One down, one to go!

One cupressus hedge is scalped and the branches cut up and  transported to the recycling center. One of the bits of growth cut down was nearly 10 feet long, which meant in total the top was about 19ft from the ground before lopping off.

The green manure is now of a size that it can be dug in. Tried several techniques to dig in after first cutting the growth down with garden shears. We have four raised beds to dig. Firstly tried digging over with a small fork. That was OK, but took a lot of effort. The second experiment was with a small spade, and this was more successful as a "lump" of soil could be lifted and turned, burying most of the greenery.

I gave up after two raised beds, will return to that tomorrow- arms and back a bit weary from all the cutting and ferrying of the hedge remains to the recycling center. Took three runs and our poor trailer was complaining about the weight of stuff it had to carry!

Rosie has found a treasure. On her walk with E, she discovered a chew bone that another dog must have dropped. She proudly carried it home without once letting it go, and is now roaming the house, not sure what to do with it.

Not looking forward to dealing with the second hedge as it is in and around a shed, a greenhouse and a lean to off the garage.

Will probably have to adopt the technique that a professional tree surgeon did when it was last cut, which is to cut a flat ledge on top of the hedge, place a large flat board on this and use it as a platform to move forward. Apparently with an old hedge this is quite a stable way to operate as the trunks are at least four or five inches thick, it should support the weight.

Time will tell!

Find the root

Waiting for a new chainsaw chain, as I have worn the current one out. I could sharpen it myself but need the right files etc. to do it, and end result might be debatable.
To pass the time after the rain had stopped, I was digging around the remaining trunk of one of the cupressus trees that was cut down (see to cupress or not to cupress) with the aim of trying to remove the stump and all associated roots - in the course of doing this I found the end of the flower bed that had disappeared under the hedge and three buried breezeblocks as well. That makes five that I have dug up from this area - I'm not sure what they were there for, but they were deliberatly buried in a row.

This pm, E and I started to replant some of the perennial flowers that had to be moved during the extension build last year in to the newly dug flower beds in the back garden.

We are hoping that Rosie does not do her usual flying leap through the beds when she thinks it is time to chase away the pidgeons or other birds, or have a bark at next doors Alsations. We had to fence off parts of the front garden until quite recently as she wanted to use the new fledgling hedge as hurdle training in preparation for the doggie Olympics.

Rain again stopped us finishing this job, but 80% of the plants are now in- we managed to split some of the clumps in the hope of increasing the number of plants, and after nearly a year in temporary containers, the root systems of some of the them were quite extensive.

Once the chain for the chainsaw arrives, two more trees are coming down to open up the part buried flower bed and allow us an area where the trees were, to use as a cold frame space for hardening off plants and also overwintering any that might need it. We will have surplus paving slabs when we reshape the path- currently there are hexagonal "stepping stone" slabs, so once dug up, they will probably form a base for the cold frame area.

To Cupress or not Cupress

Today has started in the garden with a large tree lopping tool and a garden saw.

We are blessed (!) with two cupressus hedges either side of our back garden that were out of control when we moved here a decade ago. Through borrowing a (not very sharp) chain saw from a neighbour, I managed to get the height down to about 8 to 10ft tall, for both hedges, and continued to trim up the sides on a regular basis.
The problem is that cupressus don't stand still- you blink and they are 15ft tall again. One hedge faces on to a green with walnut and horse chestnut trees, planted by the original householders when this small estate was built, so it only causes a nuisance to the local authority grass cutters who wizz around on large multibladed powered lawn mowers.

The other hedge bounds on a neighbours garden, and was heavily lopped and trimmed a few years back before the present neighbours moved in.

Last year we had an extension built on the side of the house in a largely dead space and some of the hedge had to come down (hurray!) to make way for the scaffolding, but because of the building work and (also to save money we fitted out most of the interior ourselves) the garden took a back seat.

Of course aformentioned cupressus hedges have taken full advantage of this and have outdone themselves in growth and because they are so wide , I can no longer safely reach from either side on ladders or platforms, to cut the top growth down, so the decision is that they will have to go!

Now this in itself is a mammoth task , and there are some garden hazards - sheds, oil tank, greenhouse, existing flower beds , dog - yes Rosie likes to help or get in the way depending on your viewpoint -and also I had to recently construct a new higher dog proof fence to keep her in the garden on the green side (she can leap 5 ft in the air from standing, no need for a run up for her) so this needs protecting also.

                                            Rosie sitting still for a change.

We are reluctant to remove the hedge in many ways- it does provide sound proofing qualities, and cuts down the wind, it is a haven for birds, not so much for nesting, but as a shelter and transit point from garden to green, but it also badly shades the lawn - we have the best moss for miles around - and sucks up all the water from the soil underneath, so nothing wants to grow.

So today I started to tackle two trees who's branches had overgrown the oil tank, and also encroached severely on an overgrown  flower bed. This has just been dug over for re-planting and I discovered the bed  had been much wider originally than it is now, by maybe 5 or 6 ft. , as the edging continues under the hedge.

Having cut/lopped the side branches off, I am about to bring out the trusty chain saw (mine, not the neighbours) to progressivly cut down the trunks.
At least it's pleasant out and not raining, thats something to be positive about.

It will be a stage by stage gradual lessening/removal of the hedges so more at a later date(s)