtVaDErPogjv0nfXzH1LUzqRISJRD7SsEgFj5cN5KA8ORRqUwJeDWSwg85axDl2XheprNSo1WBaskhfOKvTF65tOSj3kmBSyQ-J/s200/IMG_1232.JPG" width="200" /></a>As a visitor I felt quite cheeky when my number came out first in the club raffle .... but I desperatly needed a new pair of work gloves and there was a leather pair on the table ... serendipity!<br />
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So here is how I wore out my old gloves .... before Christmas I began to tidy up a small area near my house. I was happy with what I had accomplished and had plans to finish the job when I came back from a three week holiday to India. Imagine my surprise on our return to find the council had decided to do something about the overgrown mess and had visited with their chainsaws: they destroyed the shrubs and left the mess! <br />
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A week later my gloves were in tatters ....<br />
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but the ground space was clear.<br />
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I have already planted some spring bulbs in there ... obviously not enough .... but they are coming through now.<br />
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Before Christmas I had visions of a bluebell wood .... today I visited Hodsocks Priory so I now want a snowdrop wood!<br />
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I had a lovely day spotting the different species. It made me look more
carefully at my own snowdrops some of which were in the garden when we
moved in twenty four years ago and sure enough I found a small clump
with lots of green on the inner petals ... no idea what it is but 'Dragonfly' looks quite similar or it may be Merlin. I have no plans to start collecting snowdrops. The cost of some of the bulbs is frightening.<br />
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The Hodsock shop was a treat ... lots of bulbs and hellebores and bees all over the place! <br />
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Lots to do in the garden this weekend ... LOVE this time of year!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSQo26TL1kQBufvhQRruGIB_dt09QRfGeQAPqlOaDQ9tX53-kAUWrwmIYNIXGBIdcE_3eb0gy3ShVyEPeXiI8hd_KahdZdXwgrmzCIAl_l-Q0wGtYgLfGoQ4AAXqoguOg5tVt-6N7LcXc/s1600/IMG_1231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSQo26TL1kQBufvhQRruGIB_dt09QRfGeQAPqlOaDQ9tX53-kAUWrwmIYNIXGBIdcE_3eb0gy3ShVyEPeXiI8hd_KahdZdXwgrmzCIAl_l-Q0wGtYgLfGoQ4AAXqoguOg5tVt-6N7LcXc/s320/IMG_1231.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little treat!</td></tr>
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Finally, here's one of the tigers we saw on our birding holiday in India.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrP-Z9F7FT875sLa-sdc6ECUVx9Qt1bnV3nVgbHZJ6tVYGkWkM_tsRcsOzjC0UBqTnBoOxgq9ThoRuGLS1k_wrHENJUTZRw9GuehzEZafOeQgaVTsx8Nu6EmVyaX8QxsXMihAzo-v0bih/s1600/_H7A0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrP-Z9F7FT875sLa-sdc6ECUVx9Qt1bnV3nVgbHZJ6tVYGkWkM_tsRcsOzjC0UBqTnBoOxgq9ThoRuGLS1k_wrHENJUTZRw9GuehzEZafOeQgaVTsx8Nu6EmVyaX8QxsXMihAzo-v0bih/s640/_H7A0812.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabulous!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-86131265554413078592016-11-09T14:54:00.000-08:002016-11-09T15:11:58.291-08:00The Wild SideI have spent quite a few hours at the top of our lane recently trying to improve the place. As I have already mentioned this is a road verge separating the top of our road from a fast flowing and busy by-pass. I was fed up of seeing it over grown and filled with litter so I went in to do a little pruning .... and got carried away!<br />
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This ....<br />
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... now looks like this ...<br />
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The area was filled with piles of dumped garden waste including large tree trunks. Most had been there so long the branches snapped off very easily to form a large pile of firewood .... and a great place for any homeless hedgehog mad enough not to want to move into my hedgehog box (see previous post!)<br />
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The other problem was the huge brambles that had grown over the shrubs and trees and were cutting out all the light. It was hard work cutting them down and pulling them out of the vegetation. Anyone looking at my scratched arms and legs might think I have been self-harming!<br />
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Thirdly there was the problem of litter. I was okay with the food wrappers and beer cans; disturbed by the pants and stockings but rather disgusted when I was confronted by used toilet paper and a smelly place! That particular area was avoided.<br />
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This area ....<br />
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... was quite straight forward. Just litter and dead wood to shift and it turned into this ...<br />
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Here is another before view ...<br />
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This isn't quite the same angle but it is the same area (look closely at the tree on the left and you can tell from the V shaped branches).<br />
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Next I dug up part of a large nettle patch. I know what you are thinking
but I didn't destroy the nettles, just incase there were any insect
eggs, I took them to a compost area next to more nettles. There are
plenty of other nettles here!<br />
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The ones I dug up were growing from an old pile of dumped garden waste that over the years had formed a small hill of compost ... perfect for the 200 spring bulbs I had received from a Gardeners' World offer (paid just £5.60 for P&P).<br />
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It might look like I have buried someone at the moment but by spring we should have daffodils, crocus, snakehead frittilaries, chionodoxa and anemones covering the bare earth. I have put a couple of primulas in, some foxgloves and aquilegia. Bluebells and grape hyachinths have been planted in the middle and I scattered some wild flower seeds around (yes, I know it is rather late but it is still warm). <br />
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An old plastic box filled with stones and plant pots made the basis of a
small watering hole for birds and frogs. I have placed it well away
from the path and fenced it off to avoid any stray children falling in
face first (but the water is very shallow just in case).<br />
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Four bird boxes are on the way from Amazon. I will set up a small feeding station: in the meantime I have hung a couple of fatballs from a tree.<br />
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I have been beaten by this section. <br />
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I made a start but after three hours I was worn out!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnJHBxj8brwl6-QY1JFfp9qP2ipW_kTR6fB_Oh2Y7fkZV4CrnbyveF_gp9dLErnQDIPqCBFmvfGqiBIbSmvpzp4U8-PZF1oTt4rFCsuhz5gXlzROEO5F0fAcJRBduGLJx4djpTBQWs560/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnJHBxj8brwl6-QY1JFfp9qP2ipW_kTR6fB_Oh2Y7fkZV4CrnbyveF_gp9dLErnQDIPqCBFmvfGqiBIbSmvpzp4U8-PZF1oTt4rFCsuhz5gXlzROEO5F0fAcJRBduGLJx4djpTBQWs560/s640/IMG_1013.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I made a small hedgehog house out of the twigs</i></td></tr>
