Because my garden is almost entirely new I am desperate for the spring to come so that I can see what has survived the winter’s chill. So this morning I braved the rain to make an inventory of what is gingerly poking its nose out into the big bad world. First the resident apple tree …
Apple trees, dog poo – and disposable vapes….
The path that runs down from Hampstead Lane onto the meadows to the east of Kenwood House runs through an area of coppiced hazel. These are young hazel trees that are cut virtually to the ground every five or six years so that each stump regenerates by pushing out another eight or ten branches. These …
Diggin’ an’ loggin’ an’ ditchin’…..
Yep – it’s the digging and ditching season. A great workout for us Heath Hands-ers before spring and the weeds really get going and we are back down on our hands and knees doing battle with the chickweed, the bindweed, the ground elder, the enchanter’s nightshade and the creeping buttercups. So, job number 1 – …
Fancy some kefir grains?
Spring is definitely on its way as my kefir grains have suddenly started to grow and multiply. Having semi hybernated for the winter, as the first daffs appear so do the kefir grains start to grow. As a result I have more than I need and would be very happy to pass some on. For …
To uncover – or not to uncover- the graves?
When I first visited Highgate Cemetery 20 odd years ago most of it looked like this – and indeed, much of it still does. Lush, wild and woolly, a haven for wild life. It is after all a wild life reserve. But what of the graves? Even the upright ones are buried in ivy – …
Nesting boxes
An email from London Wildlife this week reminded me not only that it was the Big Garden Bird Watch weekend (if you hurry you could still get in your hour’s watching this afternoon) but that it is well time to think about installing nesting boxes in your garden if you want to attract some bird …