You brute

Yep, you have to cruel to get blooms.   The courtyard and herb garden roses have had their annual brutal hair cut.

Cut back by one third and a thicket of cuttings to try and make new roses for next year.

I can’t say I love it, but it is easy to prune when you can see the new buds forming, and wearing very thick gloves.

Needless to say one’s woolly hat gets snagged and you do have to untangle your arms a few times over the process, but I’m getting better at this job.

But it’s cold today.   So this afternoon I need a warmer job to be able to stay out until dusk.

I did take a hefty hammer and get more stakes into the fruit tree cages.   That was fun.

It looks like a sad thicket of sticks down in the orchard now.  Or if you squint, you could almost call it an art installation.  I need to add the wire around the last three trees.   But I’m going to wait for a warmer day for that.

So, a warmer job this afternoon – gazing down my list – strimming I think.