Orchard structures

Ooh goodie, another half finished landscaping project to enjoy.

I know, I know. But I am without the chain saw skills to complete this one. And both my chainsaw wielders are nowhere near this orchard.

Spring is definitely settled in now. And that means the grass you start to enjoy on this orchard bank is close to becoming a huge pain.

The terrace was created when the swimming pool was built on the terrace directly above this one.  I didn’t have the courage (back then) to be demanding about how this bank should have been created.  I was still so amazed that we actually bought this farm and were becoming owners of something as extravagant as a swimming pool so I wasn’t in full on bossy madame mode.  It looks like a spoil heap covered in grass.

It always looked like a spoil heap covered in grass. Weeds first of course. Lusty nettles, brambles and thistles. But mainly grass.

And the uneven bumps and unnecessary soil really annoys me.  I grit my teeth when I plod past on the way to the stables.

Well, it doesn’t annoy me as much as seeing the peach leaf curl appear each spring on the nectarine and the (err yes) peach. Annoying.

I’ll be picking those off in a bit; almost denuding the tree and it will limp on for another year.

It was worse before, but my eco method is a slow one.  Hand picking and making sure no leaves remain fallen below the tree and actually putting the dead bright blistered red leaves into the bin.  (My work trousers are full of leaves scrunched up and shoved into a pocket at this time of year. )

I should be spraying with Bordeaux mixture, I suppose. It’s the cure all for all ailments in the way that tea tree oil is for human ones. But the gassing I get every time I try that procedure puts me off (and my lungs protest as they are already working hard during hayfever season). So I eschew.

But back to the project. I had leftovers from the potager structures. Slightly curving thick pieces of short chestnut logs.  Crying out for a bit of a display if you ask me.  And you can see in these shots that the trees get a mighty mulch, but they look pretty messy.

Especially as now the grass around is going to get thicker and taller and distract you from the trees.

All one can do is strim like mad and have a bald looking bank of spoil. And so it goes.

I still can’t decide how I’m going to link the trees with the straight logs.

I have tried curving but I think there is more than enough of the curvy thing going on here.

I want to plant up these spaces in between this autumn.  So I am going to need a more considered landscape gardener’s eye for that.  I’ll just add it to the Nicolas list.

Here is the back of a fag packet design I want to create.  I drew it in the back of my notebook on my last train journey out here.  The idea is to have full beds full of iris, ballotta, nepeta and possibly gaura. Anything to distract me from the rather blah sight of a steep bank of green.

It will require logs on the upper side of the bank as well, and that can only be done in winter when the grass is nice and short and the ground soft enough to get the stakes in.  Something to look forward to.  And in the meantime it is just another long season of the strim and the mow.