Tuesday 9 April 2019

Gone, but not forgotten

Last year we had to have our dog, Jarvis, put to sleep. We'd had him from a puppy and although he was only 10 1/2 when he died, like a typical cocker spaniel, he lived life at 100mph and his passing left a hole in our lives that will take a long time to heal. We scattered his ashes in the woodland and pond.

Clean bedding
For the last few years, since we lived here, he'd got into the habit of raiding the log store and most days I'd see him trotting off into the distance with a log in his mouth. I've still no idea why he did this as he never seemed to chew them, just carried them away for me to find with the mower later on (easiest way to find something lost in the grass is to first spend a long time sharpening and balancing a mower blade). I still come across logs dropped in the woodland which must provide some habitat for invertebrates but today I stumbled across this:

The Jarvis Tree
This is a willow (grey, I think) tree that has sprouted from a log dropped onto the damp ground. It's fallen over but otherwise looks pretty healthy. It's nice to know that he's left a reminder and maybe this was his plan all along? 

Monday 1 April 2019

Spring Is Sprung and welcome ducks


Spring has finally arrived and the woodland is beginning to come back into life again. Thanks to The Woodland Trust, I planted another 100 trees (holly, Scots pine, hornbeam and small-leaved lime) which are all budding or showing little leaves already. The evergreens should give some colour and structure in the long winter months.

I also divided some bamboo that was dug up from near the house. I know there are concerns about it taking over but it provides excellent cover all year round and makes a lovely noise in the wind, as well as providing canes to help support spirals for future trees. I've lost bits in the past so it's not as hardy as people make out but there are new shoots appearing and it should be quick growing once the soil warms up fully.

Bamboo survived

The rest of the woodland is showing signs of life and aside from everything leaning away from the prevailing wind, very few were lost over the winter

The blossom avenue coming on strong


The blackthorn has also come into flower. Only 2 of them seem to have survived, out of the 50 that were planted. They've amalgamated into a dense hedge that is predominantly hawthorn but it's made that part of the boundary impregnable, at least by the dog!

Sloe gin anyone?



The willow fedge mentioned in the last post is also greening up and should provide valuable cover as well as soil reinforcement on the island.

Fedge

A group of ducks has started landing on the pond so I've woven a basic nesting tube in the hope that they'll stay. Might need lining with hay but the height should keep it safe from certain predators. It's woven from green willow, which wasn't quite as flexible as I'd have hoped and when it dries out it might become a bit loose but for a first try I'm quite proud of it. Had large clumps of frogspawn laid and some of them definitely hatched. No tiny frogs seen so maybe the ducks and the heron have eaten them all. Let's hope some of them survived but it's great to see life appearing in the pond

Nesting tube
Gelatinous



Also discovered some deer slots (tracks) by the pond. Not sure of species, but I see roe on the trail cameras quite often. The young trees are all in deer tubes, which should protect them from browsing, although I've lost a few shrubs when they get flayed by the bucks rubbing their antlers against them to remove the velvet.



Fallow or roe?


Sunday 27 January 2019

Willow fedge on the island

It's January 2019 and the pond has been full since mid-December. The banks at the far end have collapsed (as designed) and have a variety of different levels and potential for habitat.

Full pond
When the sun shines it's beautifully tranquil and once the wildlife becomes better established I'm hoping it will look amazing.

    
Serenity
Now that there is a definite island, it needs planting. With some of the coppiced willow (osier viminalis), I planted a few metres of living hedge. Hopefully even in the poor soil this will take root and make a good barrier as well as reinforcing the banks.