What are we doing in the garden 2024

Just out of interest, it's that time of year again.

 

Having spent 2 winters thinning holly seedlings from an oak plantation, and burning them, it totally peed me off to discover the 'going rate':
Search: 13 results found for "holly hedging"

 

Hi,

Thanks for the link @infradig I hadn't realized how expensive hollies are to buy. A few years ago I took down two big mature hollies; a moaning neighbour was complaining about berries and leaves being dropped onto her wheelie bins and patio. I've removed dozens of self seeded hollies from those I can pull out with a good tug to others needing a lot of digging out. I'm fed up of finding them all over our gardens. If the stumps aren't removed then they regrow with enthusiasm.


Here the holly stump is being winched out the other end of the winch secured to a big oak tree nearby.

The holly stump finally out. The holly was right against the boundary with our neighbour; I wasn't allowed to go round to work from their side so as seen I had to remove part of a retaining wall then rebuild the wall. These neighbours were at us from the day we moved in always complaining. Your trees and hedges are blocking light into our kitchen?

I took down two 80' tall trees and one week whilst they were on holiday I removed our 90' long 8' tall conifer hedge and shredded it. Returning home the wife next door was nasty with my wife up the garden now she was complaining "It's too open".

Having struggled for a week to remove the holly stump this wife next door came round as I was putting tools away; You've damaged my wall come round immediately to see what you've done. I politely refused so she went into a rage; I fled into the garage out of the way. now she started using her fist thumping on the garage door safety glass yelling at me. not getting any response from me she yelled I'm going up to see your wife.

After 30 years suffering these nasty neighbours the wife now has a police record for harassment. The police officer attending went round and told her any more harassment you'll be arrested. The police officer advised us to install CCTV which we did costing £1,800 to have professionally installed. The neighbours seeing the installation then got onto the installer.

Our cameras must have really frightened them because they wanted privacy whilst burgling and hiding stolen items in their garage. The husband and wife are as nasty as each other at times it's been like living next door to world war three; we wouldn't be surprised if one killed the other. This is only a small sample of what it's like living here; the last six years since the cameras were installed and the police visit has been peaceful other than the wife spending two years slamming her wheelie bin lids down with great force each time she heard us. We're very quiet indeed never looking for or wanting trouble. Why do such people remain married to each other.

Nothing at all has been easy living here. Not only do I fight hollies but also masses of ivy and every year I'm on cleavers patrol. No light jobs it's all heavy. A few years ago we had a massive ivy crown on top of our hawthorn tree this tree was big and mature.

We don't have just the odd bit of ivy; it was all over the gardens; hopefully having very recently cleared over 80 bin bags of ivy from the garden bottom I'm mostly clear of this horrible plant.



As I say nothing is easy living here; this ivy was destroying a dry stone wall whilst strangling the tree; both the ivy and tree are now cleared.

Just rambling on because as usual it's become very dark; we could do with a splash of rain; if I go into the garden it's sure to bucket down.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

Having posted the above and although quite dark it wasn't raining so I had the cheek to do some rotavating.

The left side of the garden looking a bit scruffy.

Looking better.


Lots of weeds were hurt or killed during the making of these pictures.

Just as I was finishing off raking down came the rain but I was pleased to get this area sorted out. The rotavator is proving a huge help covering large areas in short time; rotating this patch and raking only took 30 minutes.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hubby pruned some more roses.

 

Aha, now that's opposite the advice someone else gave me and maybe that's why they didn't work out. So, I'll take them down to the cellar and onto the heat mat tonight. Thank you

 

I went out onto the balcony to do the, almost daily, chore of sweeping the floor to get rid of the pigeon dropping!

When I finished doing that I took some photos of the Hyacinths & the Crocuses flowering.

I also emptied the 2 black hanging baskets at either end of the balcony, on the walls. One had some water in it from all the rain we have had this winter. I discovered it when I lowered one side a bit to see if there were any plant remains I'd missed. The surface of the basket is just above eye level, so when it was lowered on one side water came out through the side pockets! I took 2 of the 4 chains out to let it drain during the day & overnight. Good thing I didn't put the 2 chains back in as we are forecast rain for a few hours during the night. But I think that perhaps I should take both of them down till I'm ready to plant them up again for the summer.
.

 

Is there not a roof over the balcony?

 

I think I'd have to have a word with environmental health department pigeon poo can carry diseases.

 

Hi,

Many thanks Andy for your useful suggestion. I've actually thought about buying a drone. I think Google maps do a satellite image of our site; I'll have a look.

I'm now fed up of all the rain; it poured down again last night and more rain is expected; our patio hasn't been dry for months and the soil is mostly saturated making it unpleasant to work in the gardens; I'm surprised I managed to do the rotavating and raking but it was hard work and difficult; I've still got plenty to do tidying where I couldn't gain access with the rotavator.

One problem I have is grass growing through newly planted shrubs; I'm forever pulling it out but I wonder now if it would help if I cut circles out of black bin bags and place these under the shrubs to suffocate the grass; our grass doesn't believe in fair play.

Kind regards, Colin.