Some serious gardening

was done during the week.







The beech hedge alongside the road needed to be cut, but I couldn't even get near it from this side as it was totally overgrown [as you might see in the smaller picture on the left].  So over two days I dug out everything between the telegraph pole and the fence, filled three big builders' bags with the rubbish and re-planted elsewhere what I wanted to save.  On Friday morning, right after the duck run, John filled the big petrol hedgecutter for me, got it going and re-filled it once more, and I managed to cut not just the beech hedge but the privet and pyracantha in the front, but also all around our "formal" garden at the back.
John had other plans for gardening yesterday morning, but I managed to persuade him to get the rotovator going while I was picking up the bulbs and primulas I'd unearthed .  After a while I turned around and said "it's a wonder the ducks haven't turned up ..."  -  but they had, 6 of them, twins Dash and Vera, the two fawn&whites Billie and Gertie, Winnie and Mocca!, I just hadn't seen them yet:

Since I've been busy gardening in the front garden with lots of ducky company I've seen much of Anke and Captain up here, they seem keen to join in with the crowd.  Usually I get alerted by Anke's cries when she's being chased by the two black drakes - I've even seen her being chased right into her hut, on her own home ground!  I must give praise to Captain here because he defends his girl and drives off the attackers, the photo below shows him confronting Jay-Z after Anke [nodding dutifully] had just come out of the hut again.

                                                           

When the ducks don't see us out gardening their lives these days revolves around the big pond, all apart from Dotty spend most of their day in that area. 

On Bank Holiday Monday we went on an early September walk with the Moira crowd, a good 5 miles around Tutbury and Hatton, lovely weather, lovely views, and a good dinner after at the Castle Hotel.

Tonight we've been invited to a Golden Wedding celebration, and that's about all the "social" news.

A couple of flower pictures to finish - the deep red rose "Barkarole" is doing great, "Remember Me" is flowering for the second time.....

 

... and the orchid has now opened all 15 blooms, 9 on the top stalk and 6 at the bottom.  I'm amazed that the first of the 9 haven't wilted yet!
Thank you again Gerd and Maria!