birch avenue

More photos of us grafting to clear stubborn undergrowth...

This is the section on the other side of the orchard hedge. Two rows of graceful silver birch (Betula pendula) were planted around fifty years ago and although the trees have grown well the ground beneath them is thick with nettle and bramble - sometimes six feet high. There were also seedling sycamore and horse chestnut that needed removing. Hard work then with petrol cutter, mattock, axe and rake.


We cleared a good stretch on Saturday and a couple of the trees will be taken out when the tree work is done in November.

Longer term, the beauty of the birch may simply be offset by an undersowing of grass seed with spring bulbs. Cyclamen hederifolium could look particularly attractive in groups naturalised beneath these trees. The photo shows cyclamen at RHS Wisley photographed in September.

 In the near term we will use this area for storage of felled logs and chipped bash.