getting on top of verdant growth

 It's been a slog over the past few weeks, but now delighted with the progress we've been making.

Here's the Woodland Garden and really pleased that we've lost no plants at all since planting, mostly in the spring. Our dry site was always going to be a challenge for newly planted plants, but this wet summer has been a real boon. The rain encouraged lush weed growth especially because we'd enriched the soil with manure. But now that this verdant flush has been cleared, am hopeful we might be able to keep ahead. Bare soil is 'bad form' and we hope that the plants will 'bulk up' during the rest of the growing season to provide ground cover that inhibits weed growth.

Three more hollies (Ilex aquifolium Handsworth New Silver) have been planted along the Lamins Lane boundary  beneath our carved owl. For the first time we dug our own compost into the planting holes. We are trying to create an evergreen screen along this section of the Woodland Garden and have used a mix of holly, cotoneaster and pyrecantha: all good cover for birds as the plants mature and that also have useful flowers and berries.


And a big slice of the privet hedge cut with trimmings and other piles of rubbish cleared. The entrance to the site looks much tidier now, even though a privet hedge is an unlovely thing. The only thing less lovely than a privet hedge is an unkempt privet hedge. The drive will be prepared and compacted with wooden edging as part of this groundworks contract. There will eventually be a gravel surface.

Next week is an important week for the building of our Waxwings bungalow - the blockwork begins.. Photos to follow!!

Just need to turn attention to the Cedar Walk now to really feel we're getting back on top.