Chop Chop

Or perhaps, buzz buzz.

I had an assignment a few weekends ago - to deal with front, as we were going to get a gate and some trellising installed.  Given that my husband was working on Saturday, and I was working on Sunday, the best day (in bright sunshine, mind) to do the necessary was the Saturday.

As I left the flat at the same time as my neighbour, he commented "Wow, chainsaw and sunglasses.  Nice."

The target, you see, was this.

It's a buddleia (no kidding). And rather an obtrusive, grow-like-a-weed kind.  Believe it or not it was cut back in the Spring.  Yes there are some flowers on it, which smell nice, but as an attractive piece of foliage it's - not.  Besides, on the wall to the right it where we are going to have some trellising installed so, something had to give.

If you remember, when we moved in, I transplanted a palm tree from a pot into the front area here.  Thanks to said buddleia, it has never had a chance to really do it's thing.  So firing up the electric saw (it's not really a chainsaw, not quite) I went to work.

Hmm.  Round One to me, I think.

Sadly I had to lose most of the palm tree, which was leaning on the wall.

But look!  Still some left.  And the wall to the right, free for the necessary.

Here is where we will have a gate.  Nothing fancy, but stops people walking in to our front yard (remember the stolen window box?).

I'll have you know that all of the debris created, is now in the back, but that's another story ...

There were three.

And then there were four ...

New furry friends!

Well, perhaps more spiky than furry.

The hedgehogs are back!  That's right, plural.

You see, whilst I was away, well, my husband has something of a love-hate relationship with the cat.  Ginger's meow does certainly pack a punch.

So, he would fill up the cat's bowl (two sided - one for moist food, one for dry) and then put it (and the cat) outside.  On a daily basis.  So naturally,

our new little friends discovered this.  And they liked it.  Oh my, do they like it.  Crunch, crunch, crunch.

As you can see thankfully Ginger (the cat who brings me dead mice and birds) wants nothing to do with them.  Smart kitty.

So in the end, I gave them their own bowl.

Sometimes they eat in ones, sometimes in twos.

But wait.  Are there three??  I hadn't noticed the potential third one until a friend commented when I posted it on Facebook.  But sure enough, it DOES look like there might be a third.  The one in front, big guy, the one on the left, littler, and then one in the back??

Tell me what you think from this slightly blurrier shot.

Sure looks like three.  I don't know.  I try not to get to close as I don't want to disturb them too much.  It's bad enough me playing garden paparazzi with the flash, although it doesn't send them scurrying.

No, they love that food too much!

Sometimes they just have to get in the bowl with it.

So as not to run out (not that Ginger much likes it) I invested in a bigger bag.

Night after night, crunch, crunch, crunch!

Garden Revisited

I had a chance to visit my family, and check the progress of the little garden I planted in April over there, if you remember.

Everything did well except the plant in the upper corner, closest to the house.  I can't remember what it was now.  I've replaced it with a red Verbena which I hope takes.  But I am pleased with the progress overall.

I especially love this, spreading nicely.  My mother picked this out, and it was a good call.

These are all shade loving plants, as they need to be because they only get the morning sun in the summer.

And what a summer!  It was a hot time in Chicago, I tell you. Very nice.

The other best thing was the discovery of an outside tap!  My brother-in-law discovered that one, around the corner.  It appears to belong to this garden, because the woman next door has her own hose attached elsewhere.  So of course I bought a length of hose to attach to it.

Good thing, especially as there was quite a drought going on this year.

Finally, for good measure, I added this

Which lights up at night, and changes colour.  And then a few bulbs, which will come up in the Spring, for good measure.

Very pleased!