Battles, a bodge up and a baby

Gardening can sometimes seem like a never ending battle, as some of the wildlife seems hell-bent on destroying everything us gardeners strive to achieve. I know this is not the way to think really – all wildlife has a purpose – it’s all part of the circle of life, isn’t it?

Around this time last year, I wrote about a pair of amorous wood pigeons, attempting to nest in our wisteria – you can recap here and learn a bit about pigeon procreation if you wish. Anyway they’ve returned – almost a year to the day. Well, I’m assuming it was the same pair, having another go at securing a nesting place above my back door. I really don’t have anything against wood pigeons frequenting my garden, but they do produce large quantities of poo, which I’d rather not step into when Lily and I go out first thing. I first realised they were starting to build a nest on a very windy day. Their precariously balanced twigs had blown down onto the ground.

Not deterred, they continued to swoop in with new nesting materials. This was war! I bought a long roll of netting and fixed it along the length of the wisteria – no mean feat I can tell you! I think you’ll agree this is much more discrete than last year’s fortifications!

I couldn’t help feeling sorry for them later in the day when they tried, but failed, to access the wisteria and appeared to find it difficult to comprehend. They’re now nesting in our acer in the front garden – that’s fine by me – we don’t sit under that!

So far I’ve managed to protect this year’s broccoli from caterpillar annihilation – look at the devastation they caused a couple of years ago. However, I wasn’t quick enough to spot the box moth caterpillars munching their way through my box balls or the rose sawfly larvae which had already rendered Captain Tom leafless and moved on to the Lady of Shalott. They were swiftly lobbed over our back fence with a few rose leaves to munch on.

In my view the adult rose sawfly isn’t particularly attractive – it looks like a cross between a wasp and a beetle. However the adult box moth is rather beautiful – here’s one I found lurking on a day lily, very close to my box balls – no doubt looking for a mate in order to continue the devastation.

I think I fought and won the battle of the lily beetles this year and enjoyed a wonderfully colourful display. Having despatched a few of the little red bugs and their yet to develop young, I was worried when I saw that some of the stems of the lilies were covered in white fluff. I wondered if this was connected to the beetles, although I do know that they conceal their babies in their poo, and stick it to the leaves and stems. I consulted the RHS advice service and they reassured me that the fluff is a normal occurrence and nothing to be concerned about – so if you see this don’t worry!

Last week I mentioned to GR that my little hand held hedge trimmer was no match for thicker branches. Like magic its big brother appeared on the doorstep – it looks like something from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I was nervous of it at first but I think you’ll agree I’ve made an aesthetically pleasing job of sculpting our holly bush.

Buoyed up by my success, my next task was going to be the viburnum hedge in the front garden. However, when I got there I couldn’t help but notice the job had already been tackled. Victoria and I stood and looked, aghast. Had the Council been and cut it on account of it overhanging the pavement? But no, there were far worse examples still intact on our street. On questioning, GR proudly responded that he had undertaken the task. I am going to find a hiding place for the new hedge trimmer batteries!

Finally, I know you’ll be wanting an update on little Bud – he’s a month old now. I’ve been making sure he spends plenty of time in my garden, although he hasn’t taken a great deal of interest as yet. The patio table has proved a useful nappy changing surface and he’s done some reading of his little cloth books, while reclining in his cradle on the terrace. Do you think it might be a tad early to buy him a mini watering can and trowel?