Bare Bones

In January and February the garden is reduced to its bare bones, every tree and shrub is exposed so its shape may be pruned and corrected. Today we worked our way around the apple trees removing damaged or diseased growth and also pruning out water shoots, these are the whippy growths that emerge after the last pruning and must be sawn off to stop them re-emerging. Whilst we were removing last years growth from the clematis by the gate I noticed a beautiful nest, it was a work of art enclosed over with moss and must have been a perfect baby bird nursery. Giles tells me that it was home to a family of long tailed tits. This made me think of my foray into my own garden at the weekend when I turned the compost heap and mulched, half way through one side of the bin I inadvertently destroyed a mouse nest. With much regret as it was a beautifully cosy little hide away, I shall now have thoughts of a poor little creature cast out into the cold and having to make its way through the hazards of next doors garden! I hope it moves back in as I shall not be disturbing things again for quite some time.

"To fly high you must come out of the nest and dream high"
Farah Mustafa