Thursday 6 April 2017

A turn around the garden















The big news of the day is that a pair of great tits are making a nest in the nest box. The two younger boys made it about three years ago at a wildlife activity fair. They got to wield power tools and everything.

It's taken a while, but finally the birds are used to it and this morning they were happily flitting round the garden collecting fluffy things to make it all soft and nice. You can see I tucked some sheep's wool into the bird table roof. This is because they were actually picking off bits of the roof. The wool has gone now so I'll look out for more next time I'm wandering near sheep. There's usually some to be found clinging to the fences.

The pond is a wriggling mass of tiny tadpoles. I should have divided the iris and the water lily back in the autumn but I didn't (it was one of those jobs I put off and put off) and I've a feeling they might get a bit big this year. I won't be able to meddle with it until all the little creatures have grown up though.

On the food front there is purple sprouting broccoli, rocket and sorrel, all absolutely delicious. And I still have a few things in the freezer - borlotti beans, French beans, broad beans, rhubarb, blackcurrants and blueberries.

The little plant in the pot is a white pink, Mrs Sinkins. I got a good-sized plant from Jekka's Herb Garden earlier in the year and took six cuttings. They all looked dead, but happily I didn't throw them out and a few weeks ago suddenly - life. Roots out the bottom of the pot, new green shoots. I think I'll plant them down at the allotment and hopefully there will be a few to pick next year. They're the best scented pink, absolutely divine.

I found the big chunk of tree trunk down by the river a while back when I was with the biggest boy doing the bird survey that he does. It weighs an absolute ton. I asked him if he thought I could carry it back to the car. He said no. It was about half a mile. I heaved it up and staggered along as best I could. Where there was grass I rolled it, otherwise it had to be carried. The biggest boy tried it for a while, but gave it back pretty quickly. He said he didn't have the motivation. I wanted it, therefore I was motivated to carry it. Anyway, I did it. I pulled just about every muscle in my upper body doing it, but here it is.

I thought I'd add it to my wildlife log pile, but in the end I dumped it on the ground as soon as I reached the garden, and it's stayed there ever since. I can picture it in the summer with a cold drink on it and maybe a good book and a salty snack. Occasional table!

29 comments:

  1. It's wonderful seeing your garden emerge with the flowers and veg and all! I adore the log stump! Be sure to tell your boys that people pay BIG MONEY to buy ones just like that for their fancy houses. It's aged perfectly. What a score! I've actually wanted one like that. Good job, mom! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  2. It's such a good point about not throwing apparently dead plants out too soon. I have several here who look like they might not have made it through the winter but I'm not giving up on them just yet. Your experience has steeled my resolve to wait. Great news about the great tits. I discovered today that goldfinches don't use wool in their nests, they like spider webs instead. Luckily for them we have lots of those about :o) They are nesting in the wisteria. The husband is singing his head off all day long while his wife incubates. Apparently, it's what they do. He's probably filling time until he's called upon to be useful and provide food, or else he's entertaining her (really he's nest guarding, according to the ever-knowledgeable BTO). Lovely tree trunk. I assumed it was important because it has three photos. You'll be amazed how quickly the beetles etc work their way through it, it really doesn't take them long at all. Happy Days xx

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  3. "They all looked dead, but happily I didn't throw them out and a few weeks ago suddenly - life." This quote sums up my fascination with other people's gardening. I have really enjoyed watching your growing things here. The birdhouse/nest is very sweet.

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  4. Your garden is looking great, CJ. That stump is perfect. I love stumps! They can be chairs or tables. I try not to throw plants away because it seems like they come back more often than not. It's hard to be patient with them but so many have bounced back for me. Right now, I'm hoping my rosebush rejuvenates itself. I covered it with a tarp when we had a cold night earlier this week and by the time I uncovered it the next day, it looked droopy and now I wonder if it got too warm under the tarp? Someday I'll get it right...

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  5. Your garden is looking lovely! The tadpoles in my pond are still frogspawn, not yet hatched as it was only laid a week ago! I'm looking forward to watching it develop again this year.

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  6. Your garden looks very inviting. G&T and some salted cashews would look really good on the tree stump... Boys, eh? Have you tried the elderly frail mother trick? I know you are neither but it might be enough motivation for your oldest next time you need his muscle strength. My oldest feels sorry for me when I hobble and moan a bit when hard work is required. We have some blue tits nesting nearby. I haven't found where but I see them collecting fluff in the garden.

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  7. It all looks lovely CJ. Hasn't it been the most wonderful blossomy spring and we've still the apples to go. I rolled/carried/kicked a large stump home from the woods when my children were too young to help. It was our drinks table outside for years and is now slowly decaying in the wood pile where it is home to all sorts of creatures. My frogspawn has been eaten by the newts. Next year I will remove most of it and let it develop in a washing up bowl. Great news at the allotment tonight: the swallows are back and I picked 12 asparagus spears. And the tallest building in Woking has cameras on a Peregrine nest and she is sitting on five brown eggs! I know - I really should get out more! I love the scent and rather shaggy petals of Mrs Sinkins too.