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I am pleased with how it is looking now as I walk passed. More importantly though a robin has started turning up everytime I go up there and on my last visit a flock of long tailed tits kept me company so I just need a hedgehog to move in and I will be very happy.<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-24204392432758101732016-10-31T13:41:00.001-07:002016-10-31T13:55:42.518-07:00Paint & Posts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEgrhlDntinV81OwK3dky8rUAxYABpefXN_LQ2R9x5yaXmH0uK3ZTP2OPjrtf3HXQWc7nvzp_VB0DcAoySfa-dXv8VVljRyhZz6qZtRZXNnymJXNEEFbjNRojzOM6f2vNoU8sCkKhsrIp/s1600/IMG_0937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEgrhlDntinV81OwK3dky8rUAxYABpefXN_LQ2R9x5yaXmH0uK3ZTP2OPjrtf3HXQWc7nvzp_VB0DcAoySfa-dXv8VVljRyhZz6qZtRZXNnymJXNEEFbjNRojzOM6f2vNoU8sCkKhsrIp/s200/IMG_0937.JPG" width="150" /></a>I had a bit of a crafty day today. The morning began with the front gate. We painted the front windows and doors last year but ran out of steam before we got to the gate ...it needed fixing at that time anyway so it was left. Andy got round to fixing it over the summer and it was up to me to paint it ... so it got left again! On a warm day last week I gave it two coats of dove grey and then spend ages on Pinterest looking at photos of gates. I can get lost on that site for hours ... there are some amazing gates, honestly! ... but all I wanted was a simple stencil design. The one I chose was printed onto thick card and this morning I stuck it onto the gate ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAic5F9SPP8r4HwCDlcXmkLkbbX2_Z5nvZr8OiQqPtyEQw_7e6Ds_IFJNxz8ptle44aQ41AhuqnF45jnVO6i7gx3Budy65iNf6Z-0K_lX6Qp_lxpuRiZVDTW2RFocXQKNd8QpgW5NMeTy/s1600/IMG_0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAic5F9SPP8r4HwCDlcXmkLkbbX2_Z5nvZr8OiQqPtyEQw_7e6Ds_IFJNxz8ptle44aQ41AhuqnF45jnVO6i7gx3Budy65iNf6Z-0K_lX6Qp_lxpuRiZVDTW2RFocXQKNd8QpgW5NMeTy/s200/IMG_0970.JPG" width="142" /></a>The stencil has been filled in pale green (to match the front windows). It is the first time I have tried anything like this and I am quite pleased with the outcome. The photo below makes it look very pale ... it stands out a bit more in real life!</div>
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While I was waiting for the first coat to dry I got out the tool box and bits of wood from an old fence. Now you may not believe this but I can assure you I have never had any woodwork lessons in my life ... mine was the last generation where girls did cooking and sewing and lads played with wood. Well. I measured the pieces; I sawed the pieces; I hammered the bits together; I realised too late that one piece was upside down and the door was too small so I had to pull it apart and start again ... but after a LOT of sweat and swearing I was the proud owner of .....</div>
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.... if you are still wondering it is a luxury hedgehog house! I am just glad I don't have to make a living from woodwork .... how anyone can saw in a straight line I do not know! Yes, it looks a mess but I had a lot of fun making it and Andy had a right laugh when it was finished! Anyway it doesn't matter because the hedgehog won't mind as long as the roof keeps her dry (which it will) and I took it up to the top of the lane (really need to think of a name for this place) and covered it in dead leaves so no-one can see what it looks like anyway!</div>
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I put a few cat treats round the door to entice a new owner to find it. Unfortunately my lovely pet, Isis, died this week so she won't be needing the treats. We had eighteen loving years so she is missed. x<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-41927866643518440782016-10-30T05:45:00.002-07:002016-10-30T07:36:32.553-07:00Mad as a Box of Frogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYTOYuma3qtBtWFAJjlLdDs6wGGLjK4z7taVnSlUIv4q7yObUqJz3O2qjc5UlImB7l52gtuUE7mckbLfkZNbmVl88T6ARVON2Q-_pR5hrbeWtTNUwK40AeFcBhgA58x9jmtLv9UmsswVP/s1600/IMG_0918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYTOYuma3qtBtWFAJjlLdDs6wGGLjK4z7taVnSlUIv4q7yObUqJz3O2qjc5UlImB7l52gtuUE7mckbLfkZNbmVl88T6ARVON2Q-_pR5hrbeWtTNUwK40AeFcBhgA58x9jmtLv9UmsswVP/s640/IMG_0918.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Happy Halloween!</div>
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Well, summer has gone then! How did that happen?! The clocks have gone back and we are plunged into dark evenings ... so how do we cheer ourselves up .... we dress kids up as ghouls and stuff ourselves with pumpkin soup and parkin. I used to love Mischief Night as a child and a week later was the Bonfire party. Great!</div>
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Obviously this is a busy time for us all trying to get the garden ready for winter. All our apples have been picked and the veg patch cleared. The green bin has been filled to overflowing with things I have chopped back and I thought the place was looking okay ....</div>
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... yes, the grass could do with a cut but we still have a bit of colour about the place .... then a friend came round and gave me her view! All she could see was the weeds and the moss on the paths and the untidy parts! We have completely different ideas on gardening. I don't do tidy gardening. Everything has to muck in. I don't have blue or pink borders: I see a space and fill it. Weeds survive in my garden because I don't see them in the chaos! The path gets swept sometimes but this is outside so it doesn't have to be spotlessly clean. One of my neighbours is not impressed by my attitude either. He likes to see neat shrubs with clear soil, or better still bark chippings, in between. I won't change. Too many plants: too little space!</div>
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This sorry state of affairs is a small wooded road verge at the top of our lane. I wrote to the town council last year asking permission to go in and plant a few bluebells. They told me the land didn't belong to them so I should contact the Borough Council. The Borough Council didn't own the land either so I should contact the Highways Department. The Highways passed me on to Direct One (or something!) and the nice secretary told me my enquiry had been passed on and Mr ---- would be in touch. I never heard another thing.</div>
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The brambles are as thick as my arm and saplings and shrubs are being strangled by ivy. People dump litter and garden waste in there which just makes it worse. I can't do the whole lot but I chose a spot in the middle and went in!</div>
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I cut back the brambles and rescued what I could (a couple of lovely red dogwoods now stand a chance). There were lots of beer bottles thrown around one part and empty packets of tobacco but I was very surprised to discover a pair of stockings and black pants! Someone is going to be disappointed when they see my handiwork then! </div>
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Once my area was cleared I planted bluebells in the middle and some daffodills at the edge. I have a few foxgloves and stinking hellebores to transplant from my garden and some spotted dead nettles. I left piles of wood and dead leaves for the local hedgehogs to find and I think I will add an insect hotel before the cold weather sets in. I don't want to make it into a cultivated garden, just a great space for wildlife that looks better than the mess it was becoming.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Part way there ...rubbish removed</i></td></tr>
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In my working days I always wore heels and smart co-ordinated outfits. I think I was viewed as being a sensible career woman. Since my retirement I know my neighbours must view me as being slightly odd when I am still working in the garden even though the light has faded around me! I must be "that mad gardening woman" to people who do not know my name. This impression was confirmed when a neighbour saw what I was doing and laughingly told Andy, "She's as mad as a box of frogs, your wife!"<br />
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-40090816457426241762016-09-15T03:38:00.000-07:002016-09-15T04:11:32.909-07:00A Plan?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I worked out I need a minimum of ten full days in the garden just to get on top of the jobs I want to do before Autumn. The main job is at the back where I am removing plants to create a proper place for a vegetable patch. Old photos of our house when it was two farm labourers' cottages show a vegetable plot in the rear garden so I feel like I am returning it to its original state. I made a small start earlier in the year before we went to America ... I have a bucket of potatoes from the area under the trellis but the cabbages were overtaken by weeds! The leaves taste okay though.<br />
