Just like Kate (Tall Tales from Chiconia), there has been some severe cutting down of stuff here Chez Snail. However, rather than write about it myself, I’m going to point you in the direction of Mr Snail, who can tell you all about it…
Spot the Chicken
We know what you’re doing…
After a week of Urbanity, it’s nice to return to the outdoors particularly when it involves saws, cutters and my favourite plant in our garden, the willow hedge.
As regular readers of this blog and that of thesnailofhappiness know, we have a hedge that, from 30 tiny sticks, has grown into a living companion of immeasurable worth. It provides us with wood for the Kelly kettle, shreddings for the compost heaps and chicken area and a means of controlling the water flow off the field behind our house.
And, whilst others have their gym membership to keep them in trim, I have the willow hedge to keep me in trim while I, well, trim it.
Last week, the remnants of hurricane Gordino (a service station on the M5, surely?), er, Godzilla, er Gonzalo (a character in the muppets?) swept across Wales and in particular our…
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The Snail of Happiness 
nanacathy2
/ October 28, 2014Thanks for the giggle. But now a serious question which will sound daft. I made a willow heart years ago. I had one piece of willow left. Mr E said plant it. So I did. Not in the worlds best place but in a border next to a fence. When I say plant I mean just pushed it into the soil. Now three years later it has grown.Mr E says its time to cut it and plant the branches in a gap in a hedge. So would you think I just decapitate the tree, which would give me about 5 branches, and do I just push them in the gap? Any advice would be so welcome. Thanks
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 28, 2014Yes, just chop off as much as you need and stick it in the ground… it will almost certainly root. You won’t kill your original by doing this and if you want to form a nice bushy plant, you can cut the original down to the base and you’ll get lots of new shoots sprouting in the spring.
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katechiconi
/ October 28, 2014Oooh, a link, thank you dear Snail! We went to the salvage yard today to look at Chookonia building materials. Star pickets will have to be bought, but the rest can be carefully constructed from recycled cyclone fencing and wire, including a gate. I’m feeling increasing self-inflicted pressure to get out there and tackle the jungle so I can find the side fence again!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 28, 2014My sister has just chopped down a Leylandii hedge in her garden (she moved in at the beginning of the year) and it’s astonishing how much more space she has now!
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katechiconi
/ October 28, 2014I can’t help feeling my jungle is going to be rather nice when tamed, and the Girls may find they have competition for the area… But first, I have to find out exactly what’s in there!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ October 28, 2014Well, that sent me off on an hour long round trip! First I was captured by the writing style, then the humour and then I wandered over to the book extract and got hooked on that. So, this is the erstwhile Mr Snail who works away during the week so you can get on with your crocheting? Practical, smart, funny and a good writer – the man’s a keeper!!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 29, 2014I’ve had him for nearly 20 years, so it seems to be working out!
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