Spring bulbs done (at last!) – onto more clearing

After what seems like months (but has really only been two) we finally finished planting all our spring bulbs! So much for our initial estimate of 2 weekends… that’s one thing we’re still learning – just how much longer everything takes to get done than you think. Looking back, there was no way we were planting so many bulbs so quickly – but we also didn’t expect the number of stones and roots, or the tough patches of clay, making it much harder to dig. Not so nice when the cloud came down on Saturday and everything was just damp and horrible. 

Now we’re just hoping that all the bulbs come up… the idea is that they’ll create a spectacular view for our guests when relaxing on the benches in our wood, as well as being seen poking over the hedge from the road below. I think at the final count we managed 125kg daffodils, 250 tulips, 250 irises, 150 puschkinias, and 15 alliums. (Plus an extra 100 snowdrops that we had to buy to reach the wholesale minimum limit, and put in our snowdrop bank along the front drive). So perhaps it’s not surprising how long it took us! 

Sunday was a tough day, but at least it feels like we’ve made some real progress. The morning was spent making two more strawberry drainpipes (we’re trying to get them all done before the runners we planted get pot-bound and won’t fit in the drainpipes); and putting up the outdoor Xmas lights.  

And then we took on the mission of clearing the undergrowth that’s taken over our listed cottage. There are two reasons why we need to get moving with this, even though building work isn’t likely to start for a couple of years as this is the last part of our project. The first is the damage that the expanse of ivy, brambles and nettles are doing to the walls, making parts of the building structurally unsound and at risk of collapse. If we can carefully clear the undergrowth, the hope is that we’ll stop further damage and give the walls a bit more chance to stay up for now. 

The second is because of a problematic yew tree on the orchard side. Growing next to the listed cottage, it must have collapsed into one of the lean-tos many years ago, and has just continued growing sideways across the roof (which you can see in the middle bottom photo). It’ll need to come out before we can make a start on any restoration work, but was so covered in ivy, brambles and an out-of-control giant rose tree that it was hard to see the extent of the damage. We’re expecting our arborologist and tree surgeon to visit in the next few weeks (we need another arboricultural report to accompany our planning application for the listed cottage), and so had to get moving on the clearing work. 

Several hours, countless wheelbarrow trips, and various fights with prickly rose and bramble vines later, and you can actually see the lean-to! It’s really opened out the space and looks so much better. We only managed to clear the undergrowth at ground level (including the several-metre-long vines that we pulled out of the surrounding trees), and there’s a lot more to take off the roof; plus we decided to leave the fruiting ivy so the birds have food over the winter. And of course – this is just one wall out of three to be cleared. But it’s a start, at least…