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‘Nature Red in Tooth and Claw’’ . . . and Stingers
5 July 2021 The first of my two wasp bykes. My pump house is effectively out of bounds to me until the end of autumn. A routine check of the filters today turned out to be more eventful than usual and I did not see the wasp byke until I had been stung. I beat […]
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Rain at Last!
Summer’s light on the hill in front of the house My water butts are almost empty, despite holding 1700 litres of water and without rain I will have to draw on my well to water the plants. The ground is as hard as a rock and you would need a jackhammer to plant anything – […]
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Up the Walls
23 May 2021 I have finally weaned the birds off their daily ration of bird food. It was easier than I thought. All I had to do was substitute the sunflower hearts I was providing with the cheaper mixed food and they showed their disdain by ignoring all but the sunflower seeds. I miss the […]
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Ne’er Cast a Clout…
9 May 2021 ’til May be out … There have been days this month when I feel as if I have woken up in another country, one that is situated far north of here. After a week of unseasonable heavy frosts, we have had three days of howling gales and pouring rain. The wind is […]
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Bugged and Baffled
26 April 2021 I have always had a fondness for clematis especially as it flowers so early in the year, but never had a hope of growing one upright in my exposed garden. However, I thought myself very clever when I hit on the plan to use the tops of all the dry-stone walls around […]
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April Blossoms
12 April 2021 Dunmanus bay Great excitement today as I had to go to the dentist. This would not be my normal response to such a trip. In fact, I have never looked forward to a visit before. However, today it meant that I was able to take a trip to Bantry town after months […]
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Waiting for Spring
2 April 2021 The rest of the country is basking in sunshine while this valley is shrouded in a sea mist. Coupled with a biting east wind it is not a day for outdoor gardening and it is the kind of weather when I particularly miss having a greenhouse or polytunnel to work in. For […]
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March Winds
16 March 2021 At last, the rain has stopped and the sun is out. The temperature has jumped ten degrees in a day and the rosemary is flowering again after a short rest. The bumble bees are feeding from the berberis and rosemary and I spotted a rather tattered peacock butterfly making a fleeting appearance. […]
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Water Features
6 March 2021 I was so pleased with the success of my single water lily last year that I did not realise that there was a serious design flaw in my system. In my memory frosts were rare during my childhood in Ireland and West Cork was particularly famous for its mild climate. Perhaps my […]
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Winter’s Relentless Grip
18 February 2021 This winter I have discovered that the ultimate in extreme gardening is no gardening at all. Despite the fact that most nights I am woken by the wind and rain pounding the house I am always optimistic that the next day will be fine. So far, my optimism has been misplaced. In […]