Friday 3 November 2017

THE TROUBLE WITH OUR IVY



First the good news, the moorhen is back on the pond, alas this means winter approaches.

Ivy up a tree is a wonderful habitat for wildlife if it does not bring the tree down with its weight. I do not mind it on a couple of trees but it tries to climb them all - just a small tendril first, then a leader up the trunk and away it goes.
 

We have a window of drier but colder weather. R has been cutting back stuff and I dug up a load of alchemilla outside the kitchen which has got a bit past it.
Then R put in three Chinese lanterns, Physalis, and I took the alchemillas to the wood and dumped them - they might grow. Then I transplanted a geranium and comfrey and put in a variegated euphorbia. I also divided a rose root and put that at the edge with some snowdrop bulbs.
The campanula and dahlia R bought have also been put in, the latter deeply - it might survive. I have not put it in the shed to over winter as when I have done this before they snuffed it.


It was a very brief window, got up to a dank dark dismal morning. This was a summer and autumn to forget.

But still, if we are blessed with a burst of sun and the autumn leaves light up, especially the Acer sango kaku, its golden colours are splendid. It was given to us by my sister when we moved almost eleven years ago.




Of the three azaleas only this one still has its autumn leaves.


And finally a quiet day with little sun, no wind, no rain. Even so some things are strangely beautiful. This is the dead head of a wild angelica silhouetted against a cloudy dusk sky. Its delicacy is delightful.

R has been shearing dead stuff and taking it to the compost heap. I have been out with the scythe in the wood, cutting, picking up fallen sticks etc, Then I went down to the pond and raked out rubbish plus a flowering rush and a white water lily that is too large. I have offered them to P and his giant pond (lake).

The chives are dying back so, as we use them in
stead of onions, a strategy must be conceived - perhaps freezing some.

Pity we cannot eat ivy.
(Not a good idea!)

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