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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21 May 2016

Avian Crime Prevention

Mr Owl on guard.
No owl and no flowers!
Year after year birds have been stripping the flower buds from the Wisteria which grows up the south wall of the house. Sparrows are the biggest culprits closely followed by blue tits and great tits. Their gourmet feeding station is very close by so, last year just before the flower buds began to swell, we moved it to the north side of the house. It made no difference whatever and they completely scalped it. Now - as much as we love and care for our song birds, eating flower buds on the king of climbers is not easily tolerated!

This year we tried something new. After moving the feeding station away from the Wisteria, we installed a large plastic owl with a rotating head. Guess what! Loads of beautiful flowers near the owl and not a single flower the other side of the Jasmine from where the owl can't be seen. Moral: more plastic owls needed!!

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