Workmen and their tools

After much fuss, the ailing chainsaw has been exchanged for a brand new one. The children are delighted with the box and don’t yet realise that its arrival in the house implies another weekend pushing a wheelbarrow.

Work in the garden has been held up by rain and birthday celebrations. The break has done my body good (fizz always does), the scratches have healed and the aches have gone too. 

What's in a name?

I called it the rose garden, because there must have once been beautiful roses here. By the time we arrived, we found only aggressive dog roses which will be replaced with a more passive herbaceous selection – I planted peonies, fuchsias and many bulbs that are supposed to ensure colour all summer. Seems silly not to rename it now... Suggestions are welcome.

The rose garden; a work in progress

This week, the rose garden will be made winter ready: brambles and ivy curbed to a manageable hedge, everything trimmed, fence mended and young trees (not sure what they) staked.

These young trees are fast growers, there are a fair few of them and they appear to be on a runner root system like strawberries. As I am removing so much vegetation, these trees are staying even though they look like trouble.

Are these Elders? Using the tree and shrub identification table I am nearly sure. The plants have been choked in the undergrowth, so they aren't standing up straight and haven't many berries.