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Well, that side has now been dug over and the other side will be cleared over the next ten days! The rest of the plot is being cleared of everything (it feels like mostly bind weed and ground elder but there are a few things worth rescuing!) then I will move my strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb and gooseberries into a sunny spot where I can use the fence as one side of a fruit frame: then root crops, onions and cabbages can over winter in the rest. According to the books I can plant beans and peas now ... seems a bit late but I will give it a bash.<br />
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To make the plot a little larger I removed three paving slabs from a small patio area ... unfortunately one was the roof of an ants' nest. They swarmed out in a very angry mass and I had to leave them for a while to let them sort out my mess. I am doing a better job with the bees and butterflies ... and the frogs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1BoT9yxmSxMv0U99UDC3CI0-1ZjvshnSC3EXP4-zpyplKQHw_L4jWdl16Et42bf1orJ5gGV9tG15QdaLN2WvjzgO-2RwBl6wnuWcBjPYCtJeXXngAc4R8a5nxeJ3si-KvNkSKvbcNbHS/s1600/IMG_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1BoT9yxmSxMv0U99UDC3CI0-1ZjvshnSC3EXP4-zpyplKQHw_L4jWdl16Et42bf1orJ5gGV9tG15QdaLN2WvjzgO-2RwBl6wnuWcBjPYCtJeXXngAc4R8a5nxeJ3si-KvNkSKvbcNbHS/s320/IMG_0811.JPG" width="320" /></a>My sister surprised me with this lovely bird bath. (SO pleased with it
so Thank You!). The magpies love it too ... it is just the right size
for their bath tub! I watched two line up on a branch while a third one
took a dip then the others took their turns! Obviously British magpies!<br />
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I have a massive To Do list!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQopx_bVqkOb1qt7KIGBi3dWb5pMbo_fNFDrovmIjPeGT8xEYvt63-mqCbv8W42p4DwgC5ydVsk7G7c66zg5Sl16LvIsOwMz8BD9r8YRdIN1ip1I0zhcRE8Bd3J7lRxy0I0VDS_jgZrg4/s1600/IMG_0907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQopx_bVqkOb1qt7KIGBi3dWb5pMbo_fNFDrovmIjPeGT8xEYvt63-mqCbv8W42p4DwgC5ydVsk7G7c66zg5Sl16LvIsOwMz8BD9r8YRdIN1ip1I0zhcRE8Bd3J7lRxy0I0VDS_jgZrg4/s320/IMG_0907.JPG" width="320" /></a>1. Prepare new veg plot; move the fruit then sow/plant some veg. Replant primroses, aquilegia etc in other parts of garden. <br />
2. Clear the hedge bottom and plant daffodils and spring bulbs (plant up pots for Xmas).<br />
3. Clear path near apple trees, chop back the evergreen (what was I thinking planting the old Xmas tree there?!) and generally sort it out .... this sounds so easy but part of a forsythia has died so it will probably take me hours to saw through the tangled branches!<br />
4. Finish tidying the front garden ... what will I do with the thousands of crocosmia bulbs I am pulling up!? <br />
5. Bring geraniums etc inside.<br />
6. Fill the freezer with apples.<br />
7. Store the furniture. <br />
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Ten days may not be enough! <br />
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I just sent for 200 spring bulbs for £5.65 through the <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/offers/" target="_blank">Gardens' World Magazine</a>! Lidl also have a good deal this week .... 5kgs of large British daffodil bulbs for £4.99. Money CAN bring you happiness!<br />
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-21402300101051473662016-08-01T10:49:00.000-07:002016-08-01T11:03:43.668-07:00Chain Saw Attack<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzjtKnbsJSShF6n1YFLBV6nBQLrtPyW5rspngCEpUgVCgiy-mVGe0veCNdrcDRdkGALfMeoYCeY87_ny9UiOEmF1LkgEpE_2o1uYKhB04UNmG5pFEgWNwTCCrMVA99KCXix2wTA1etHx3/s1600/IMG_0613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzjtKnbsJSShF6n1YFLBV6nBQLrtPyW5rspngCEpUgVCgiy-mVGe0veCNdrcDRdkGALfMeoYCeY87_ny9UiOEmF1LkgEpE_2o1uYKhB04UNmG5pFEgWNwTCCrMVA99KCXix2wTA1etHx3/s640/IMG_0613.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The laurel before the chop</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKf9r3szXeIIq9oP75_NJ1wjcsjdQboaAJumFR0Nge4mWNkvzAN26Rgmrs9FBo_gVU-sqqmr-r8YNemXAxZ-1B5ls2JSoL-x2ioOiBMHWUzXboPC6nefqH4_J3eKUH_aqsN2TI7gqHBREv/s1600/autumn+lane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKf9r3szXeIIq9oP75_NJ1wjcsjdQboaAJumFR0Nge4mWNkvzAN26Rgmrs9FBo_gVU-sqqmr-r8YNemXAxZ-1B5ls2JSoL-x2ioOiBMHWUzXboPC6nefqH4_J3eKUH_aqsN2TI7gqHBREv/s320/autumn+lane.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The holly in 2011</i></td></tr>
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Andy happened to be on the lane a few days ago when Richard came by. Richard chops hedges and trees for a living so he could not resist commenting on our holly tree. It has grown next to the front path for the last twenty odd years with its roots causing the paving stones to scrape against the under side of the gate. Here is a photo from 2011 when it was already large ... Every winter it is covered in enough berries to provide food for a couple of mistle thrushes and the rest of the year it is home to robins, wood pigeons and tree bees. It is a lovely tree but it had never been pruned and it was towering over the chimney. A deal was struck and Richard returned a couple of days later ....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnfLESLNuWiToc5WVmFhJXqSggnlJT9V0jLt1tb7BROuiGKHfWCNMacCM9FojJBPtx429eDO8ItuMtrccD2JSxPnnadcpTQtQvnJT3JyATIn7001y0S6uQH6oYRwYFqkF20d5UxanHsjq/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnfLESLNuWiToc5WVmFhJXqSggnlJT9V0jLt1tb7BROuiGKHfWCNMacCM9FojJBPtx429eDO8ItuMtrccD2JSxPnnadcpTQtQvnJT3JyATIn7001y0S6uQH6oYRwYFqkF20d5UxanHsjq/s320/IMG_0755.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Holly now</i></td></tr>
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The chinmey will now survive the winter without being pumnelled to bits in the wind. The top third having been removed. It looks a bit odd at the moment but it will soon push out new growth.<br />
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The ivy growing up the house wall was also chopped back and neated up. I watched them very carefully this time .... last time I paid someone to do it I had to got out ... I returned to disaster ... all the honeysuckle round the door had gone too! These guys did a good job and tidied up really well afterwards. <br />
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The main part of their work was in the back garden where the laurel bush had completely taken over!<br />
You can see it in the top photograph just above the rose and here in the middle of this photo:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNrTB7Eca93MIqYF06s5kPFHFscHMPz06DHjpb5f-VG058DYu1blOMgDtQaHYEv8GEbWL6SzJ0Gn8sGSI_8DPz2IFJtSsHxfUmAzSJi7RJ1VGCQLkRMCzPYCZfFOegOOnQAGf6vJFH2zn/s1600/IMG_0622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNrTB7Eca93MIqYF06s5kPFHFscHMPz06DHjpb5f-VG058DYu1blOMgDtQaHYEv8GEbWL6SzJ0Gn8sGSI_8DPz2IFJtSsHxfUmAzSJi7RJ1VGCQLkRMCzPYCZfFOegOOnQAGf6vJFH2zn/s640/IMG_0622.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Laurel before the chop</i></td></tr>
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As you can see it dominated the whole border. Nothing can grow near it because it shades the light and acts like a vacuum for any water. The kids were junior school age when we moved in. The laurel was large then and had one branch that grew out at an angle. The lads would sit astride it, bounce up and down and enjoy the bucking broncho effect ... until one day it split. They didn't tell me and I didn't garden then so I didn't notice. By the time I found what had happened the split branch had rooted itself into the ground so the large shrub was twice the width. Well, one half now had to go so....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfcOqTmj3mKDj5s0plPo2rBaKLm8F8IRY_p-PgRmMQf3SxJYoHEY9bvwEqBbFi_d3IAlyzUBIzVJkh28m6lj6Fzdg0sgz8nfkdlmmApr4hZDcD3JUZiYo9m70hy-JGcd1JweduXRgsCiZ/s1600/IMG_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfcOqTmj3mKDj5s0plPo2rBaKLm8F8IRY_p-PgRmMQf3SxJYoHEY9bvwEqBbFi_d3IAlyzUBIzVJkh28m6lj6Fzdg0sgz8nfkdlmmApr4hZDcD3JUZiYo9m70hy-JGcd1JweduXRgsCiZ/s640/IMG_0759.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After</i></td></tr>
