Shredding

We've been clearing the bank of cotoneaster for two years, on and off, culminating in the wonderful day at the end of May when the last (of the top-growth) came down.

In our defence, it was a lot of cotoneaster: a bank 18m long, and up to 4m wide. We put some through the chipper in March 2011, and what we've cut down since marking out the future pond has been piled on the pond - convenient as it's close to the original planting, and killing the grass there will make it easier to lift the turves later on. When we added the poplar branches, and then the cotoneaster from the last few weeks, it got rather large. As in, filling the pond (about 6 by 3m) and taller than me.

The piles of brushwood and branches (© Ian 2012)

Needless to say, we weren't sure our electric chipper would manage this, so we've hired a petrol machine to pitch in. We've spent since Saturday going at the heap (in all weather), and hope to be finished tomorrow, when the shredder goes back.