Gardening

[Hugo]

Funny you should mention digging underneath Mull.       I have pegged the fence into the ground but those cast iron Frogs cover the spots where a hole is so I put the Frogs over the holes to try and distract him.
We'll soon see whether the second fence and the Frogs work, if they don't then you can expect a large package in the Royal Mail soon

[Nemesis]

OMG Hugo you sound to have got a right one there. Ours once dug a hole so deep that he disappeared into it and the tortoise dug under her pen and hid in the undergrowth. Luckily the hound has now outgrown these antics, but the tortoise will still dig for Britain ! Animals ---who'd have them

[mull]

Bet the badger finds a way round or under the fence 

[Hugo]

The Badger does go into the top part of the garden but doesn't cause any damage there unlike Teddy.    Yesterday Teddy did get into the top part of the garden and then into our next door neighbours garden but I got him before he did any damage there.
Yesterday afternoon was spent getting material in to increase the height of the boundary fence and this morning we got in touch with a dog trainer for some much needed help
Are you sure that you don't want a companion for your dog Fly?

[SteveH]

Last year I posted some photos of our Hellebore's, this year they have grown from two flowers, to twenty plus, unfortunately they are only in the sun for a couple hours a day, and that's when they look their best.

[Hugo]

I had to do some work at the top of the garden and on my way there I was picking the heads off the Dandelions in flower.     I cannot use weedkiller on them now as we have a young puppy.
Anyway I was at the top of the garden for about an hour and when I came down there were dozens of Dandelions in flower.   I wish my flowers that are enclosed by a fence would grow as quickly!       

I'm just going to have to train our dog to pick off the heads of the Dandelions like he did with all the flowers a short while ago

[Hammy]

Hugo, Funny you should make those observations as;
1. One of our dogs was very keen on chewing up the dandelion heads last year but has not touched them so far this year.
2. Yesterday evening i cut the the 'grass' and  cleared the surface of dandelion heads and daisies. I was therefore extremely surprised when I drove out of the gates this morning and noted the 'grass' was again covered in dandelion heads.
Your observation has restored my sanity.

[Hugo]

It'has happened again today Hammy.    I went to the top of the garden to plant some hedging and was there for about two hours and when I came back to the house there dozens of the things had popped up
If your dog has a liking for them again then send him over here.

Our Dandelion problem is not helped by two next door  neighbours who live nearby.     One cuts his grass verge once a year while the other has never ever cut his in all the 15 or so years he has lived there.
What he does is once a year he gets someone in with a strimmer and cuts everything down

[Hammy]

Ah, the Blitzkrieg' approach to gardening!

[Hugo]

Yes it's a low maintenance garden for sure.     It's also  like a car junkyard and the person who does the strimming once a year just strims around the car

[SteveH]

Enjoyable day in the garden, made better by the first of this years baby blackbirds joining us, literally, sitting on Mrs H. foot, gave her a fright at first

Some photo's sharing the blossom , spot the busy Bee.

[Nemesis]

re the dandelion problem.       My oh can go out, mow the lawn removing umpteen dandelion heads, and an hour later they are all staring at him again. Must be the weather !

[SteveH]

PET owners are being warned about deadly, toxic, and harmful plants that are commonly found in the garden.

Safety at home for pets to be able to roam freely is paramount for all owners, but peckish pets put in a scenario with lethal berries and leaves will increase the risk of accidental poisoning.

Some plants, like the Lily of the Valley, are toxic from top to bottom. Whist others, such as rhubarb, have parts of the plant that is safe to eat, but the leaves should be avoided at all costs.

cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19275457.tulips-rhubarb---eight-toxic-plants-keep-away-pets/

[Hugo]

I've just taken a photo of the Clematis that covers the shed in the garden and it's looking in a sorry state.      The other photo was taken at the same time last year and looked really healthy then
I suspect it's Clematis wilt but can't do anything about it until the Autumn when the birds are not nesting in it.

Over the years I've noticed that the bright red creeper that covers the Tu Hwnt i's Bont cafe in Llanrwst seems to be in trouble too

[Hugo]

My Rhododendrons were later coming out this year but are now in full flower.     After  I caught our new puppy  biting the lower branches of the shrub I fenced off most of the garden before he did any more damage