I DON’T lead a very exciting life in Cold Aston in the Cotswolds and I don’t mind one bit! I’m either working, cooking or gardening, and I spend a lot of time watching insects and birds as well. For many a year we have had three annoying pigeons: Stumpy with a damaged leg; Droopy Wing that has a wing that trails on the ground; and Fatso – well, that describes him or her perfectly. They perch on my box balls and chase off the blackbirds.
Earlier this year, one of them came to grief when a sparrowhawk paid us a visit. I didn’t see it happen, as such attacks are lightning quick, but I do know that it happened at dusk. When I got up the following morning, there were lots of feathers, two wings and a bitten-off head. The sparrowhawk had plucked the feathers, eaten the breast and discarded the rest. Later that day I noticed two large holes in the garden, about 1ft (30cm) deep, and it certainly wasn’t my ginger cat Frank. He does dig, for obvious reasons, but makes shallow scrapes. Enough said.
Denne historien er fra March 19, 2022-utgaven av Amateur Gardening.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 19, 2022-utgaven av Amateur Gardening.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
To dig or not to dig?
Should we be carrying out a full dig on plots now? Bob considers the pros and cons of the 'autumn dig' debate
The box ball blues
As if his beleaguered box hadn't already taken a beating, Toby now has to deal with some hungry box caterpillars
Save your own seeds
Masterclass on: seed saving
Strange sightings
Three unusual insects turn up in Val's garden in one day
A bolt from the blue!
Cornflowers are perfect for garden and vase
Winter moth prevention
Ruth shows you how to avoid maggoty tree fruits
Create a winter container
There are as many options as in summer
Lightweight gardening tools
AS well as being good for our mental health, gardening is also great exercise.
Autumn price round-up
AG finds better bargains in lesser-known brands
Rudbeckias
Rudbeckias are ideal for sunny summer patios and borders, with some able to survive our coldest winters