Chickens in a Hole!

After the tidying up activities last week in the vegetable patch, this week has been mostly about the other end of the garden .  The pretty part doesn't get much of a mention on this blog as it was well established when we moved in and perfectly tidy. 

There was however one very large bush that offended Jim and his love of straight edges. He had been asking me for ages about digging it up, so if finally agreed. Last week I posted a picture of the stump we were trying to get out. It took a lot of work but It did eventually surrender and out it came.

What to put in the hole? I have owned a beautiful single flowered pink camellia for probably close to 25 years. Where we previously lived, it could not be planted in the ground as the soil was wrong, so it has spent all of its life in a succession of ever bigger pots.  I had noticed that all of the gardens locally have large camellia bushes in them, so now was the time for this one to be liberated. It was going to need a very big hole. 

So we started to dig. 

Its amazing how fascinating a hole can be. All of the animals wanted to be involved.

The chickens were especially enamoured of it, as it was a whole new source of loose soil to bathe and scratch in. They were having such fun that I filmed them. 

Gibson, sensing that the chickens may be claiming all the glory demanded a starring role in his own film.

Anyway, back at the hole, the time had come to load the monster onto a trolley and drag it over to its new home. Much huffing and puffing and it was in sight of its final stop. 

Next problem. Get it out of the pot. I think it has lived in this current one for about 10 years so was very firmly wedged.

Much shaking and pulling later, it was time to break out the power tools.

Its a bit of a shame as I could have made good use of the pot. But finally the camellia was free. 

A bit more heaving and turning and it was in place. 10 minutes shovelling and that was it. No more moves for this lovely plant. 

To give you some idea of size, thats a 6 foot fence its up against. A bit of tidying up and it was all over. Hopefully it will now spread its roots, and grow back all the bits we managed to snap off whilst moving it. 

A quick update from the greenhouse. 

My leeks that I planted in the individual cells have made an appearance. 

As have all the other plants below. Amazing how two days of sunshine brings everything to life.

This week I am doing lots of indoors jobs but hopefully I will have another update for you soon.