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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2005 - RABBITS OUT-FOXED

March 2008


This picture shows our Tulip Tree (Liriodendron Tulipifera). Back in 2005, rabbits had eaten away at all the bark around the base of the original trunk. It had been totally ring barked and the tree was dying.  It was a sad decision and no obvious way out.  The tree was cut down leaving about 3 feet of trunk to make levering out the roots easier.  Before this could be done, the tree, believing it had been coppiced and much to our delight, started to throw up shoots. These were thinned and allowed to grow. And, grow they did!!  In the beginning, we thought that as the individual trunks grew and expanded their girths, more thinning would need to be done.  Instead and as the years roll by, there much evidence of inosculation at the base of the individual leaders and we rather enjoy the quirky appearance of the imprisoned spheres (there are 2 now) which sit on the old trunk where the rabbit damage can just about still be seen!
2013 - 1st season's growth following pollarding.

Here we are in August 2013 - spring pollarding.  It had ideas that were just too big for its position!  It was overshadowing a Magnolia, in fact much of woodland border.  He we are (on a breezy summer's day) after it's crown was raised a month ago - just as strong as ever but a little better behaved.

January 2008 
Now, in October 2018, we're thinking of future pollarding as it's grown so much.  In fact, one has to look quite hard to see where it was pollarded 5 years ago. Hey ho! The life that some trees have!!

October 2018
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