BIRDS, COLOURS AND PESTS

We have a blackbird's nest twelve feet from my window in the log shed. I can see the birds going in and out.

Up in the wood I startled the hen pheasant with her brood of three. I suspect that they will not all survive but can hope. 

The swallows have given up building outside the kitchen but the house martins are plugging on. 


Also, have finally seen a live newt in the pond and a great water beetle. The latter spells trouble for other pond inhabitants as the larvae are ferocious.

I am quite pleased with the banking in front of the house with its greys and blues.

 The rosemary is flowering well - it loves the arid conditions there - and the geranium is such a good blue. The rest of the effect is from self sown aquilegias and a selection of different foliage colours.

Talking of colour, the welsh poppies are a mixture of orange and red with the exception of one plant by the back door (the one at the side) where then petals are white suffused with a little pale yellow. 

We have been inundated with grey squirrels again and I caught 5, 5 days running. I thought that was the job done for a bit but this morning there were three trying to break into the peanut feeder. Like the greys  not everything in the garden is rosey (ha, ha)(in pun) and erupting through the cotoneaster I discovered this - I know some butterflies, red admirals and peacocks etc love this plant but in its place. We did try eating the young nettle leaves like spinach but, frankly, it tasted pretty awful. One weed we have been using in cooking is the wild garlic - well the leaves with the Fodmap diet - added to chives as a substitute for onions, and, you know, it tastes really good - much more subtle. 

Now I must pop out and attack the sawfly on the gooseberries, let alone the mildew.

Problem - some stupid gardener has not labelled the various spray bottles - though he would remember - which is the insect spray, which the anti fungal and WHICH the total stump killer.

Lots of throwing away and washing out to do.

Stress reduction time - a little easy Chris Rea - I thought - but I had left shuffle on I tunes and got Tomorrow Night from Elvis.

Now it's Harry Belafonte's Scarlet Ribbons - I know, I know, I'm a sad old man.

Time to get the water slide out for the grandchildren (and granddad.)