Third year meadow.

While singing, whistling or humming Monty Pythons' "Lumberjack Song"

 

Hi,

Thanks jimcups; actually I was wearing a checked shirt but also jumper and heavy site coat together with cargo trousers; safety shoes; ear defenders and flat cap; no braces though and the work being so hard I hadn't the strength to shout "timber" my concern was not to end up wearing a big tree.

Nice one NigelJ; I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK.

For years our friends who live nearby have taken tons of logs from us on a win win basis; they were glad of the logs were glad to be rid of the logs; we never wanted anything in return but usually were thanked with chocolates and flowers.

This last lot of tree felling though exceeded their storage capacity for the logs; their garage was full as were their back garden but they had other friends with woodburners and would arrange to have the last big load of logs collected.

Next door neighbours have had a decorator in and whilst here he's obviosly seen me felling all the trees and struggling to bring the logs down to the driveway. The story is this; he approached me asking what I was doing with the logs so I said we have friends collecting but take as many as you like so he filled his van; the next day after finishing work he then took another full load.

On Friday morning Bron and I were returning home and the arranged couple were here just having fully loaded their car so we introduced ourselves and they were very grateful indeed thanking us saying we'll be back shortly and they departed. We came up to the bungalow and just settled in with mugs of tea when the door bell rang; it was the husband saying we told you we'd be back shortly?

The rest of the logs had disappeared leaving us in some embarrassment; I explained about the decorator and it must be him who took them. Later this couple returned with a huge bouquet of fresh flowers as a thank you which was so kind of them.

Later on Friday evening we ran back CCTV footage and couldn't believe just how downright selfish and greedy this decorator had been; we watched from us returning home and the couple leaving with the car load of logs only to see him sneakily come down quickly fill his van with the remaining logs; lock his van then disappear just before the couple returned.

This decorator thanked me once for his first load never offering to pay which we'd decline but then went on to take another two full van loads the third load so sneakily. I'm not complaining because I did tell him to take what he wanted but if only I'd known what type of guy this decorator was I'd have said NO to him.

I've just returned from the tip having taken a load of sawdust; twigs and other garden debris; eight full bags in fact; this is the only stuff I've had to dispose of from the entire tree felling; the logs gone as firewood the brash shredded and now thick mulch spread in the garden; I'm not sorry to see the back of the lumberjacking job.

With the area now clear I'll dig it over and broadcast the new wildflower seeds shortly; retired 21 years and struggling to get time to practice playing my violins; time something changed because all this heavy work is now starting to become tiring.



Kind regards, Colin.

 

I can't remember what the name of the rotavator was, but it had large tractor style driving wheels and was as long as 2 wheelbarrows end to end. It was impossible to lift had to be driven on and off a trailer.

Cups of tea are a super fuel!

 

Hi,

Thanks Veggrower and a special huge thank you for posting this link;

British Wild Flower Seeds - Free postage on all orders

Normally I buy wildflower seeds from "Meadowmania" these being cheap and excellent but I've bought the usual seeds from Meadowmania and these are now broadcast on the meadow area; the only downside is these seeds contain a mixture of grasses which I don't want so I had a good look at the "wildgardenseeds" website and have bought these for the new middle garden area I've just cleared;



More expensive but not containing grass seeds so well worth the extra cost; now I'll be able to compare between Meadowmania & wildgardenseeds when they bloom.

Because the garden is so steep water disappears to the valley bottom at speed and soil erosion is a problem hence I'm covering the ground with masses of wildflowers but a few days ago whilst browsing YouTube I came across a very good idea indeed; the guy with a similar problem solved it so incredibly easy why couldn't I think of doing it myself so full credit to him and not to me.

He simply added shallow trenches only a few inches deep across the slope using a rake; mini terracing in fact and once the flowers grow the ground will be hidden but when it rains the rain won't be able to run off now being retained; I've done this to the meadow and try to remember to take the camera up next time then I'll add the picture. Previously I've raked smooth before broadcasting the seeds but then with rain it tends to form a skin allowing the rain to run off rather than soaking it; sometimes the best ideas are so simple and cost nothing.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

Job completed apart from broadcasting the new wildflower seeds when they arrive.

First thing this morning we had a trip to the tip arriving just as the tip opened at 9 o'clock with eight full heavy bags to dispose of. Having felled the 15 big trees the only debris to dispose of were these bags which I think is pretty good going.