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.... it went!<br />
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I have spent two days picking up bits of laurel and tidying up the rest of the border. I have planted lots of tulip bulbs that we dug up from the allotment last winter (no idea what they will look like as all the colours have been mixed up! Might be interesting!) but I have a large empty patch of bare soil now just waiting for me to decide what to grow in it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_C6gc89V340i5yBGe57nIzQeNRZbn96l61FetrApKPdsJzCKVMudFpWVzzedHUGEA4ATSZ6UdjIKFuVhEHdJkcV5NrWAujuEntDLaMv1RiimIPbTNwiP_JSfuqnIwmnZpTZjuCI6JFFY0/s1600/IMG_0762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_C6gc89V340i5yBGe57nIzQeNRZbn96l61FetrApKPdsJzCKVMudFpWVzzedHUGEA4ATSZ6UdjIKFuVhEHdJkcV5NrWAujuEntDLaMv1RiimIPbTNwiP_JSfuqnIwmnZpTZjuCI6JFFY0/s640/IMG_0762.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tidier!</i></td></tr>
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Brilliant! Should have done it ages ago!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxMLN_7gtx-SPT8G5O5t2U5UTvHc7g9BmP2_syhYwXOrpClxONoc6sq_0CqNf39c_Q31_fWk_iapCOCrdcDLILYGEms_gU3Nooq2Ez1Xk1sJjiWZWywzHE9GVSeuMYhinPfyUH97I7tuW/s1600/IMG_0767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxMLN_7gtx-SPT8G5O5t2U5UTvHc7g9BmP2_syhYwXOrpClxONoc6sq_0CqNf39c_Q31_fWk_iapCOCrdcDLILYGEms_gU3Nooq2Ez1Xk1sJjiWZWywzHE9GVSeuMYhinPfyUH97I7tuW/s640/IMG_0767.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>August 2016</i></td></tr>
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At the front of the house the farmer has been out with his plough this afternoon. He is normally cutting wheat or barley this time of year but it has been fallow for a few months so he is obviously getting ready to plant something soon.<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-70117593403990008832016-07-25T12:34:00.000-07:002016-07-25T13:30:15.402-07:00Fight Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhIvd3LNEHx2-AZ_mgBhtV_ob0InNBjq9iBX7HRwEPJQkiT97PdyZGkAs90FlUFrk3Jr2XuTn1mOC_rNimR8Ngfg3-B7tA5KJDX9j3Teqea7UxVoLwRxzhpQiV2xXxoXGcDn8tuSbVYx8/s1600/IMG_0734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhIvd3LNEHx2-AZ_mgBhtV_ob0InNBjq9iBX7HRwEPJQkiT97PdyZGkAs90FlUFrk3Jr2XuTn1mOC_rNimR8Ngfg3-B7tA5KJDX9j3Teqea7UxVoLwRxzhpQiV2xXxoXGcDn8tuSbVYx8/s640/IMG_0734.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I put it off long enough .... I kept wandering round in despair at the state of the place instead of reaching for the shears. The pond had completely disappeared under the pond weed and the paths were becoming impassable. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK7a6IUyG0NUcl6cLy0ZDHmhSPEf934yIg0M2UBJ30mRJ0sQJ-gIGHFhW9w4zRFlMzvj1NBjsfU74_DEZxumeZe49iIAs2LfRBmz0SHfxwmR6eBo27DN7KxUmdH84NC5mnENvQcm2KII7/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK7a6IUyG0NUcl6cLy0ZDHmhSPEf934yIg0M2UBJ30mRJ0sQJ-gIGHFhW9w4zRFlMzvj1NBjsfU74_DEZxumeZe49iIAs2LfRBmz0SHfxwmR6eBo27DN7KxUmdH84NC5mnENvQcm2KII7/s640/IMG_0726.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The crocosmia had to go. I love it but it just spreads too much and flops everywhere. It has gone into three large pots because it is about to flower .... I have lots of clumps elsewhere in the garden but this lot can be used as cut flowers if I haven't killed it!!<br />
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Next I totally surprised the frogs by pulling all the Parrot-feather pond weed out. It came off in one huge piece. Suddenly the frogs were blinded by sunlight. I counted twelve little heads staring at us but there are probably more under the water. Andy chopped back the honeysuckle and the snowberry bush: in half an hour the green bin was full and the wheelbarrow was overflowing but the pond had reappeared.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZKF6h0L0X8LPvAFBjR9DmfgjtNEc9lr3IzQR2Jc6PbcT1fYrFSul6Ni4Uev5aN3PWWQn2AX9zp9MS3_GSRrnaYmIxY0Bd8pRbNrmXJH4-VA_4e72a8wNY8zoo3DyV0d8X5f8xpbFrnxP/s1600/IMG_0746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZKF6h0L0X8LPvAFBjR9DmfgjtNEc9lr3IzQR2Jc6PbcT1fYrFSul6Ni4Uev5aN3PWWQn2AX9zp9MS3_GSRrnaYmIxY0Bd8pRbNrmXJH4-VA_4e72a8wNY8zoo3DyV0d8X5f8xpbFrnxP/s640/IMG_0746.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Still need to tackle that side border but the pond is looking better.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSrAPPbUHhhi46-VtmVJQVYgYgsTHNRc_KX3veBrs4ViF0TCDf95x_zR0LjjwtE0nSBZ1NIRqHSr9A5RSyrDNtUVrPgxsUK9348gdrNpj04PyaAOdOG7ie_Fc4Kj0r2nLKtznJN6cOxVN/s1600/IMG_0727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSrAPPbUHhhi46-VtmVJQVYgYgsTHNRc_KX3veBrs4ViF0TCDf95x_zR0LjjwtE0nSBZ1NIRqHSr9A5RSyrDNtUVrPgxsUK9348gdrNpj04PyaAOdOG7ie_Fc4Kj0r2nLKtznJN6cOxVN/s640/IMG_0727.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before</i></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You can actually see the pump again. I will have to keep an eye on the hosta as it will probably be attacked by snails so close to that pond.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQCKin6aYYefnqGyLHX2o8JHsb382j0H5ZppR3XucIN8yX6Buq8Ef9pbNTgcKyhLiz5pUk3FZYjV5gEwVBgprHgrZ7n8ZCmVUGbSWQ0QzEP01sg22rmfmyMAn2Lno5KjfYChtWdt997kv/s1600/IMG_0747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQCKin6aYYefnqGyLHX2o8JHsb382j0H5ZppR3XucIN8yX6Buq8Ef9pbNTgcKyhLiz5pUk3FZYjV5gEwVBgprHgrZ7n8ZCmVUGbSWQ0QzEP01sg22rmfmyMAn2Lno5KjfYChtWdt997kv/s640/IMG_0747.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After</i></td></tr>
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Improving the seating area was easy ....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Bu3N4TfML1UcqgOMx78qnoA_bE4I82cLjMiK6jF5lWPDyutFYoIfqe-hLXZke2dU_r3HxFHrsNScUOVgxDYkK-tsF_IDi6UPqlZeLyujK4lWt3D-KyNJQwbmscZpT7TK8e5bxW86UxJD/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Bu3N4TfML1UcqgOMx78qnoA_bE4I82cLjMiK6jF5lWPDyutFYoIfqe-hLXZke2dU_r3HxFHrsNScUOVgxDYkK-tsF_IDi6UPqlZeLyujK4lWt3D-KyNJQwbmscZpT7TK8e5bxW86UxJD/s640/IMG_0729.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before</i></td></tr>
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.... just move the chairs and give it a quick hose down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_bZcTp4GCZ3WOxw0BozCUQaca0X0K1tn1Eqnq3c1rt1DZSz3HzI336OhMkvGLFDe5OPk7vnpy0Iaf5nPh7qDn_uqrF719YkbYoCvw9NzLjPGbP5MsaEbHGzIGaCEQGhUC25L0N3DT4Eu/s1600/IMG_0745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_bZcTp4GCZ3WOxw0BozCUQaca0X0K1tn1Eqnq3c1rt1DZSz3HzI336OhMkvGLFDe5OPk7vnpy0Iaf5nPh7qDn_uqrF719YkbYoCvw9NzLjPGbP5MsaEbHGzIGaCEQGhUC25L0N3DT4Eu/s640/IMG_0745.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After</i></td></tr>
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Chopping the vegetation at the back took some time though.<br />
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I then had far too much waste for my green bin. Fortunately the bin men came today. Now we are always first on their round. They ALWAYS arrive on Monday morning at 9am prompt. Always! I can not count the number of times I have had to rush outside semi dressed because I have heard the van reversing sound and realised in a panic that I haven't put the bin out! This morning I was up very early as Iknew I had work to do. I had already filled my bin to the very top but a couple of kindly neighbours allow me to add to theirs if there is room. Well, I filled their bins too and still had loads of waste! It was five to nine when I noticed one neighbour's almost empty bin. He can be a bit grumpy to say the least and I didn't want to cause any trouble but I knew he had gone out and the bin men would be here any minute wouldn't they? ... so, yes, I filled the sack and dumped it in his bin!<br />
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Ten minutes later ... I heard the car stop and I knew he was checking to see if his bin was empty and, yes, the bin men were bloody late! Typical! Hiding was an option, but I thought I'm not a child, so I rushed out to apologise before he had chance to blew his top ... luckily it wasn't his bin! The lady who did own the bin didn't mind at all! Phew!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfS4DZAk_N5s-d-6i7qaWIyS2WhL4dyWTT5ydjqnHZ63o8VRGcr3GkS5YTc3Cy_pI8ly0t4ur-na4X1wAHvK8JwhB_rcjcSxRjYJxhrca1PRKmQEZnhMoo9bXIWs2m-tbcBkqWW1mhnOoV/s1600/IMG_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfS4DZAk_N5s-d-6i7qaWIyS2WhL4dyWTT5ydjqnHZ63o8VRGcr3GkS5YTc3Cy_pI8ly0t4ur-na4X1wAHvK8JwhB_rcjcSxRjYJxhrca1PRKmQEZnhMoo9bXIWs2m-tbcBkqWW1mhnOoV/s640/IMG_0731.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before</i></td></tr>
