Nothing But Trees...

Yesterday was a day spent with trees, big ones, small ones and ones in between.

I started by unwrapping the greenhouse from its bubble wrap, everything needs the increased light levels

Shunting pots around I knocked the orange tree and look what came off

 Our first welsh grown orange, an exciting moment

 We shared it after lunch and it was lovely the skin was a little thick but the flesh was delicious.

There is lots more citrus fruits on the way

 Lemons

 Baby oranges

 The greenhouse is now unwrapped

 And nice and tidy, we ordered the new poly tunnel and fruit cage at the week end, I am really looking forward to getting the citrus trees planted into the ground and seeing how well they do.

While I was sorting out the greenhouse Martin was moving the pig ark into its new place

Now in situ ready for some new occupants 

I then moved onto to the willow hedging

 Willow cuttings were planted through the membrane, 

I was preparing the area last week, it has all been layered with Alpaca poo and then covered with membrane to be planted through 

Last years cuttings that did really well, its going to be nice to see a willow hedge along this fence line a nice wind break for livestock.

I got a good view of the Alpacas while I was on my hands and knees planting

 I checked out some of the baby trees while I was in the new woodland area

 This is one of the Giant Redwoods I grew from seed, it seems to be coming on great since it was planted out, still a lot of growing to do

 The Maple Syrup trees are just starting to break bud a good sign they are doing alright

I had some smaller willow cuttings left over, I have put groups into pots, these I will plant into gaps in hedging as we start to work on the hedges around the new fields.

I have some more young trees sitting here as well that I have grown waiting to plant out.

Next it was some of the trees and shrubs at the top of the garden

 This Lilac tree must have gone over some years ago

I cut back all the branches that were growing across the lawn

 Leaving the upright branches,

There was a Butterfly Bush behind it in the same condition, that had the same treatment.

All the branches were dragged down the field

Sol did his bit to help

 In between all this activity in the afternoon we had some Alpaca husbandry to do when they came in for there feed

Nail cutting time, Martin held them I did the cutting,

The white fleece alpacas nail grow quicker than the dark ones and the wet weather makes them grow quicker as well,

everyone was done apart from Daisy, she was having none of it we were at risk of being injured with her rearing up and objecting,

We need to get her properly halter trained and use to being handled, even though they come when called they don't like to be handled much, her nails didn't look too bad to be honest and she will get done when they are sheared.

The day ended with a lovely bonfire 

 And fish and chips

Oh and here is my smallest tree

Can you see it there, I have three of these so far coming up

Rainbow Eucalyptus trees 

here is a picture of what they will grow up to be

  I hope :-)