cordwood progress report

Have been proud owners of the 'Old Mushroom Farm' plot we now call 'Cordwood' since the beginning of November 2010.


Building work will not begin now until the spring but landscaping has continued.

We have

• had boundary fences erected on the Crimea Plantation and Lamins Lane boundaries
• had a line of Lombardy Poplars removed on the eastern boundary 
• planted a double line of locally sourced native hedging plants along the Crimea Plantation boundary
• tamed the privet boundary with neighbouring 'Wildacres'
• reduced the privet boundary around the orchard
• chipped all privet prunings
• cut down nettles and brambles in 'Picnic Wood'
• planted wild cherry trees on edge of 'Picnic Wood'
• watched Trev & Linda install three bee hives 
• had dangerous  trees on driveway removed
• spent from April to November clearing the impenetrable thorny jungle that was the orchard
• cleared 'Birch Avenue' of brambles and nettles
• cleared land for the erection of the polytunnel
• put up the polytunnel frame
• had trees felled or reduced where our bungalow will be built
• had the lower limbs removed on orchard limes
• had most sycamores along the 'Old Mushroom farm' bungalow boundary removed
• cleared some sycamores and pines that were competing with the Atlas Blue Cedar and lime trees along this boundary
• begun clearance of silver birch where both bungalows will be sited
• begun clearance and reduction work in the wood adjacent to the drive
• re homed our bantams and those of my cousin
• put rush screening along the Lamins Lane boundary.

This weekend we have completed the replanting of the Lamins Lane boundary hedge. This has involved clearing the hedge of all competing nettles and brambles as well as sundry rusting wire and old bottles.


We have now filled gaps with young holly and yew plants collected on site as well as using plants we have bought from nearby Brook Farm in Linby.


I dressed the transplants with organic granulated fertiliser. We now need some serious rain to fall so that the ground around the plants' roots is properly wet. We can then add a thick mulch of wood chippings to seal in the moisture and to suppress competing feeds.


Next week:

• we hope that the majority of the work on deciduous trees will be completed and all brash chipped
• a small group of Nottingham Trent University students is expected to join us next week to practise their chainsaw skills
• I hope to construct compost areas and begin to fill them.

I am pleased that we have had our first contact with an undergraduate in the Nottingham Trent School of Art and Design. We hope Sally will be able to hone her sculptural skills whilst producing interesting landscape features in the developing gardens.


Oh, and by the way, I'm lovin' it!!!