The green and rolling countryside of Worcestershire, England, is home to the cider apple orchards which surround the gardens of Pear Tree Cottage. They enjoy a sunny south westerly aspect with sweeping views across to Martley Hillside, Woodbury and Abberley clock tower. The Teme Valley lies just over the hill and, not far away, is the Herefordshire border. Although our climate is temperate, our seasons are often uncertain and always a challenge to a gardener! This began in 2010 & follows the weekly ups and downs of garden work chronicling both successes and failures but, above all, demonstrates the fun enjoyed by three people who regularly garden in all weathers

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28 March 2011

Foxproof Fortifications for Fowls!


This is the last photo of Sandy before she was killed by a fox. What a pity Zach wasn't on guard duty when Monsieur Le Reyard came killling!

Since then, we have spent the better part of 5 days building foxproof fortifications for fowls! Trying to make fencing from 8' x 6' panels of weldmesh not look too much like a prison camp has been a bit of a challenge to say the least. However, we have managed to get some pretty elegant looking curves (if I do say so myself!) and the plan is to plant a wild beech hedge in front. In the meantime the 'house for hens' has been repainted inside and out and moved. It now nestles amongst the bamboos and looks the nicer for its move.  Lanes are making a (replica Victorian) entrance gate and we await electrification and  the arrival of pretty fence post finials.  I'm desperate to soften the look as much as is humanly possible and, when the beech hedge grows, not much of the mesh will be visible.

In the meantime, Al is making a new hatchway in the adjoining Hennery so the girls can come and go as they please.  It goes without saying that Chris has headed all major construction and brilliantly so!  We still  need to do a bit of replanting and move a couple of grasses and then lay some slabs in what has become known as the Hen Pen (that being shorter then Henclosure!)  Of course - now we have room for more hens..............


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