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I turned my attention to tidying the other borders. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9r8CYOprX8BQREYYiKHuaG35LVL1A2uMQaDmpaS8kmywXpGtGvdzNWzc3QL91uGERpLB0pSg4kMT7Zd7fdhwPdAiLa2C4rYhyphenhyphen_NZ3ic1MhBRe2Xmc8nJ9BFIcHfs025TQyCY09EnISxj/s1600/IMG_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9r8CYOprX8BQREYYiKHuaG35LVL1A2uMQaDmpaS8kmywXpGtGvdzNWzc3QL91uGERpLB0pSg4kMT7Zd7fdhwPdAiLa2C4rYhyphenhyphen_NZ3ic1MhBRe2Xmc8nJ9BFIcHfs025TQyCY09EnISxj/s640/IMG_0749.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After</i></td></tr>
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A very satisfying day in the sun but I am feeling rather stiff now!<br />
PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-44693834754585272272016-07-24T11:59:00.002-07:002016-07-24T11:59:13.499-07:00Traditional VardosWe nipped out for lunch yesterday. The Royal Oak at Car Colston is right next to a large common where cows and sheep are allowed to roam and the village cricket club entertains the punters on sunny match days. This weekend there were some extra visitors:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXNm5G4oYdlr0DfH3NbJvtIE3tmrh0z5aleYMJhnx4d0og2Cy3dYyWJcgvFkWzhmeN7tiNkQktZHwosV4f9xH0DsXeUEWTxs2EojZYfUSdbLg0_LYSwvEtsCDyOQUAs5-b5iBNM3V4nL_/s1600/Vans+1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXNm5G4oYdlr0DfH3NbJvtIE3tmrh0z5aleYMJhnx4d0og2Cy3dYyWJcgvFkWzhmeN7tiNkQktZHwosV4f9xH0DsXeUEWTxs2EojZYfUSdbLg0_LYSwvEtsCDyOQUAs5-b5iBNM3V4nL_/s640/Vans+1-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Beautiful aren't they? The paintwork was exquisite!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3Ojl-fbBuZ_mVHTBT5mBptrbfxcllFt6XNDvP4tdXzbqqTWXdYchmn9zgcsW2XlMwJ-SOpYgzqobf5guDdtNsiKb2pPRp53YApdBnVrEcZsB6IOm5i-gzvMaTWeu5EYY_96wkieNDNod/s1600/Vans+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3Ojl-fbBuZ_mVHTBT5mBptrbfxcllFt6XNDvP4tdXzbqqTWXdYchmn9zgcsW2XlMwJ-SOpYgzqobf5guDdtNsiKb2pPRp53YApdBnVrEcZsB6IOm5i-gzvMaTWeu5EYY_96wkieNDNod/s640/Vans+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPL7s3qz4LD-pj1_wHvRxmWxihiByjeGOdS4de8Fxre3b-D3bSHdJhUaSYtZ2fCRhTyBsDeBxUing56b94GFFOLulXEgdBtMq1DBX9XQVuQwnar-pthPb0Gf2vcBq8u1zgD2JfB9zJuDc/s1600/Vans+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPL7s3qz4LD-pj1_wHvRxmWxihiByjeGOdS4de8Fxre3b-D3bSHdJhUaSYtZ2fCRhTyBsDeBxUing56b94GFFOLulXEgdBtMq1DBX9XQVuQwnar-pthPb0Gf2vcBq8u1zgD2JfB9zJuDc/s640/Vans+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgB_NoWcpAjdkveb1EveB2BrvhpCD3nmWusjLD5OvMfgk-FI6HgwQZlVr143FJkoDSgJ1AHu1EWpRY1JyMzJs0Yk3rSN-Ln5ioQiXwxIK3aPRxobyClHkYfI8dMUPr5xnxhsJI8i_-z7Y/s1600/Vans+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgB_NoWcpAjdkveb1EveB2BrvhpCD3nmWusjLD5OvMfgk-FI6HgwQZlVr143FJkoDSgJ1AHu1EWpRY1JyMzJs0Yk3rSN-Ln5ioQiXwxIK3aPRxobyClHkYfI8dMUPr5xnxhsJI8i_-z7Y/s640/Vans+17.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5UTFjPa2SDSNfmLjU6N_5pXDp8GSR5MySvHSsxIVrzkz3c7rn8ES28I4tp0gt079aT4fZkIfucTfnpqXfB5nZxzoV4JpFGtOinenUhDXoHd8KAJ2fM9w6norCknH9e0mqn1OUWuxwR6v/s1600/Vans+14-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5UTFjPa2SDSNfmLjU6N_5pXDp8GSR5MySvHSsxIVrzkz3c7rn8ES28I4tp0gt079aT4fZkIfucTfnpqXfB5nZxzoV4JpFGtOinenUhDXoHd8KAJ2fM9w6norCknH9e0mqn1OUWuxwR6v/s640/Vans+14-2.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4-QQZ-9fhfpzhmMiGgB9fhz07kgMTnP7hPktJRFTS0hNwp6xBqMkHn76Orc4J92V2NvY3xjEf3hfV2khAzBKy5G_8-Gy95fvW8gX8uzpXfM6WLMnHqRH_R5ywAgOxkfElA7CBR8x5QIY/s1600/Vans+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4-QQZ-9fhfpzhmMiGgB9fhz07kgMTnP7hPktJRFTS0hNwp6xBqMkHn76Orc4J92V2NvY3xjEf3hfV2khAzBKy5G_8-Gy95fvW8gX8uzpXfM6WLMnHqRH_R5ywAgOxkfElA7CBR8x5QIY/s640/Vans+13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Their horses .... with lovely plaited manes ... munched away at the grass while the travellors built a wood fire and cooked their dinner. They were very welcoming and keen to show off their beautiful vardos (posh name for these waggons!). The detail both inside and out was tremendous.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uVLFJarLsLeiYQvZkH0ArcQGk7WYS-N5zJkeENUJPsBlOXaR18-nRr4IECj91lRLb8-xHvRCdNbc2Ud9TI26XKrg0Fig5SI1ceyFfggecdWw8jH76AV_i-LKiTMlTeZOXeBtBPQq06fu/s1600/Vans+11%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uVLFJarLsLeiYQvZkH0ArcQGk7WYS-N5zJkeENUJPsBlOXaR18-nRr4IECj91lRLb8-xHvRCdNbc2Ud9TI26XKrg0Fig5SI1ceyFfggecdWw8jH76AV_i-LKiTMlTeZOXeBtBPQq06fu/s640/Vans+11%25281%2529.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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The villagers were also very welcoming. The Caravan Club holds regular meetings (normally behind the pub rather than in front of it) so the residents are used to visitors. These vans were something special though.<br />
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Fancy one? <a href="http://gypsywaggons.co.uk/varforsale.htm" target="_blank"> Click here.</a>PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-60867436752096316292016-07-22T14:54:00.002-07:002016-07-24T03:20:16.369-07:00July Rose Arch<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn4HPwVx93h6o0lttQjfC3xyHb2ALb6he1vXJ0Letxd2EAkryMoqlpD6jfkjC1M8dEfMIHCZ4Z1FRAKC-SqlMFTCOzDWkxgcNuM3cwNqARMjSMSjeRkQ52l2HYVbVGaKkJBPM8vP0oTSI/s1600/IMG_0674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn4HPwVx93h6o0lttQjfC3xyHb2ALb6he1vXJ0Letxd2EAkryMoqlpD6jfkjC1M8dEfMIHCZ4Z1FRAKC-SqlMFTCOzDWkxgcNuM3cwNqARMjSMSjeRkQ52l2HYVbVGaKkJBPM8vP0oTSI/s640/IMG_0674.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Front garden</i></td></tr>
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We have had quite a hectic few months .... a birth, a death and holidays .... so the garden has been left to rampage and it has! The borders are filled with things I don't remember planting ... and slugs .... thousands of slugs and snails ...... we have been invaded but not a hedgehog in sight. I can't bring myself to kill them so I throw them in the compost bin and close the lid. One day I will open it and the whole thing will be a huge slimy mass of writhing bodies! Horrible!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrggEOMi7LmKQwk4zC-NuFVkcy8PPkCcUbyXmMR1DAUkXzev7pDCuaQCN6kt5qkr1W3LhLzRH4Hy34ebYmqfOfOR0cz0LKpnmuj7n6rGO8hO1VlzlTYiLMq_Hu2Oo1SYCBy6-Ica5iYsA/s1600/IMG_0680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrggEOMi7LmKQwk4zC-NuFVkcy8PPkCcUbyXmMR1DAUkXzev7pDCuaQCN6kt5qkr1W3LhLzRH4Hy34ebYmqfOfOR0cz0LKpnmuj7n6rGO8hO1VlzlTYiLMq_Hu2Oo1SYCBy6-Ica5iYsA/s640/IMG_0680.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Opening to the back lawn 2016</i></td></tr>
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This is the path onto the lawn. As you can see there is a flower border on the left and a very large honeysuckle climbing over a trellis on the right. The honeysuckle is astounding ... it was a tiny stick when it arrived from Thompson & Morgan (free with Gardeners' World Magazine) in early 2012. It has thrived ever since: the trellis collapsed under the weight earlier this year.<br />
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Here is the same place from June 2011. The trellis had not been added and the rose arch (towards the back of the lawn) had just arrived from the blacksmith.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsRDVFHDASXklkTNAhGl1zFpTMSnXEL4nbihnUq_fFDqR4YeZoQ1WKv8fDTAG-jEF7X2wWZtgI1gRB-bDI5O5OD5stddsoeF3RfWMoNSkvZwxDomrJ_oZGf0gpx_HeC8tCmKUSpdEl6TV/s1600/P1030203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsRDVFHDASXklkTNAhGl1zFpTMSnXEL4nbihnUq_fFDqR4YeZoQ1WKv8fDTAG-jEF7X2wWZtgI1gRB-bDI5O5OD5stddsoeF3RfWMoNSkvZwxDomrJ_oZGf0gpx_HeC8tCmKUSpdEl6TV/s640/P1030203.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Back lawn June 2011</i></td></tr>
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The arch was the first change we made when I got into gardening.
