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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18 February 2022

More Recycling in Favour of Chickens


On possibly the wildest gardening day ever, Chris (Genever) and I braved storm Eunice to make a new door for the House for Hens!  The old ply door was really disreputable.  The the ply was delaminating and it was falling to pieces. 

The new door has been expertly crafted from a recycled and very old pine shelf.  It is a traditionally styled ledge and brace door but in miniature!.  The edges of each panel have been chamfered and finished with my favourite mixture of 50 - 50 linseed oil and pure turpentine.  Obviously, we reused the original hinges.  

As the door is nearly always in the open position, it has scalloped copper detail to protect its top and ledges from the worst of the weather.  To secure it closed, Chris made a tiny oak turn key which he referred to as a turn buckle - funny how these old fashioned names vary in rural areas.  The front of the door has its very own miniature lead pear which I had made the week before for absolutely no good reason but I figured it would find a home somewhere!!

I've just checked back to find that this original 'House for Hens' was purchased from Edward Tate of Shropshire in 2010 and is a medieval style pole house.  I can hardly believe we've been keeping hens for so long!  The house looks in pretty good shape for 11 years!  The pole has been replaced as has its base but the house is maintained with creosote and paint.  Very many eggs have been laid inside it!

I should perhaps mention that there were very noisy objections from Simone who chose the moment of installation to go up to lay. She spent the entire time squawking and clucking from the nest box!!



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