Last Friday, a vast delivery arrived from Landford Trees (Salisbury), and last Saturday a big cultivating machine arrived from Brandon Hire. Straight after canvas on Saturday, we drove down, and with the lengthening evenings (yippee!) we were able to get the entire hedge line along the western border rotavated - still quite waterlogged and claggy in paces, mind you!
Sunday morning was given over to tree planting - 10 big bare-rooted trees safely in the ground - Sorbus, Malus, Liquidambar, Amelanchier canadensis, Acer griseum and Euonymus europaeus all in and raring to go - fantastic.
One of the trees, done
With the homeowners already aching, the afternoon was given over to the first tranche of hedging - about 130 plants per 25m - Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Guelder Rose, Dog Rose, Hazel, Dogwood, Crab Apple, Holly, Lonicera nitida, Field Maple, Alder Buckthorn and Spindle. Really hard work, but we got the 25m done!
Skipping the very stony bit which we'll come back to later (!), we did another 25m on Thursday afternoon, then another on Friday afternoon (exeat - another yippee!), and the last bit on Saturday morning. Done! 100m of hedging in and growing - already the buds are bursting and life is showing. Spring! (Or possibly outrageous optimism....)
At about the half way point!
Even Elli the Cat gives her seal of approval
In other news, a massive bonfire was had to say goodbye to the winter (more optimism), Snowdrops are up in the garden, we are getting regular visits from two Foxes, there have been heavy sightings of Goosander overhead, plus more Herons than usual, Little Egret and Snipe - only our second of the last.
Bonfirus maximusOn the Reserve, recent sightings have included Bittern, Smew and (presumably the same) redhead Red-breasted Merganser. Brambling numbers are holding up in both garden and further afield, and we have had a Redpoll or two - but not as many as last winter.
Still (third time - getting the message?) - WINTER IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE!
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