You can hardly see it now as it is smothered in red roses and
honeysuckle.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2-uN2bcIjMTNSvZAShWs3OIP51OUDKFDuyzBfL8dYAX5T9g1C5xcl304WyDLsusVs8oX1ebGf_FTXT9LecFFcg4wyPz5pZ77rPrMrZM_HznklHWQk_plmYNYxNqY6tmfofh2NBA_xNsJ/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2-uN2bcIjMTNSvZAShWs3OIP51OUDKFDuyzBfL8dYAX5T9g1C5xcl304WyDLsusVs8oX1ebGf_FTXT9LecFFcg4wyPz5pZ77rPrMrZM_HznklHWQk_plmYNYxNqY6tmfofh2NBA_xNsJ/s640/IMG_0687.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking through the rose arch 2016</i></td></tr>
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Well I decided I wanted another arch at the opening to the lawn. The old blacksmith has died so I couldn't get one to match. After a few weeks of searching I found a metal one I liked. B&Q promised to deliver in 14 days and I happily paid over the cash. A week later the supplier (not B&Q) phoned to arrange delivery. I waited in all day on the agreed date but they were a no show. I rang customer services to be told they were very sorry and it would arrive in the morning. I waited in again. The van did arrive this time but there was no arch on board! Another phone call elicited a promise it was now on the van and all would be sorted first thing in the morning. Another morning wasted! A third phone call to customer services ended when they informed me the arch was now out of stock so I would have to wait another week.<br />
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Obviously I was not impressed and asked for my money back. That would take 3 to 5 days .... which I found annoying: my payment had gone out immediately but their payment would take days! I have always had good service from B&Q but this time their supplier had let them down and the admin system caused a short delay ... okay. Unfortunately the money had still not been returned a week later so yet another call to customer services. "Oh" said the girl, "did you want the order cancelling and your money back? Sorry, that hasn't been authorised. I will get onto it straight away ... it will take 3 to 5 days!"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd9kvxuIOtCDsFuWNcxsnQqOu1qG5U5JBsRs_qPx5NCRUJG-4vcB6PTEIqvKO2K3KDjQ4luD4TUaJjQ7axQEoPbps0jwr19DrHTIa4BBBw3-HTmFzH2RSKnMz3xERdNMsnZ5B2kxxH6MN/s1600/IMG_0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd9kvxuIOtCDsFuWNcxsnQqOu1qG5U5JBsRs_qPx5NCRUJG-4vcB6PTEIqvKO2K3KDjQ4luD4TUaJjQ7axQEoPbps0jwr19DrHTIa4BBBw3-HTmFzH2RSKnMz3xERdNMsnZ5B2kxxH6MN/s640/IMG_0716.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>New rose arch 2016</i></td></tr>
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As compensation for their poor service B&Q have given me a £25 voucher ... that will probably cover the cost of the phone calls!<br />
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I decided against a metal one once the money had been returned and I found this wooden one at half the price. Our local garden centre was selling it for £79.99. Andy kindly came to the rescue and put it together ... I helped but it was a two man job, especially moving it into place. The old stone trough had to be dug out and shifted to another part of the garden ... I couldn't have managed that without his help. I am really pleased with the result but the honeysuckle needs a proper cut back this autumn.<br />
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I will root a few cuttings because an old honeysuckle on the back fence has suffered an infection of some sort and I have had to cut it out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylb1aQAsGjQoQkz7Qny_ttAExCxwaSTMyAruUqQlRKwU7hz6wm6OH-CbKRh8n1qgL6MD7ak5A6EBrW7KXuGACuXU_-TnehQQqRE1KRkihP5FRMjRRecBMOGAAa4ddMnT3yqsRPUqb45IA/s1600/IMG_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylb1aQAsGjQoQkz7Qny_ttAExCxwaSTMyAruUqQlRKwU7hz6wm6OH-CbKRh8n1qgL6MD7ak5A6EBrW7KXuGACuXU_-TnehQQqRE1KRkihP5FRMjRRecBMOGAAa4ddMnT3yqsRPUqb45IA/s640/IMG_0683.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Back lawn 2016</i></td></tr>
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There's LOADS of work to be done. The place is in a terrible state! The weeks in America spent visiting our eldest son were brilliant so I really don't care that I fell behind with the garden! I looked round today then instead of sorting an obvious area I tidied up behind the greenhouse!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDDDK7o3VZhikfhRoEOCrpZAgGVz0ywF8cr9XEmip-7tyVpadeBdeWF7wrx9UP5W_JpMYC4e3xnbWlrSelac8C4t9hhNzjrwtMrTDqiJxXEZiYuyVP_PIVN5J_LGubDwR-9fAtVBCaJoG/s1600/before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDDDK7o3VZhikfhRoEOCrpZAgGVz0ywF8cr9XEmip-7tyVpadeBdeWF7wrx9UP5W_JpMYC4e3xnbWlrSelac8C4t9hhNzjrwtMrTDqiJxXEZiYuyVP_PIVN5J_LGubDwR-9fAtVBCaJoG/s640/before.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before</i></td></tr>
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Yes, there was a path there! The edging now has rhubarb plants and gooseberry bushes (with a couple of flowering plants). Now the allotment has gone I had to find a fruit patch so it made sense to put it near the strawberries. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCp7tX3gK3Lk1IesmwIJbOmrgfhi0mU6Mg5Ns0F-wGofLTKQtJ09YGY1crAD1zoFYj_VJn1f_ZdkPpMVgxsHUR0Uo2oElMLjjP6ZHKG1aQKD1xRGq3ZSn0blj9irKEOHeYOzqetIGVKIBz/s1600/IMG_0718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCp7tX3gK3Lk1IesmwIJbOmrgfhi0mU6Mg5Ns0F-wGofLTKQtJ09YGY1crAD1zoFYj_VJn1f_ZdkPpMVgxsHUR0Uo2oElMLjjP6ZHKG1aQKD1xRGq3ZSn0blj9irKEOHeYOzqetIGVKIBz/s640/IMG_0718.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After</i></td></tr>
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The fruit has been great so far this year. The apple tree is laden and the raspberries have made a wonderful breakfast smoothie blended with Greek yohurt and honey ... even better with a few strawberries added and poured over vanilla ice cream.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CjELGioQLnQ211RxK8m7FKwlvZMTRFCFpbk-iLVTQFbJGI3qG0KeKNYPkrHFmTDSBGsCYKzn12h7TDPHiC_D1cVxg1BVKygEcy0yBy3c0HzcfqnttK2Yr_tXLj7D70ACRIknVDc0AFc9/s1600/25+may+2012+105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CjELGioQLnQ211RxK8m7FKwlvZMTRFCFpbk-iLVTQFbJGI3qG0KeKNYPkrHFmTDSBGsCYKzn12h7TDPHiC_D1cVxg1BVKygEcy0yBy3c0HzcfqnttK2Yr_tXLj7D70ACRIknVDc0AFc9/s640/25+may+2012+105.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before the honeysuckle took over ... May 2012</i></td></tr>
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-23156941499685123562015-12-13T14:37:00.002-08:002015-12-13T14:37:38.342-08:00December<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Over the last few weeks I have been moving plants from the allotment
into the garden. It has been great to have lots of cut flowers over the last few years but I decided I wanted to enjoy the colours and smells every day not just on visits to the allotment. I have dug up rows of tulip bulbs to put in the beds and
into pots. Andy planted half a bed with bulbs about three years ago. I could
not believe how many bulbs I was digging up! Each single bulb had
become a clump of four to six in size. They went up to the allotment as
small bags of bulbs ... they have come back in four large plastic
storage boxes! Well, most of them are planted now (just one plastic box
left in the greenhouse but I have some large empty pots so I will get
them finished this week). <br />
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We had filled another allotment bed with roses. This autumn I emptied one of the garden beds so at least twelve roses could be moved to be enjoyed at home. We pruned them right back before digging them up. They went back in the ground just outside my kitchen window. I looked at them today and small leaves are beginning to appear so they have obviously taken.<br />
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I had yet another allotment bed of Iris and Peonies. I chose a lovely
sunny spot at the back of the garden for the Irises. Unfortunately the
sun shine didn't hang around the day I moved them but I had to get them
in the ground so I got steadily wetter and muddier. <br />
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The
peonies had also mutiplied. Most of the original plants had come from
my mother's garden before we sold her house. I had divided the clumps
and each one is now a decent size plant. I have put most of them in a
border where I already had a couple of peonies. They don't like being
planted too deep but I dug them up keeping as much soil around them as
possible, that way I know they are at the right depth. The small pink
buds are growing nicely now.<br />
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Thompson and Morgan were giving 48 lavender plants away for free when I first got the allotment. The tiny cuttings were large bushy plants this summer covered in bees. This spring I want to move a few of these plants onto the side of the lane where we live to make pockets of scent as you walk down to the house.<br />
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There's a whole load of crocosmia bulbs, some hollyhocks, about a dozen lupins, achillea and aquilegia still up there so there will still be some cut flowers to bring home ... unless I dig up some more lawn and find room for them down here!<br />
<br /><br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-47264575439575163612015-11-10T12:56:00.001-08:002015-11-11T09:35:48.601-08:00Twitch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Andy got the news about a rare bird in Chesterfield on Sunday afternoon. Too late to do anything about it. Well, it was still there this morning so we set off.<br />
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There's never any question of not finding the right location on a rare bird twitch. You just follow the crowd. This was a small crowd in comparison to some I have seen ... but the bird has been here three days ... this was a Tuesday morning ... doesn't anyone go to work any more? Obviously not. But most of them were my age. You wouldn't believe how many people can turn up to a weekend twitch: there is a full age range too, from young kids (with their own binoculars so not just dragged along by a parent), through to pensioners. Some of them travel miles. A man today had driven down from Newcastle to see this bird. Last month there was a rare bird on the Isle of Lewis and people were chartering planes to see it. <br />
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Birders can be very obsessive. A friend left his own wedding reception on getting news a rarity had turned up: his father chased after him to bring him back! Another guy lost an eye in a car crash trying to get to a bird before it flew off and Andy was at a twitch where a guy died from a heart attack and his mate got in a panic because he had to stay with him when the bird was just down the road!<br />
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Today's bird was a <a href="http://app.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob9910.htm" target="_blank">Crag Martin</a>. There have only been 9 previous sightings of this species in the UK. It should be in the South of France but it has ended up in Chesterfield flying round the famous crooked spire. As I parked up Andy was busy finding the bird. He got a good view of it as it flew away!! Luckily it returned about five minutes later. That isn't always the case ... one time Andy drove to Yorkshire (two hours away) to see a rare water bird. He missed it by ten minutes.<br />
"Which way did it go?" he asked.<br />
"That way," replied a helpful Yorkshireman.<br />
"Well, what's over there?" He wondered if there was a large body of water close by it might have headed towards.<br />
"Eh," came the reply, "there's naught over there ... that's Lancashire!"<br />
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We spent an hour watching this swallow like bird zooming about ... it was incredibly fast. I could find it with my binoculars but there was no chance with my camera. It was a nice outing and I got to see the spire close up. Locals have an amusing explanation for the crocked spire: apparently a virgin was married there and the church was so surprised it turned round to look at the bride! <br />
