Notes from April Cottage in June

The month began with very windy weather. So much so that a rather large but weak Ash tree was partially blown over and had to be felled. I had planted a lovely climbing rose at it base in the hope that eventually this would make a lovely feature. The rose is now transplanted and is trying to reestablish itself at the foot of a younger and more vigorous Ash.

Two positives have come from the fallen tree. One was that it provided lots of small branches and sections of trunk that were suitable for the constructing of a well hidden, descrete wildlife shelter and habitat. With luck, a hedgehog or two will find it and overwinter there while insects and fungi gradually reduce it to soil.

The other positive is that the removal of the tree has opened a patch of light onto a neglected border just the other side of the garage. I have been using this border to plant out all of the shrubs and perennials I buy to photograph that do not fit into the planting scheme in the main garden. I call it the hotchporch bed as I can plant anything there just to see how it does and it will eventually become an eye catching sight as you pull up to the garage in summer. The local rabbit population however call it, "Mr. McGlover's all you can eat buffet". You know how it is at a buffet, too much too choose from, some of which you would never choose to eat and wonder why they even bothered to serve it up. Well I am sure the rabbits think of it that way too as some plants like fennel that I would have expected them to love, they simply turn their noses up at and go for shrubs like Fothergilla! Its an education in what plants to choose if you cannot keep the little darlings at bay.

One of the great joys of living here is that there is a beautiful fold of the South Downs forming the central feature of our view from the garden. It looks different ever day as the light and weather move across it. I went out at 5:30 the other morning for quite a different location but discovered by chance this beautiful Monet like field of poppies at their peak of flowering. In the distance, the misty clouds were moving back and forth along the line of the Downs seeming almost to be caressing the sensuous folds of the hills.

This is the best poppy field photo I have ever taken and as it was a chance discovery, it seems somehow even more precious