For me pruning is always about where the plant or shrub puts its energy.
So here it is all scrambled up with tall shoots growing up beyond the height of the fence. The energy of last year has reached for the sky and there is ivy clustering about the base. Branches will rub together in the wind and damage each other. Not good
and here, with around a third of the oldest growth cut right down, a third cut back, and the rest of last year's shoots reduced by about a third. I try to do this each year as it keeps the centre open and leaves plenty of space for the coming year's growth. However, while I was deep in the heart of it, right at the back near the fence, I looked up just in time to see my very favourite little bird, the goldcrest, enjoying the fat block about four feet away on the nearby feeding station. I stood stock still and just watched. Oh a precious sight. Then it got better. I wandered down to the bottom of the garden to see how the Dell was doing.
The walnut and the birch bracket the space with their lovely pale trunks, the grass is all died down and there is very little sign of the flourishing growth that heralds high summer. As I drifted back up the garden I heard the nearby call of a fox. I stopped and stood, and stood, very quiet and relaxed, trying my best to disappear and there he was, trotting up the path
and a little later, whilst I was enjoying the sun setting behind my favourite oaks,
I heard yet another bark, and there he was again retracing his journey
Oh lucky me
So lovely! Just occasionally I come across a fox on the morning walk with the boy, but they don't hang around long enough to have their photos taken. :)
ReplyDeletei was just lucky to have the iPad there, and they are reasonably used to us so don't go rushing away if they notice us. We're obviously on a well traveled fox highway - in fact Mum and babies occasionally wake me up with their raucous games in the midnight garden :-)
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