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The spire was added in the 14th century, just after the Black Death had killed off many craftsmen so lack of skill could account for the poor building work. I was always told it twisted because unseasoned wood was used but apparently they always used unseasoned wood because it was easier to work with ... they just adjusted it as it seasoned. No, it was the lead covering that caused it. The sun shining on the south side all day made that side expand more quickly than the north side. The fault was compounded by the weight of the metal (33 tons) because the structure was not designed to hold that kind of weight. It twists by 45 degrees and leans 9 feet 6 inches away from its true centre.<br />
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<br />PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-13880498201571724412015-11-09T07:45:00.001-08:002015-11-09T09:23:57.587-08:00Autumn: Travel or Travail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, Autumn has in fact been and gone! The farmer collected the crop, ploughed the field, cut the hedges and sowed the seeds a few weeks ago and a new crop has appeared now. The circle goes on. My garden furniture has been stored until next Spring but I still have bulbs to plant and geraniums to dig up! It is raining today though so those jobs can wait!<br />
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We are taking pleasure in ordinary, everyday things. We have enjoyed a few local walks in the evenings and after living here for over twenty years we are spending some time exploring the villages around us. Who knew there was a William Morris stained glass window just a couple of miles away? Or that King Edward VIII (when he was Prince of Wales) had an affair with a young woman in the next village to us before he met Wallis? Or the very first US Ambassador was buried in East Stoke where a few hundred years earlier 7000 men had been hacked to pieces along the path called the Red Gutter? We are unearthing a great deal of fascinating history, learning about people who lived here before us, at the same time as enjoying the wildlife and the local hostelries.<br />
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We went to two local firework displays this week. I much prefer the organised events of today rather than the back garden parties of my childhood. There were so many unnecessary accidents in the bad old days. Kids didn't recognise the dangers because you could buy bangers to throw at people and jumping jacks that cracked around on the playground floor near your feet! The only drawback is the food ... I remember mum and the neighbours making sticky toffee apples, trays of caramel toffee to glue your teeth together and Yorkshire parkin (a flat ginger cake made with treacle). At the bonfire on Saturday we queued for 15 minutes to get a drink then just looked at the line for the mushy peas and decided we weren't that hungry! Great displays though.<br />
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When I came down this morning this fine fellow was in the garden. They don't visit over the breeding season and the farmer working in the field tends to scare them off but I walked into the garden a few days ago and three females flew out, then he came in today. So good to have them back.<br />
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So what else have I been up to since my last post in July? Not a great deal and yet I have been very busy! I have been painting the front of the house (very nice pale green) and decorating two bedrooms; working with a group of local residents on a Community-led Plan; reading for a monthly Book Group and visiting my family in Yorkshire, When I was working and imagined my retirement I thought I would be travelling round Europe or far off places; writing or being crafty. We have travelled but I find I love being at home! The word 'Travel' comes from the same root as the French word for work, 'Travail'. Hundreds of years ago travelling was very hard work! Well, I like the idea of going somewhere but I totally like the idea of sitting around in my cosy house doing whatever takes my fancy for the day, knowing everything I need is at hand! Lazy? No, just content! How I have changed. Many years ago an older friend said she was content with her life and I remember thinking she lacked ambition! Now I understand what she meant ... I am satisfied with where I am in life and I have never felt happier. <br />
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Having said that we did venture out to London recently. Andy was invited to attend an award ceremony at the Mall Galleries and I could go along as his guest. We reserved seats on the train and booked a lovely hotel in the centre a few minutes walk away from the gallery. When we got to the train station the board informed us our train had been cancelled! Luckily there wasn't a long wait for the next train but obviously it was going to be busier and we no longer had reservations. We needed have worried though we did manage to get a seat. <br />
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We had lunch at Covent Garden, watched a few street performers and enjoyed the shops then walked through the city to the hotel ... by which time my feet were aching! I had worn some comfortable boots but they did have a bit of a heel and when I put them on I intended to pick up my flat shoes before leaving the house. So why didn't I?!<br />
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The exhibition was great. Some fabulous work by really creative people ... always makes me want to get out the water colours (but then I sit in front of a blank sheet of paper or actually attempt to do something and realise within minutes why I don't paint!). Here is the link to <a href="http://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/natural-eye-2015" target="_blank">the catalogue</a>.<br />
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We had a wonderful evening, admiring the work, chatting with old friends and seeing the award ceremony before wandering back through London to our hotel. <br />
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After breakfast next day we walked to the V&A. Half way there I was in dire need of those flat shoes! I went straight into the first department store and picked up a simple pair of cloth flats.... £248 .... fortunately H&M were right next door ... smart flat lace ups £19.99 ... <br />
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Ironically one of the V&A exhibitions was entitled <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/shoes-pleasure-and-pain/about-the-exhibition/" target="_blank">'Shoes: Pleasure and Pain'</a>! <br />
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During the afternoon we travelled across London to a camera shop where Andy purchased a new lens then made our way back to King's Cross for something to eat from the healthy food stalls outside. What a great market! Making me hungry thinking about it now!<br />
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Well our train was on time ... but some poor person was killed further up the line so we were diverted! We ended up being over an hour late so we missed our connection. We sat in a steamed up waiting room on a cold, wet night for an hour ... just twenty minutes drive from home! <br />
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-70801479114536944122015-07-19T10:39:00.000-07:002015-07-19T10:39:03.715-07:00July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Enjoying the summer sun: refreshing drinks with a good book then eating outside. Lovely!</div>
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-32308700383718258462015-06-17T04:38:00.002-07:002015-06-17T05:07:34.229-07:00June Garden<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F104985465353636502347%2Falbumid%2F6161302828147233057%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" height="400" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://photos.gstatic.com/media/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="600"></embed><br />
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-67821167946959598792015-04-18T13:56:00.000-07:002015-04-18T13:56:02.924-07:00April <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the weather being so kind I have spent hours in the garden. I tidied up the front garden and moved a couple of plants - a clump of grass from the back of a border which is now next to the small pond and a Thalictrum which surprised me after I planted it in the front of a border by growing to be four feet tall. <br />
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I moved a couple of stone pots from the front door to sit beside the rose arch then dug up the turf in front of the two small walls. I'm picturing Aubrietia or London Pride growing over the walls and Livingston Daisies smothering the ground. <br />
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This little friend and his partner have followed me every where, even into the greenhouse. They are so confident .... just about taking bugs from my trowel. He is constantly busy finding food or shouting abuse at my cat from dawn until dusk.<br />
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The greenhouse is full of seedlings and geraniums waiting to get outside next month. I had a bit of a disaster with some of the vegetable seeds though. I was given a bag of compost. It looked very dark and dry but I used it anyway. Mistake! None of the cabbages or cauliflowers I sowed in it have germinated; the tomato, cucumber and onion trays remain devoid of life only a few lettuce leaves have actually survived. I had to throw everything away and start again so the allotment planting will be a few weeks behind. The potatoes are in and an onion set, beetroot, peas and runner beans, carrots, spring onions and radishes are in the ground.<br />
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-23040793110115684392015-04-02T15:29:00.000-07:002015-04-02T15:29:10.391-07:00Work Horses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My niece is having her front garden bulldozed this weekend. The lawn is raised higher than the concrete drive which is quite dangerous for small children so the drive is going. It means she has the opportunity to completely start again with her flower borders. Many of the plants in my borders came with the house or are cuttings from friends and family: the rest I have bought or grown from seed. It hasn't been designed in any way! It is a complete mix of colour and height but I love it that way! Talking to my niece though made me think if I was starting again which plants would I use? Which are my Top Ten Perennials for my garden. Difficult!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8LynuE8d_K6qvlcoIAN2MasfHOpiBkNrQy5Tbyj40CKtUHNGmWguG5TrZedK8uhqw_lCN6Vuxwkb6p_CGPbvJANDTMOY3ptDLzao1doZd4jnyafIRVZ8SBZqTpdsCO8h-q5jG_13lPBl/s1600/14may2014-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8LynuE8d_K6qvlcoIAN2MasfHOpiBkNrQy5Tbyj40CKtUHNGmWguG5TrZedK8uhqw_lCN6Vuxwkb6p_CGPbvJANDTMOY3ptDLzao1doZd4jnyafIRVZ8SBZqTpdsCO8h-q5jG_13lPBl/s1600/14may2014-009.jpg" height="244" width="320" /></a>1. Honeysuckle, clematis, ivy and roses climb the fences and form a backdrop for our garden. If I had to choose it would be the honeysuckle. I love the smell, especially on a warm summer evening. Oh, I would miss the clematis .... our neighbour's house is smothered in pink flowers every May and some has escaped over the fence to our side ... lovely! But the honeysuckle beats it in my book. The ivy is not a contender but my second choice is .....<br />
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2. Rose. I don't know the names of most of the roses in our garden because they came with the house. If I was starting from scratch I would choose a David Austin climber ... Falstaff. Beautiful colour and a strong old rose scent. It can climb to 6 feet but branches out too. The closest to this I have at the moment is Jazz. A deep colour, lovely perfume and quick growing.<br />
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3. Sweet peas. So easy to grow, provide cut flowers for the whole summer, smell and look gorgeous and add height to the garden when grown over willow sticks in the middle of the border. What's not to like!<br />
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4. Lupins. An absolute must in my garden. Very easy to grow from seed and they come in so many colours. They quickly bulk up and spread nicely. I have half an allotment bed taken up with lupins. This might seem a waste of good growing space but I use them as cut flowers in large vases all summer.<br />
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5. Delphiniums. Half way through the list and nothing small so far. I have three groups of delphiniums and two trays of seeds in the greenhouse. I added some white ones last year: the dark blues are lovely but my favourite is pale blue with a lilac hue to it. I don't know what I am growing because the seed is from my flowers so it won't come true.<br />
