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Sunday, 11 May 2014

Of builders and trees.....



Friday turned out to be slightly busier than expected.  The lovely Fay, of Wind and the Wellies, came out to help in the garden. But that was planned. What wasn't planned was the sudden arrival of builders.  Well I was obviously expecting them at some point, but after waiting for quite some time (they're popular these builders), it all came together very quickly and both they and Fay arrived literally at the same time.  Has to be said they were slightly stunned at the wee wifey, Fay, arriving clutching a tree, but they're island folk too so no comment was made.

So first - tree.  A beautiful rowan tree.  Now I have several native rowan trees planted in the garden over the last three years or so and they are settling in nicely. However they refuse to flower and no berries.  So I'm feeling a wee bit cheated at the moment.

Cue Fay, who is moving soon and though she could rehome one of her Orkney trees rather than take it with her to foreign parts (mainland Scotland).  So there she was, the wee wifey, climbing off the ferry clutching the Rowan.  We've called him Hugo, well I was never into Latin names......  So here is Hugo in his glory, with FLOWERS about to come out. I keep telling the other Rowans they can learn a thing or two from their big cousin, though he's a posher variety than my common rowans.... Perhaps he's from Edinburgh?



And he's peeping over the dyke looking towards Stromness and he can see the ferry he arrived on and remember his voyage around Hoy to arrive at Graemsay and my garden......... You can read about his trip with Fay here.  He's a well travelled tree - quite unusual for a tree I would say.....

And while Fay was here (she's a  horticulturalist extraordinare) she planted some more trees for me, but these were humble "sticks", some more rowan, birch, and alder, and something I can't remember.  They are carefully planted with black plastic to keep the weeds at bay.



Fay sporting her Wedding Wellies - last seen at the WellyFest!



Why the obsession with trees?  Well Orkney does HAVE some, they just hide them well.  And indeed I love the wide vistas in Orkney. Nothing to block your view here!  But I miss trees.  I have planted willows at the front of the house (as shown in various photos on this blog) and indeed favoured by the hens.


And Henny Penny posing nicely with the trees (willows) in the background....


And the builders?  Ah well more on them in the next post (which will be a few days as I'm making a quick visit "sooth" for work purposes, and some Cake).


11 comments:

  1. Lovely trees, Sian. You're not in York this time are you? I' m only 25 mins drive away, a beautiful city. Wherever you are, I hope it's not all work!

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    1. Yup a whistlestop visit to York. Sorry no time to get in touch or socialise with anyone outside of work. Not helped by having either mild food poisoning or a bug. Bah! Home now and glad of it :-)

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  2. Hope the rowans do well. My goodness, is your grass ever green!

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    1. I know - Graemsay always seems green even in Winter, but once Spring gets here with the warmer weather and some rain it just seems to green up overnight.

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  3. Ooo, are you going to have a mini wood in your garden soon, Sian? How kind of Fay to bring you one of her rowans. I do hope he and his smaller cousins thrive in the comparative shelter of your walled garden.

    Safe travelling and I'm agog to hear what the builders are up to. :-)

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    1. Very mini I think! I've gradually been planting a range of trees. None will ever be that big given the climate but nice to have a few around for the next generation anyway. The rowans seem to quite like my garden (I have two others) so I'm hoping it will be a happy family. As to the builders....coming soon as they say ;-)

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  4. LEaving Princess Button to direct the builders? You're very brave. Ms Megs would try to help them by leaping onto beams or wet plaster to show them how - at just the wrong moment!

    We are looking forward to the progress and after piccies. Sending xxx and purry-head-butts, Mickle and her new owner, Megs-Megs

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    1. Hmmm yes Princess Button has been DESPERATE to get up into the loft for YEARS! Fortunately that didn't happen. I was worried she might get "walled in" somewhere but she seemed to wander off when the builders were here and then come and inspect their work afterwards. Lovely to hear about Megs! Look forward to hearing more about her adventures.

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  5. Things look so wonderfully green and lush on your wonderful island. What a marvellous friend to bring you that tree !

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    1. Yes that's Spring on Graemsay! Longer days, warmth and some rain and everything shoots up like a triffid! And yes I'm very lucky to have such a tree. I just hope I can keep it alive!!

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  6. I thought I commented on here! Oh well hello and how are you! Loving the pics (well aside the one of me looking as glamourous as ever! I love tree planting so much looking to the future and so happy you hugged your tree. He's a keeper! Thanks for having me over and the soup :) Always fun! I promise to visit, I do.

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