Winter wall building part one

This much I know….

I love nothing more than delicately chasing long tendrils of bindweed roots and digging them out.

• 

• 

I could do it for hours. And on this terrace bank, I could do it for days.

And still not get rid of the scourge.

And winter is coming.

I have been wanting to rebuild this Last Wall for years. And managed to walk past the rock pile and mess for exactly a year. That was when Nicolas pulled all the rubble pile from outside my office and stacked them carefully down here on what I sometimes call the Wattle Bank.

Well it’s better than calling it the Old Septic Tank Bank.

The wattles (mimosas) are growing lustily.

And trying to flower in this mild climate. They will get slammed by proper winter this week. I can’t possibly fleece them as they are so tall.

• 

• 

My first job was to pull off the rocks and stones that I have been lobbing onto this mini bank for years.

And then uproot the four hazelnut trees. They have a beautiful red leaf. And if all goes well, I will plant them here and make a gorgeous nutty hedge.

But for now they are going to have to sulk in the potager in pots for a bit.

And then it was off with that weed proof fabric I put down.

What a god-awful mess.

The wall above is falling down.

Held up by grape vines and brambles.

And that was when I called a screeching halt to the proceedings.

This is way too big for me to do on my own.

What an absurdly ambitious new year’s resolution.

So I have decided to tidy it up. Roll the rocks when I could.

Rake like mad to give the illusion of order.

And march swiftly away.

I think I’ll just do some gentle weeding instead.