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7. Snow in Summer is great ground cover. I had to choose between this and London Pride to keep to my list to ten. The silver leaves of Snow in Summer gave it the edge although it was close! They are both great plants, spread easily and grow anywhere.<br />
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8. Crocosmia. Lucifer arching over a border or a small variety arching over a path? I don't mind I like them all. Start with five bulbs and a few years later you have five clumps. I keep having to divide them and give them away. It looks great next to .....<br />
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9. Fuchsia. So versatile ... I have one that grows like a shrub, one that spreads over the ground, upright ones and smaller ones in my hanging baskets. Don't make me decide in one!!<br />
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10. So my last choice so soon! it will have to be a shrub or a bush. I think I will go with hydrangea, although Mock Orange is another firm favourite.<br />
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Well, that is my "Work Horse" list. I didn't have room for sedum which is great for autumn colour or primulas for spring or red hot pokers or aquilegia or carnations ...... thank goodness I'm not the one starting with a blank garden. I would need a lottery win to buy my wish list! <br />
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-20292991010141351582015-04-01T13:40:00.002-07:002015-04-01T13:40:30.886-07:00Fruit and Veg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our side of the allotment is weeded and the veg beds dug over waiting for us to get planting. The onions and potatoes will be in tomorrow. Then I can sow the carrot, radish and beetroot seeds. <br />
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I have planted cabbage, cauliflower, celery, tomatoes, peas and beans in the greenhouse but only the peas are showing signs of life. There are small green specks appearing in the guttering I strung up under the greenhouse shelf so we should have home grown lettuce leaves soon if nothing else.<br />
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The strawberries are loving the warm greenhouse .... they are looking much happier than the ones at the allotment. I was very pleased to see new leaves appearing on the raspberry cane cuttings from last year. I plan to grow these on the lane. The raspberries and gooseberries at the allotment are also coming into leaf. The rhubarb is coming through. I put a pot over it last year to force it but I left it this year. One of the plants bolted last year and I collected seeds which have now grown into seedlings.<br />
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I have moved some of the flower plants back to the house to go in the garden or on the lane.<br />
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Andy spent a few minutes photographing the flowers while we were up there:</div>
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PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-87525617705687076722015-03-31T15:37:00.000-07:002015-03-31T15:37:57.025-07:00End of Month: March 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love this time of change!</div>
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The view from the kitchen door improves daily as the bulbs come into flower and the perennials come to life. </div>
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I have tidied this bed but obviously the sun improves the view too!!</div>
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We have blackbirds nesting in the laurel, robins in the hedge and collard doves, wood pigeons, goldfinches, great tits, blue tits, chaffinches, green finches and dunnocks visit the feeders daily ..... and the squirrels!</div>
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The daffodils and primulas have added cheer to the back of the garden. I had a bit of a problem with the large honeysuckle growing over the far fence today. We have had 60 mph winds and it came away from the fence and trellis. It was really heavy and fighting me as I tried to tie it up again. A neighbour's fence blew down last month ... it cost £500 to repair so I was conscious of not putting too much strain on the panels. Fingers crossed it survives the next few days of strong winds.</div>
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The front of the garden has taken up quite a lot of my time and attention this week. It began as an unsightly mess!</div>
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Just removing the dead leaves helped but I added some primulas to the half barrel, moved some of the larger aquilegia from the allotment to improve the display in June and scattered last year's poppy seeds.</div>
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The lane itself is now in my sights. I have a couple of neighbours prepared to help dig up the bindweed and I have 30 packets of wild flower seeds to sow. I began the transformation by tidying up the bit outside my house.</div>
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Here is a half and half photo showing a bit I have done and a bit to do.</div>
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The lane belongs to all the residents Derry Lane. The original hand written house deeds of 1865 explain that the land belonged to John Derry and on his death the plot was divided into four areas with seven houses built: one for his daughter and six for tenants. The lane gives access for "horse carriages, visitors and servants" and residents share the cost of its upkeep. </div>
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Everything planted under the hedge has grown from cuttings from my garden. Aquilegia, sedum, corn flowers, blue geranium, snow in the summer, oriental poppy, achillea and daffodils are all doing well. Can't wait to get the wild flowers growing.</div>
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Visit <a href="https://patientgardener.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Patient Gardener</a> for more End of the Month views.</div>
PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-18947885699581163102015-03-15T09:29:00.001-07:002015-03-15T10:32:24.321-07:00GBBD: March 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, here we have all the usual suspects. Only a few of the large daffodils have bloomed so far but the miniature ones are nodding away in the cold wind and bringing a smile to my face.<br />
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Now I am particularly pleased with the Primulas this year. In 2013 I collected lots of seeds, threw them in a few pots and left them .... suddenly I had so many seedlings I had no idea where to put them! They are all bulking up nicely now so I will have another dilemma in a couple of years when they will need dividing (<em>dreaming of a full lane lined with primulas</em>). They really are a delightful plant ... I have a garden full but I BOUGHT another one this week .... it is a double called Amethyst Ice. Hoping for more seeds!!<br />
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The front garden is dominated by the green Hellebores (I refuse to call them Stinking!). They self seed all over the place so I have to keep an eye on them. They have such a lovely flower .... I have used the larger ones as cut flowers and they lasted ever such a long time. <br />
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Some of the Wallflowers are beginning to bloom too. The fruit trees have small buds, the Japonica and Forsythia are thinking about appearing while the Snowdrops are bowing out. </div>
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We have a Robin bringing nesting material into the holly tree and a Song Thrush singing away calling a mate. Lots of bird activity as you would expect and frog spawn floating in the pond ... although strangely, I haven't seen or heard any frogs yet.</div>
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The greenhouse is filling up nicely. Trays of Asters, Delphiniums, Hollyhocks, Rudbeckia, Phlox, Dahlias and Aubretia on the go. I can't wait to plant the Sweet peas out. I have potatoes chitting and trays of cauliflowers, cabbages, peas and beans, beetroot and cucumber seeds planted. I say trays - I actually saved space and money this year by cutting up plastic milk bottles and punching drainage holes in the bottom. </div>
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<em><strong><a href="http://woodlousehouse.blogspot.co.uk/p/allotment.html" target="_blank">Visit the Allotment page for the 2015 update.</a></strong></em></div>
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We visited the allotment this week - bit of hoeing, bit of digging (although I began to feel quite ill after half an hour ... so unfit!), bit of tidying up. The Strawberries have spread out, the Raspberries have lots of buds and the cutting patch is coming along nicely. I picked up a copy of<em> <a href="http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/" target="_blank">Grow Your Own</a></em><a href="http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/" target="_blank"> magazine</a> this week: it is their 10th anniversary so they are giving away six packets of seeds (carrots, lettuce, basil, celeriac, kale, courgettes) on the front and offering 6 tomato plug plants, a pk of tomato feed and five packets of T&M herb/veg seeds for £5.65 postage .... and the magazine is pretty interesting too .... more than enough to keep me going for a week!</div>
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I am linking to <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/" target="_blank">May Dreams Garden Blog</a> for GBBD.</div>
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Cheers,</div>
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Pat</div>
PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2941736928548872090.post-46469760946484547512015-02-25T13:35:00.000-08:002015-02-25T13:39:21.547-08:00Haring About<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was up early today because I had so much to do ..... finish painting the kitchen; plant my seeds; tidy the garden; the washing and some sewing ..... I went for a walk instead! Oh the joys of retirement!!<br />
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We had seen twelve species of bird before leaving the lane - the usual garden birds. Once we were in the next field different ones showed up. Yellow Hammers sat on top of hedges glowing like canaries in the morning sunshine. They are declining in numbers apparently .... there seems to be a healthy population near here. <br />
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We located a couple of Gold Crests and a Green Woodpecker because they were calling so loudly. This time of year they are shouting, "Look at me!" to attract a mate so birding is that bit easier.<br />
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The <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/y/yellowhammer/index.aspx" target="_blank">Yellow Hammer call</a> is really easy to remember - it sounds like ' A-little-bit-of-bread-with-no-cheeeeese'. The <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/skylark/index.aspx" target="_blank">Skylark call</a> is easy to recognise too as it floats high above the field singing its head off. <br />
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On the ground below it was a Grey Partridge. Later in the afternoon two more Grey Partridges wandered into our field, upsetting the five resident Red-legged Partridges.<br />
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On the way back home a Peregrine flew passed us and landed high on a pylon. In towns they use high ledges as lookout posts: in the countryside it's worth checking out pylons.</div>
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Excellent photograph I know!! It was a long way off before the camera was used!</div>
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We walked for two and a half hours and saw 30 species. It was a lovely day so I decided to get the seeds planted ... first of all though I had to tidy up the greenhouse, didn't I? It was beginning to get dark by the time I finished so today's job list will have to be tackled tomorrow .... AGAIN! </div>
PatMasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02277551817774062123noreply@blogger.com3