Back home I wandered up the mountain armed with spade and started digging but what a terrible long job this was going to be so I wandered back down feeling tired for a mug of tea. I wondered if the new rotavator would cope with all the many roots and such a steep slope so one way to find out.

I fuelled the strimmer and cleared the ground removing the debris which is now mulch so now the soil was clear. The rotavator was also fuelled and I had a go; the garden in this middle section is so steep the only way to rotavate was uphill and what a delight this turned out to be; I completely removed the "drag" and set the wheels for lowest rotavating and went at it; it was hard work but definitely much easier than digging and many times faster; the soil was very dry and proved easy to rotavate; the rotavator jammed half a dozen times on roots but I soon cut these free with loppers.

I was truly amazed to rotavate the lot in about an hour; not to full depth but certainly deep enough. This small rotavator costing just under £150 brand new delivered was a massive help so now it's not only rotavated the meadow but rotavated the middle of the garden; money well spent.

The new wildflower seeds will be here in a couple of days so will be broadcast as soon as they arrive completing this nightmare of a job. 15 trees less to worry about in strong wind and a totally new area of wildflowers to look forward to as well as the wildflowers in the meadow. This job has really put me through it but I knew I'd win in the end.


Here's a picture taken across the garden with the camera held level; it sure is steep.

Rotavating completed with just patches of ground containing lots of surface roots to sort by a bit of digging. Whoopee.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

After three weeks of intensive grafting in terrible weather conditions the sun has finally come out and today is forecast 18C. GRRRR what luck I have but now I can relax because I'm now on top of the garden; I'm expecting wildflower seeds to arrive today these for the middle of the garden.


Middle of garden fully cleared of 8 huge trees and rotavated ready for new wildflower seeds. The exposed roots have been cleared and the area dug by spade. Grass edges strimmed and original Cerastium ground cover returning to life; all stumps taken down to just above ground level and once the wildflowers grow the stumps should disappear from view.

Here's what the middle of the garden looked like; the conifers at over 50' tall; ground covered in meadow grass but with more moss than grass.


Here's a previously felled 80' tall fir tree one of two; our rear garden was starting to look like a forest; now it's clear but it's been incredibly hard work fighting the slope; weather and size of trees all on my own but we've saved a fortune and all trees felled safely without collateral damage in spite of the wind. We still have a number of big trees to the right hand side of the garden but these don't pose any real danger.

Here's previous meadow pictures showing what I expect again this year having just broadcast the identical mix of wildflower seeds.

Here I'd already cleared lots of growth including oak tree and huge Hebe. Strimming the grass edges makes a lot of difference but even doing this strimming is difficult due to the steep slope.

Another picture of the meadow.

Another picture of the meadow; as flowers bloom and die others take over so all during summer the meadow is constantly changing and is absolutely outstanding in its beauty; walkers along the adjacent lane at the top of the garden often stop and stare some even taking pictures; I receive lots of compliments but it's lovely to be able to create a thing of such beauty. It makes the many hours of pain and hard graft well worth while.

Here's what the garden looked like originally; so many big trees the bungalow is hidden from view. I've now done my bit with just the middle of the garden yet to seed then I can let nature take over in a few weeks; last year the meadow was a major disappointment because our dire weather flattened it and in disgust I got fed up of seeing the damage so I strimmed the lot in anger; many hours of hard work destroyed by the weather; the first two years though the meadow was stunning so fingers crossed for this year and now we hope to have a bonus in the new middle area when it blooms and this time we'll be able to see the wildflowers from our kitchen window.

Ever since moving here 35 years ago the heavy work has never let up from replacing the drains and the entire bungalow roof now felling all the trees so surely Bron and I are now entitled to enjoy a bit of well earned retirement.

Perhaps now I can relax and play around practicing playing my violins in peace; I'm not holding my breath though.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

A lot of hard graft now behind you Colin and a new meadow to look forward too.

 

Hi,

Thanks Sheal; I hope all the hard work is now behind me because after 35 years of grafting living here it's time it let up but when I think I'm finally on top something crops up demanding immediate attention. Amazingly I managed two violin practice sessions yesterday which cheered me up; the first practice was poor the second practice a bit better; my arms felt heavy and my finger joints felt a bit swollen and stiff but I think few lumberjacks will play violins; I'll settle down shortly though and am looking forward to summertime.

