Netting the Cages

We've spent most of the weekend putting netting up over the fruit cages. The posts supporting the raised beds are 5-6' taller than the sides, and are the supports too for the cages. I've run 1mm galvanized steel wire from their tops, and we're hanging 2cm netting to protect against birds (and rabbits, deer, and playful cats). It's quite slow work--we're about half done--but seems to work, and allows bees in and out uninterrupted.

We also popped out to the garden centre, and picked up some bedding (Busy Lizzies/impatiens), and some 'cottage garden' perennials. The latter are mostly to go in the planted wall at the front of the house: the bedding is to scatter in the front, and revitalize the hanging baskets (four of them on the front of the house).

The daffodils are still doing tolerably: they're pretty from a distance, but getting a bit dog-eared up close. The juneberry has almost finished flowering, although the foliage is still a pretty shade. The front's acer is leafing up rapidly--it's gone from quite red, to yellow-gold, and is looking lovely.

The apple, plum, and cherry are all in bloom, and I'm hoping that the frosts predicted for the week aren't too deep: they're all in protected corners, so I think they'll be fine.

I've checked over the wine that's been sitting quietly in the airing cupboard: it's settled and cleared, so I'm going to put it somewhere a little warmer, and we should rack it in the next couple of weeks.