Back home in Shetland

Sorry that I’ve not been around for a while but I’ve been in hospital in Aberdeen for a fortnight, dealing with skin problems that are not solved but hey, that’s life.

I’m back home now, thank goodness, and feeling good about it too. The weather is a bit fresh but better than that of a ward, eugggggh!!!!!

Now I have all the time that I need to look after my trees, the willows and black hawthorns that I grow.

Perhaps I’ll start some more, maybe something that produces some fruit. That’s difficult up here in Shetland because of the wind and the salt that we suffer but if I make the effort, I just might get a result. I will need to grow a bit around the garden as protection and then , inside of that I can put some apple, or possibly some pear, we’ll see what happens.

All these dreams, grown at ward 29 in the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and they may well turn into reality in the not too distant future.

Fingers crossed, if I try any of it, it will produce something, fruit maybe!!!

Neolithic Shetland

Shetland, many thousands of years ago, was covered in trees until neolithic man arrived. He cut them all down and used them to build houses or bows and arrows or fires to cook food but whatever he used them for, he used them all and that is why Shetland now is covered in peat.

Because of this, I believe that some trees should be grown back. It cuts back the wind, therefore protecting the stock of sheep and allows some crop to be grown which allows the generation of natural earth. This sends the land, in quality, back thousands of years, which has to be good.

So I do my little bit in my back garden. I grow a couple of very young willows which, in a couple of years I will be able to take a couple of cuts off of which I will start and that will mean there are four. I also have a black hawthorn which I am looking forward to doing the same with.

It's a great pity that more people don't make the effort to return Shetland back to what it originally was but some do and one day, in more than just a few years, it may just happen.

The birds are alright

Well, the birds are alright now but what about the trees? I'll have to do a bit more looking after them, just so that they get used to my garden.

I planted three willows along with the rest of them last year and they are still with us but only one of them is the same height, the other two are now shorter which is a real heartbreaker.

Right up at the top of the two, they were dying and had to be cut and they ended up to be half the height. I'm very worried about the remaining tall one, mainly because of what happened to the other two, I think.

I'm going out now to look after them as best I can, them and the other two as well, the Austrian Pines and the black hawthorns.

Any disasters and I'll let you know immediately.

Fingers crossed, eh ;)) 

Early Gardening

I've just been around the garden and the willows actually have a chance. I pruned them back a bit because the very top of both was a bit iffy but we'll see.

Both of the black hawthorns are a surprise, a real surprise. One of then was just a stick and the other was a dead stick but in a week they've made a good difference and are coming on a treat. I don't know if it's the temperature or the sunlight but they're doing well.

The Austrian Pine are a mess, they are a disaster.The black viola's are going to take over if the pansy's, which are doing quite well, don't beat the pines first. The dead Scot's Pine is doing better than the Austrian ones. There are a couple that might live to tell the tale but.......

Thank goodness for that

Whew, thank goodness for that. I got home on time, nipped in for a quick coffee and then shot out and watered the trees and they're looking pretty good.

Even the willows and the black hawthorns that I planted last year look as if there is a possible chance with them. I'm watching to see if any leaves come out and for a while now it has looked hopefully hopeful. One thing that I can't say yet is that they are dead so I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope.

But the Austrian Pines, my heart is on them. They look so good and they already have pine nuts right at the top, tiny little things as yet but every tree has four or five there so there's a forest awaiting.

Now I need to think about some small bushes that I can grow between the trees. Never ends, does it :))