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  8. Love your occasional table CJ. Your garden is looking lovely. Such a good idea about the wool. We moved our bird box last year as they never used it in the old spot. I wonder if we will have any more luck. Thanks for the bird info over at mine.
    Jacquie xx

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  9. I love the 'occasional table' - worth every pulled muscle! It's funny about bird boxes isn't it. We've made several in the past and they always ignore them for a couple of years; I think they have to weather a bit first. Good idea about the wool; I might try putting Hamish's fur out after I've groomed him! xx

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  10. Your apple blossom is much further on than ours. As for the log, it will probably double as a table and wildlife habitat. We have a similar log that started life as a table and has gradually decomposed and is now just another potential minibeast home,

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  11. What an accomplishment to drag that big chunk of wood back home. With the right motivation, we are built to do pretty much anything. The greatest part is that you will feel that great satisfaction every single time you walk by it, and you will sip on your cold drink with pride... And maybe some aching muscles... But it was worth it. Purple broccoli... lucky girl.
    Xx
    Annette

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  12. Hey CJ,
    I did enjoy this turn around your garden. It's all looking lovely. I had grand plans for a stumpery a couple of years ago; that log would have been perfect. But I like the idea of it being used to house drinks and snacks too. How wonderful about the great tits! Our seagull nesting pair are back, and we have our blackbird pair in the garden too. I think they must nest in the mass of hedge and shrubs that divide our garden from others. And interesting to read CT's comments about the wren; I have one that sits in the tree blasting out his song all day long, so perhaps they're tucked away in the garden somewhere. Exciting times in our gardens right now!
    Leanne xx

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  13. We have some logs like that...great for perching a bottom on when you're feeling like a little down time in the garden. x

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  14. Isn't it wonderful when you see spring springing! Your log is great as a table in the garden and looks of course wonderfully natural there.

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  15. It is a rather wonderful piece of wood.

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  16. Your log stump story makes me laugh! We have so many around our place, currently three in the driveway, and I don't think the neighbors would think it elevates our status in the neighborhood. Heating, tables, toys, planters, chopping block for a sick chicken - we use wood for a lot! One woman's trash (or everyday item) is another woman's treasure!

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  17. A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. Lucky you with the great tits. That log sure looks chunky and heavy, so well done on getting it home as you did. Flighty xx

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  18. I love how much gardening and nature can teach us about life. How exciting for the kids that the birds finally came around to their project. A cold drink and a salty snack in the garden! How ideal, now you've got me say dreaming of summer. Happy weekend CJ!

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  19. Your garden looks in such good shape for the start of the growing season. And so tidy (ours is covered in twigs and dead leaves, whatever the time of year). Love the new table. Hope it gets to hold lots of books and nibbles in the coming months.

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  20. Looking good CJ. But the most optimistic image for me there is the bench with the discarded jacket. More please!

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  21. Love the new occasional table and I'm astonished you managed to carry it all that way. Mrs Sinkins always reminds me of childhood and my grandmother's garden where they grew in abundance, such heavenly scent. Your garden is looking wonderful and I look forward to more news of the great tits (hope they leave the bird table roof along).

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  22. Things in your garden are looking lovely. I despair of ours ever looking lovely! I love your occasional table and admire your motivation! Just catching up on blog posts ( bloglovin app seems to have stopped working on my pad) and reading your last post it was sad to hear about the vandalism on your allotments. It's been the same here. Not many people still have a shed on their plot but those that do were broken into last week and tools were stolen. It's so frustrating. And keep heart with your writing... You are good!

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  23. I'm loving the thought of you carrying/rolling a massive tree stump half a mile home, I would've done exactly the same thing. Your garden is looking splendid, thank you for the tour. I'm encouraged by your observations on dead plants - I've got six or seven dead geraniums that the frost got, and I was going to sling them out as there is zero green growth on them. But maybe I should wait a little longer? Trouble is I'm sick of staring at dead plants on the decking - the garden centre is calling me! Xx

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  24. It's lovely to see your Spring garden emerging. The wildlife pond looks fantastic. It must have been quite a job carrying that log, I'm sure the effort involved will be offset by the enjoyment you have of using it. Sarah x

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  25. Since we added a camera to our nest box the blue tits have stayed away. We've two blackbirds nesting in the garden though. One in a camellia and one in some ivy. Part of the garden could become a no go zone!

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  26. We have a stump exactly like that and I can confirm that it is ideal for drink plonking.

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  27. How lovely that the Great Tits are nesting in the box your boys made...I imagine they are as pleased as punch over it?

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  28. your garden is looking lovely. love the story about the log! I once drove home and get a piece of rope when I found a piece of driftwood I really wanted and couldn't carry it....

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  29. I've enjoyed reading your post, lovely photos too. I love the stump table idea, we've recently had some trees cut down in our garden, they are Sycamores and I am relieved they're gone. Of the 4 we had 2 had to stay as they have a TPO on them. The other 2 split into 2 so seemed more. The growth was horrendous not to the mentioned leaf fall and sticky flower like buds trodden everywhere, the sticky sap mess all over the cars was awful, especially when the fluffy flower things stuck to the car, I felt like a fuzzy bear driving into town. I can laugh now but at the time...
    Anyway I must check out the log pile and see if there is a suitable stump to use as an impromptu table. Cathy

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