2025 - What I did today

I've strimmed a bit of grass around a mock orange near the pond, which I had cut down to about two foot high. Before that it was just very old straggly stems. So, it'll look better next year, with the handful of fresh shoots that have emerged this year. I took about twenty cuttings from what I cut back and put in two large plant pots. The ones I took earlier this summer have taken very nicely, so I'm hoping to have enough plants to make a bit of a hedge next year.

We have struggled with the fallen tree again today, now with the middle part of the tree. I could pull it up to the bank of the pond quite nicely, but it then wedged itself between the bank and an old rotten tree stump. It took some physical force to remove the stump, and to wedge a couple of planks of wood and a metal sheet underneath it so it could be dragged at least half way up the bank. We will need to cut it in half to get the bottom bit out, and then it's almost done. The pond gets more light too.

We are planning to clear most of the trees on the other side of the pond, as leaves and rubbish are falling in the pond and clogging it up.

I've checked the hazelnuts again today and they're still not ready to harvest, though I'm finding some on the ground. I might have to just go for it tomorrow and pick them all, then cut back the hazel bushes to regenerate them for next year.