DEAD!

  

From beautiful scented blooms to DEAD in a single harsh winter!  Ah well - it was only  grown from seed brought back from Oz 5 years ago.  A chance taken!  Now where are all the garden advisers promoting non-hardy, drought tolerant Mediterranean plants for our English gardens????

Poultry Pitfalls

Well........................!!  We gave it a fair innings and we raked up after the girls faithfully for 8 whole months but we now concede defeat!  Four chickens excavating flat out 8+ hours each and every day - even in 3/4 acre is more than we can keep up with - particularly at this time of year when new shoots are just beginning to emerge.  The damage is too much.  We are extremely lucky to have such a brilliant neighbour and from next week, the girls will be turned out to graze on, what has become known as, the Gaza Strip.


They will have the area between the the two sections of rabbit wire at the very bottom of the garden.  It's the most perfect solution as they will keep it weed free and still retain their freedom without causing any vandalism in the garden. Phew!   Wave of relief!  I feel as if I shall have my garden back!  No need to fence of the vegetable patch and put in gates and barriers everywhere!  I could NOT be more pleased - especially as I so want them to be free. It will also mean that won't have to worry about  the threat of nettles, goose grass, scutch or docks (or their seeds) invading from this area.  My precious David Austin roses are unlikely to be dug up again either!

Above left: Hen defences for the re-planted roses!

If anyone ever asks me for advice on keeping 4 totally free range hens in a garden; I would say: If you value your garden and it's 3/4 acre or less, then don't!  It's not as if I hadn't been brought up with poultry because I had and, many more!  They just weren't allowed in the garden!  Now, I know why!  In fairness to ourselves, the girls arrived in June when all plants were tall and strong.  They weren't presenting themselves as tasty young shoots.  Furthermore, the girls were very young - just point of lay.  Now we have a very different situation.  The girls are now big and strong and young and tender plants are at their most vulnerable to non-stop beaks and claws!

Birthday Blog Bulletin

One year old today!  In just one year this blog has been read in 40 different countries!

FROM GARDENING TO COOKING. You're never too old to learn!

On a dark and miserable day and with a new kitchen and an invitation to an Aga demonstration - off we went to Hills of Ledbury and took our seats at 11:00am.  Exactly 2 hours later this is what Marcia had cooked without using a single top plate except for an egg, the toast and the drop scones

• Bread
• Toast
• Bacon
• Sausages
• Eggs

• Tomatoes
• Mushrooms
  Roast shoulder of lamb
• Roast shoulder of lamb
• Pork casserole
• Roast potatoes
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Fennel
• Cheese sauce
• Toasted cheese sandwich
• Sponge cake
• Meringues
• Drop scones
•  Salmon steak                                Quiche                                         
• Mixed vegetable stir fry      
• Bread & butter pudding
• Shortbread
• Rice

Random spacing & bullet points aside, the list is 100% accurate!

Even if you hate Aga's - just how impressive was that?  All ready for us to eat and there were only about 20 of us.  It did inspire me to make some more scones today - and there are only 3 left!

Hyacinth Flop - Cure

Unusually, this year I've decided that prevention is better than cure.  Every year when I bring hyacinths into the house, they put on masses of growth and when the are at their very tallest and fragrant best, they flop - badly!  As we all know Hyacinths are immensely top heavy and this means rescue splints and ugly string.  However!  This year; not only have I used some twiggy supports, but I've used Hazel catkins for added prettiness!  The damp potting medium provides enough moisture to sustain them.

Look who sneaked into the top photo!

Chickens versus David Austin!

Everything is NOT coming up roses thanks to chickens!

Having sneaked off to David Austin's nursery (more later) on my own whilst my husband and - very understanding house guests visited the air museum at Cosford the other weekend, Chris and I decided to replace a dead Acacia at the front of the house - killed by the recent heavy frosts with my recent acquisitions.  Our 1st priority as always is ensuring the chickens are in the Hennery before.....

Back to gardening after the snow

Despite it being Thursday, it was back to gardening after all the snow.  Chris finished digging in the rabbit wire and we finished off the end of path between the garage and the hedge where it joins the drive.  We split the remaining pieces of Western Red Cedar and cut them to size before digging them in and using them as a low retaining wall.