What a busy few days as mum gets the garden ready for spring.
Yesterday started bright and early as mum got it into her head that she needed to be in the garden and tidying. I am glad I am not a weed as they got short shrift as the compost bin was given a hearty meal.
The little bugs and crawly things in there must have had a field day as weed after weed were placed on the top of the heap. Plants that had not survived the winter were dug up, pruning not done in the autumn was done and general winter waste was cleared from the garden.
Buster and I watched for a few minutes then retreated to our kitchen step to keep an eye on things from a distance. This is one of Busters favourite places. He sits on the mat with his head on the threshold and watches.
We have a couple of doves, a blackbird and a courting pair of thrushes as regular visitors to the garden at the moment and with our protection they feed or get a drink from the pond on a regular basis. They patiently sit on the nearby rooftops whilst mum tidies up.
Wheelbarrow full of stuff from the greenhouse
If a cat comes near we have a system arranged with the blackbirds. They let out the alarm and we come out of the house and chase the cat away. Sometimes a visiting cat will just sit on the fence until we bark at it. They soon get the message that they are not welcome and flee.
Cleaning out the greenhouse
Mum moved next to the greenhouse and after making sure no spiders were lurking in the door handle, prepared to enter. Mum hates spiders, so this bit is always fun, as her arms flail about sweeping the air to remove any webs that get near.
The soft long handled sweeping brush is the weapon of choice for mum, as cobwebs are removed from corners and the ceiling pains of glass.
Everything leaves the glass house and the window is opened wide to even let the stale winter air be replaced by bracing spring freshness.
Seedlings get a bit of sunshine
The wheelbarrow is pressed into action to be filled high with pots, buckets and seed trays. This keeps them off the ground away from sniffy noses until they are inspected for nasty bugs and general muck.
The seedlings get some sunshine
Windowsills in the house have been full of baby plants for weeks now and today they were allowed out into the big world for the first time.
Hundreds of seedlings were placed on the garden bench and given a good watering.
Every pot and seed tray has been pressed into action this year as mum tries to grow loads of new plants. Some will be for the garden, some for friends and some will be destined for the allotment.
What do you call a terrace of birdhouses?
Lined up all in a row are the bird and insect boxes from around the garden as they are inspected, emptied and overhauled ready for the returning animals.
Birdboxes await installation and cleaning
All of the homes are made of wood and need annual cleaning to ensure that bugs and old nesting materials are removed ahead of rehabitation in a few weeks time.
Two bird boxes need some new roofing felt installed as the old covering has cracked and become leaky. Some new felt is cut from the roll with a sharp knife and tacked, using wide headed galvanised nails, into position. I keep my distance as mum uses the hammer and sharp blade.
( Just going to break off typing for a moment as something is going on outside. Next door has his mechanical sheep out for the first time this year. It is making a loud buzzing noise whilst it eats the grass on the front lawn. It is a strange beast. He holds it by the back legs whilst its front round legs guide its hidden mouth along the ground. It eats so much grass that it has to put some in a pouch on it’s back which the man has to empty.)
Now where was I…..
One of the wooden boxes has very thin slits cut into the front of it. This is for insects and especially ladybirds. Ladybugs, as mum likes to all them, are good for the garden as they eat small green flies that live on some of the plants. So we have a special house especially for them.
Once inspected all of the houses are installed around the garden. The ladybird house is first and is positioned near to the ground surrounded by some vegetation but not totally covered. next come the birdboxes and as we have a square garden mum is going to try something new this year.
The garden is sheltered by houses on most sides however gets the sun in early morning. So to try and see which position is best for the returning birds she has covered all bases by installing birdboxes on each of the garden fences around the garden.
We will keep you up to date as to if left, right or infront is the preferred garden residence.
Until next time
Charlie and Buster