I've ordered quite a few bushes and plants from J Parkers so once these are in and established with the wildflowers the garden should look lovely; no gain without pain and I've had plenty of pain up our mountain so now for the gain.

I'll never plant another conifer or cherry laurel; I've had enough of them.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Shrubs will be nice for the area, taking away the flatness you have with the trees gone, and of course much easier to look after too.

 

Hi,

Many thanks Sheal. Yes the shrubs should give some height to replace the trees but not become overpowering to look after. I plan to make a row of shrubs up the fence line to the left side of the garden where I felled so many trees; at the very top of the garden though I covered the border with two tons of woodhips but I'll leave the woodchips in place but plant a long row of Cerastium (Snow in summer) I've ordered 18 of these plants and they will scramble over the chips further preventing soil erosion whilst requiring little maintenance. The narrow soil pathway will be retained.


Here's the top of the garden adjacent to the lane showing the recent clearing I did of a huge double hedge and replacing it with a new wire mesh fence.



Here's part of the order placed at J Parkers seen above and here below is the second part of the order;



All the shrubs will be planted along the fence to the left of the garden and the Cerastium planted at the very top of the garden; all these together with two large areas of wildflowers should look wonderful once in bloom. Just the Parkers orders to plant once they arrive then I've done my bit and nature can finish the job.

It's a beautiful morning which is rare so I've just washed and dried the car; now I'll enjoy a violin practice before dinnertime. Life's good.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Potentilla are a good choice Colin. They flower right through summer and need little looking after. I had a hedge of yellow Potentilla in my last garden and have just three 'Daydawn' plants here. Unfortunately they are suffering in the soil so need to come out.

 

Hi,

Thanks Sheal and thanks too for the lovely picture. What a shame you're having to lose three Daydawn shrubs; are you going to replace them?

Potentilla's are Bron's favourites so we've always had some in the garden but now we're going to have a lot more; last year I added Potentilla's to our front garden together with two Acers also I added half a dozen to our rear garden but now a lot of trees are removed it's opened up the garden to sunlight so I'm happy to plant more Potentilla's for Bron where she will see them from our kitchen window.

I agree they are happy doing their own thing needing no or little maintenace but with long flowering period; I'm trying to create lots of ground cover to prevent soil erosion due to our steeply sloping site; I can mulch around these too to suppress weeds. The Potentilla's are due to arrive in a few days as is sleet? I can't win in the garden; three weeks of hard graft and misery working in dire weather conditions and as soon as the last of the logs were collected the wind dropped; out came the sun and it warmed up.

Now with so many plants and shrubs due to arrive the dire weather is to return; if I tried to shoot myself I'd miss. In spite of the dire weather our gardens are coming on a treat and should make all the hard work worthwhile in a few weeks time.

Potentilla's are indeed a very good choice Sheal and a bonus to a tight Yorkshireman like me is they are cheap to buy.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi Colin,

No, there's no point in replacing them. The three I have are young plants and still alive - just, so I'll dig them up and put them in pots with some decent soil. Away from the pheasants that tend to sit on them too.

I think the whole of Britain will be cold next week. We're promised snow here on a couple of days but that is usual for the Highlands at this time. It's nicknamed lamb snow, as the lambs are just starting to be born when we get it.

 

Hi,

The plants might pick up in pots with fresh soil Sheal; it's worth a try.

Yes BST is here so is sleet or snow which is normal; it gets rough here in Yorkshire but even rougher up north where you are; I've only ever visited Scotland once; this was whilst courting Bron and we were travelling in a Reliant Robin; 45 years ago and never been back since; it bucketed down with rain for three days whilst we drove over 1,200 miles trying to find a bit of sunshine; we were tenting and never again; no more Scotland and no more tenting. Bron used to visit Scoltland every year with her late parents always enjoying beautiful weather; Iona was their favourite place. Typical of my luck.

I think the plants I've ordered will arrive with the sleet and they're going into the garden whatever the weather throws at me; once they are planted then the weather will improve again; I no longer care; plants arrive plants get planted.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

Eight Potentilla's arrived at dinnertime today and all are now made welcome in the garden; the plants look rough but then they are still dormant once they awaken they should look lovely. More plants still yet to arrive but I hope not in the next couple of days because dire weather is forecast again.

Time now to wander into the studio for the second violin practice today.

Kind regards, Colin.