What Jobs Are We Doing in the Garden Today... MK3.. 2013

I mowed the lawn this afternoon after allowing the grass to get thick and high and then tidied up the edges. I did have some bare patches just at the lawn entrance [happens every year] but those have now started to disappear due to me keeping the area damp and giving the whole lawn a feed. My soil is sandy and it's not the best to grow grass own as it is fast draining and loses nutrients quickly. I try to keep it moist and every now and then give it a feed to make it presentable
I planted some ornamental grass from Shineyland by the pond margins so that should get away nicely. There's also a large Fern by the side of the pond which also came from Shineyland and seems to be happy there........early days yet The clay jug which lies on it's side and from which the water gushes from the pump to supply the water fall had moved....an animal in the night?? So I went around to move it back into the original position and en route found a disaster.
I have had a Cotoneaster Cornubia in the Lilac border for around 30 years and every year it attracted the Bees with its flowers. You could hear the bush vibrating with the sound of them!! My wife trained it into a standard form and the head has always been well supported to stop it toppling. However today I found it lying forward and when I investigated I found the main trunk has sheared at the bottom.....ruined. I had to pull the entire broken shrub from where it had been a key piece in the border and I was not a happy man. I might try to replace it but you all know my garden and any young shrub will struggle to compete at the back of the border along with the established shrubs.
After that I moved the clay pot back to it's proper position and decided to feed the climbing roses that are along one side of the pond with some tomato feed. I used 15 gallons of it while trying to make sure the feed didn't get into the pond which wasn't easy as the roses are on a bank above the ponds so I had to use the watering cans slowly.........patience, patience, patience

 

One last tour of the estate after shopping, watered all the plants into their new homes, and watered everything in the greenhouse too.

Heading out the door, my strawberry runners were delivered, albeit a different variety than I had ordered allegedly due to a surge in demand for the variety I had ordered (Toscana); anyway, T&M sent me 48 Anais instead, and a £5 voucher, so its all good. That means I will have to get my finger out tomorrow and get the strawberry tree made!

 

I forgot to mention one job I did today!! While I was filling the Watering Cans from the outside tap this afternoon there was a bang on the Kitchen window and when I looked I couldn't see what had caused it. But just below the window is a large Skimmia in a pot and on investigation I found a Sparrow lodged in the branches. I took him/her out as gently as possible and although it was stunned it still told me off for doing it a favour. I took it around to the front of the House and after a little while it flew off from my hand, job done.!

 

Seems to be a lot of that this year Armandii - - we had a bird (unknown variety as it thankfully flew off shortly after) hit the living room window just over a week ago, and last night a young starling flew into the kitchen window; sadly, it died instantly.

We also had one yesterday morning that I have never seen before - a small young bird caught, killed and eaten by a Magpie in our back garden! I never knew they were cannibalistic

 

Hi FC, it's the first time ever that it's happened to me as far as I know. I have a seed and fat ball feed stuck to the Kitchen window but they haven't really bothered with that as they use the other feeders. I suspect he just had a bit of Pilot Error
Magpies??? They are predators and scavengers. They will invade nest and eat eggs and fledglings and, if they get the chance, small birds especially if they're sick or weak.

 

Nasty bar stewards that is for sure - I don't like them one bit, never have.

 

According to some country traditions you're supposed to "salute" them if you see one. The most I've seen together was 13 [counted them] when they flew into a car park one after the other and held a meeting...........very strange.

 

I'd like to 'salute' them with a rifle!

Best of it is, I don't even know what it is about them or why I took a dislike to them - I can't recall one ever doing me harm? Maybe they are just that sort of bird.

 

Well, they have "exploded" in population all over the country in the last few years and they are an aggressive bold bird. I have no liking for them but they do clean up the dead animals and birds like the Crows and the like.

 

I wonder if their population explosi0n is linked to the current lack of respect and general cleanliness?

I remember as a kid seeing railway stations etc all scrubbed spotlessly clean, with flower beds nicely planted and everything in its place; even the streets were clean. Nowadays, its a novelty to see one of those street cleaning lorries clearing the gutters, let alone someone actually using a brush! And as for seeing public places like stations being all planted up, well that appears to be nothing more than a dream.

Litter doesn't go in bins anymore either - and I wonder if that is one of the reasons that species like the magpie are booming?

 

It's a thought, but to be honest I think it's probably due to the changing environment in the countryside and towns which has affected the way that all our birds are nesting and sourcing food. You will find thousands of Land Gulls at the waste tips but you'd have to look hard to find a Magpie because they are wired up to be a Predator as well. They're a strong, bold bird and they just found a niche in the food chain at the right time and are adapting to the changing times.

 

I'll get some more mowing done today.