Gardening therapy

Lovin’ your lawn ! My late dad used to try desperately to get stripes on mine for me, but grass that was essentially a field for many years is hard to tame into stripes !! The tree to the right of the photo is our project for this year. It is going to need pollarding to grow into shape like the one on the left. I live in the country so there is lots of space around us. We are next to a working farm and the field beyond my garden is an apple orchard. The goal is a vestige on by-gone days but my husband can’t bring himself to get rid of it !! The feeder hanging on the tree gets emptied a couple of times a week and  is attracting all sorts of birds. Delighted to have a couple of goldcrests who appear to be setting up home somewhere nearby and come to feed chez moi. Small pleasures !!

Wow I love your view love love love . When I was going through the treatments last year I had to hire a couple of guys that came and took care of the cut for me, hubster was away working and looking after me weekends so it seemed the logical thing to do, easier said than done if I’m honest no-one wants to actually do the job they advertise but these guys took over that for me April - September and my dad did the final two- three cuts October . But my poor borders :((( all overgrown with weeds so I need to get stuck in come March I’m still not strong enough just at the moment . 

We get foxes sleep in the garden and two years ago had cubs in the garden , squirrels are the size of Yorkshire terriers here :( a couple of years ago we had a young buzzard stay for a month. That’s the most exciting bird but I was most excited about the jay we had last year he was fabulous and really stood out .. but I love the birds from cheeky Robbins to wrens and the seasonal finches that visit . 

In our family folklore, a robin coming to visit is actually someone who has passed away coming back to say hello. My nana always used to say that and when we used to spend hours with her at her allotment, the robin there used to sit on the handle of her spade and she used to say it was my grandfather popping by to check up on her and to check she was keeping the allotment in shape.

My dad died in May 2018 and since then, I have become very aware of a robin in my garden. As you say , robins are cheeky and this one certainly is. I like to think it is my dad popping by to see how I am doing (and to check on the lawn he battled with for me !!). 

We share the same folklore. I am sorry your dad has passed over I can see how much the garden would mean with that in mind and I agree maybe he’s tag teaming with your grandad and they’re both critiquing your garden as only they could . I’m very close to my father he raised my brother and myself in the seventies alone when we lost mom so I’m super close with him. How long have you lived in France? I’m trying to talk hubster into living in Scotland lols. Lovely to chat to people on the forum who have been through this journey .

France has been home since 1991 ... a vey long time now. Family are precious, aren’t they ? My husband is French so I am surrounded by my French extended family. So wonderful as I would have felt very isolated without them as my family are all in the UK. A long way away. I can see why you would have become so close to your dad in your circumstances. We need to treasure moments with our loved ones. I understand that more and more now.

I too know about the Robin folklore....we do occasionally get one singing and popping onto the fence but not that often. We did have a very tame blackbird couple a few years back, the female loved to feed around hubs’ feet as he sat, he would sprinkle mealworms around. She brought her babies into the garden too, one got so well fed it couldn’t fly off for an hour or so, I got some great photos of it!

Hugs xxx

Done it.

Looks rubbish at the moment, love this thread takes our mind off things.

How much will I learn off of you lot. I cannot wait.... Acer"s and Gladiolas I have managed so far. Don"t know there names, just a few cuttings they are all over the shed. OOh and Jasmin, Cup & Saucer vine to plant. x

We got someone in to cut back the hedges and some very large shrubs so the garden looks a bit neater in places. I have a new rose arch for my husband to put up so searching for some lovely climbing roses. Can't wait to get out and start tidying up and pruning. And I am planning a new patio for those lovely summer days when this is all over. Lots to look forward to.