Suddenly it is 'clippy clippy' time in the garden. The season has shifted just that little bit more when trimming the topiary (not a euphemism) is suddenly on my mind.
The Beech Pillars are a very important part of my garden. I planted five, but only three remain as two steadfastly refused to grow. They were about 18 inches tall when planted and now are about 7 feet tall. They are wonderful, they are majestic, they are too tall.
At this time of year they are also rather shaggy. The garden tells me what it wants me to do and the other day it whispered 'clippy clippy' into my ear and I nodded in understanding. The hedgetrimmers rattled their blades at me and the shed keys jangled in expectation.
Firstly I walked around the pillars a couple of times. "They've got too tall" I kept muttering to the cats. "I think I need to reduce them." The cats shrugged, they refuse to have opinions about topiary. I walked around the pillars a couple of times more. I looked at their shape and height and thought and thought.
Then I fetched the chainsaw on a pole which is still one of my very best purchases. I approached pillar no: 1 which is the one near the pond. I assessed its height, I assessed the best place to make a cut and...
whoomph, about 3ft off the top was removed.
You can see the top bit to the right of the photo. Then I used the hedgetrimmers to tidy up the cylindrical shape of the pillars.
Then it was time for Pillars 2 and 3, the same process. This usually involves a lot of walking backwards and forwards as I check the shape and check the heights so that they look similar. I am not foolish to claim they look exactly the same; but they are close enough.
More clippy clippy later and...
The work was done. I am really pleased at how this has worked out. They feel more manageable and not quite as dominating as they had been. They remain though important structural features in the garden and as ever I look forward to their starring role in the winter garden.
Take care and be kind.