Day Three

Progress.   Isn’t this exciting? This enormous building site is turning into a studio at last.   In my next life I really ought to be a carpenter. It must be so satisfying to be able to create something out of nothing.

I meanwhile, will stick to the garden lark.   Nicolas came for a half day of destruction.   He really is a master pruner.   Wading in and removing branches and entire trees where I wouldn’t dare.

The mirabelle thicket was first on my list.   There were one or two trees here once.   But suckers and seedlings have sprouted and created a dense mess of little trees that fight for space and light.

They do produce fruit mind you. And that was my concern – will I lose a year of fruit if Nicolas wades in? Well, I had more fruit than I could possibly transform into jam for the past three years, so I guess I could take the risk.   And the trees always look so much better afterwards.

Especially as so many of the branches were overhanging the wall and just dropped onto the bank below. I never could pick them up.   And the wasp population on the farm went mad for them.

So it’s done.   Pick axe and chain saw to get at most of the branches. And I followed behind with the heavy loppers to break down the branches into slim shapes for the chipper.

Next up was the viburnum at the front of the house.   Had it ever been pruned?  Well it’s had the most radical haircut now. And in two years time it won’t look so bald.

And I can see the little mahonia that as planted underneath it now.   It’s even flowering.   I just don’t think it gives off scent. Despite being lauded as the most delicious wintry scented plant around.   Big brag, indeed.

I shall spend the rest of the day chipping these branches and turning them into garden mulch. Noisy, but necessary.