Running Amok With A Chainsaw

The weather continues to be amazing. Fourteen degrees C at 10.30 last night and similar when we got up this morning. So we are endeavoring to take advantage of each day to get on with our winter tasks in the garden.
We had decided that we would reduce the box hedge in front of  our neighbours house by about 30cms. This had to be done as early as possible to avoid upsetting the sparrows which nest in it from about February. So yesterday John attacked it with his chainsaw. However he soon came to find me to explain that he didn't think this was such a good idea. Neither of us had thought that the leaves were just on the outside and that as soon as you cut into it it exposed the void inside. Whoops!! We now have a hedge with the corner cut off and it looks dreadful. I quickly pushed the trimmings back into the hole and there was talk of buying a can of green paint to spray them when they died off!!

John now found himself with a day to spare so he set about clearing the suckers from the trees adjacent to our new bank.

 We have not touched these trees since we cleared the area when we first moved in. However by the end of the day he had cleared all the undergrowth and I was confident that the plants I intend to transplant will have a fighting chance of growing. However John had other ideas and by 9 o'clock this morning he was out with his chainsaw lopping much bigger branches.

 

 

 It really did need doing but he has weeks of work now clearing the debris.
 

Undeterred late this afternoon we were surveying the trees in the back garden which need the same treatment.

Apart from my "supervisory role" whilst the trees were being demolished I have been lifting the irises which run beside the box hedge. They too have not been touched for about 5 to 6 years and do not flower because they are so overgrown. No plans for that area this year as we have so many other plans for various parts of the garden.