You Know We Love The Wildlife but............

 We are joining with two other local members of the Open Garden organisation to open our garden on Sunday 29th May. With the vagaries of the weather it is 2 weeks too late for the irises, the fortnight of temperatures in the thirties finished them off, and it is a fortnight too early for the next flush of flowers in particular the Asiatic lilies and the day lilies.

Nevertheless we have obviously been trying to make the garden look the best we can even with the limitations beyond our control. However the deer are determined to take advantage of our clearing as this makes the tastey buds more visible. In two nights they managed to eat every bud off the roses in the front garden and the new leaves that they could reach. On day three they turned to the campanulas which have started to flower in the new Harlequin bed. It is impossible to net everything or to be on watch 24 hours a day but it is very disheartening.

In a calmer moment I reflected that actually they were here first and perhaps it is me that is trespassing on their domain. However it seems that I am supplying lunch in exchange.

The trail camera at the other end of the garden continues to provide fascinating information. Mr Fox seems to visit quite regularly, but his table is often bare as we eat  predominantly vegetarian meals.

We see the hare most evenings but it obviously visits some early mornings as well.

However we have never seen a wild boar before. He seems rather small to have left his family, although we can do without all of them calling as well!!

I listen to numerous gardening programs which extoll the virtues of encouraging wildlife, but there are times...........

Garden Tour May 2022

 We made this video last weekend in rather a hurry whilst the garden was looking good. We have not made one since last year and we seem to have forgotten our technique, so apologies for the quality. I can not believe we are still in May as we are continuing to have temperatures of 30+C and so the Summer watering schedule has begun early this year.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pSx7ufugcc&t

"Hare" Raising Experience

 

She has been visiting our courtyard in the evening for the past week or so and has been within 2 metres of our patio doors. We call her "she" (males are 5% heavier, otherwise the sexes look the same) as she appears to be looking for somewhere to give birth. She is very interested in the stachys bed which was a rabbit nursery last year. We have no problem with a single baby hare, however a litter of little rabbits is another thing!!

We consider ourselves very privileged.