Stumped

No more lambs yet, just the twins born a couple of days ago. In between checking the ewes and the usual daily routine tasks I spent part of yesterday and today removing three substantial shrub stumps. Along the side of our house, perhaps fifteen or so years ago, some shrubs were planted by the previous owner. They were probably intended as quick space fillers. They were fairly unremarkable, unchanging, shrubs, the sort you see in landscaping in supermarket carparks. 

I thought this was a wasted opportunity for a south facing wall. Especially as most callers come to the back door and so always walk past it. There is a wisteria which looks good when in flower but the large bulky bushes have made it difficult to train it to best effect. I'm keeping the wisteria.

I have removed quite a number of roots and stumps over the years and it is always a tough, potentially frustrating, job to do by hand. Several spade handles have been snapped in the process trying to lever out stumps prematurely. The largest of the shrub stumps in question was a good three feet in diameter. I tried not to think about the end goal too much, and instead worked away steadily with thoughts on other things. There is always a lot of satisfaction, however, when the stump is finally freed.   

Another reason for working at the job in a steady fashion is that I have had a sore back. A couple of months ago I strained my back but after a few weeks it had healed and was back to normal again. Naturally I resumed abusing my back in the the usual way. Then last week I felt another warning twinge. I promised myself to take fewer risks in future as bad backs and smallholding are not remotely like a horse and carriage, let alone love and marriage.

Anyhow, we now have a 30' x 5' south facing border to contemplate how best to plant up. At the moment I'm thinking of late Spring flowers and bulbs to go with the wisteria, followed by Summer annuals. A border where you can ring the changes.