At the end of last week’s blog, I said that our focus would be able to shift to other tasks having seeded the lawn the previous week. The 3 tasks I listed were hedge cutting, weeding and more lounger sanding. When I wasn’t diverted to more immediate maintenance and repair issues, I managed to start 2 of these.
This time of year, if the weather is good, is always a good one to start the major task of taming the hedges. I am always very conscious to ensure there are no birds nesting in the hedges I cut and we are fortunate in that, while we have lots of birds, they tend to nest in the forest nearby and elsewhere rather than risk being in range of Mouse and other local cats!
I have managed to cut 2 which isn’t as many as I’d have liked to have done but it is a good start.
Both are hedges we have planted since we arrived, at least in part. The first I created in 2018 when I dug out the huge amount of excess soil and rubbish just inside the back gate and built a talus that likely existed many years ago. On top of this talus we planted some lonicera cuttings that have become an excellent, dense, hedge.
2018:
Last week:
The second, was on the opposite side of the garden bordering Hent Gorreker. In 2021 the talus that still existed there had collapsed at the end and required rebuilding. At the time there was a large fir tree and multi-trunked willow tree growing inside the talus neither of which were attractive so we took the opportunity to cut them down, rebuild the talus and plant a new lonicera hedge on the top.
The images on the blogs I wrote at the time are worth a look and can be found on the following links. The blog of rebuilding the talus is here; and planted with tiny lonicera is here.
In the subsequent 4 years these tiny plants have created a great hedge that is almost at the correct height all the way along and blends in with the lonicera one end and holly the other. It looks great both from the lane side but also, pleasingly, from inside the garden.
The weather has been good, hot even, in the past week, which hasn’t helped all of the grass seed that we have laid. I mentioned in last week’s blog that the seed stated it would germinate within 7 days and, behind the pool house where it is never in full sun and so the soil stays damp, it has started to grow and looks good. The photo doesn’t actually show the amount of knot weed that continues to grow – but that will be controlled when I start to mow and trim the grass that way.
At the end of the terrace and in front, towards the gîtes, it has sprouted in places, generally where there were small dips in the soil so, probably, where moisture stayed longer, but on the higher, flatter areas it doesn’t appear to be as successful. With the dry and heat forecast for the coming week I will definitely have to get the hose out to try and keep what has germinated, alive.
Last night, we had a cultural evening! Each year some friends who live in the neighbouring village of Saint Rivoal, assist with the planning and running of a musical festival, Claviers dans les Monts.
They hold concerts over 2 days and last year we went to the closing jazz performance and really enjoyed it. Last night were the last 3 concerts of this year’s festival, all synthesizer performers, some more ‘avant garde’ than others! It was different from their jazz of last year but good fun and benefitted from a warm, dry evening.
Today, we had our Sunday stroll back on the north coast starting in a place called Brignogan-Plages. We hadn’t done this particular circuit before, although the walk did overlap with one we had walked a few years ago, but it is a part of the coastline that we love.
Evidently this part of the world has been inhabited for many years and is dotted with various menhirs and megaliths dating from the Bronze and Iron age. One we had not seen before is Menhir de Men Marz which had an interesting information point with lots of detail about the pre-history of the area.
There are also many interesting buildings from Finistère’s more recent times, although still a couple of hundred years ago, including the Chapelle St. Pol who is one of Brittany’s founding saints who arrived from, what is now, Cornwall in the 6th century.
This coast is a combination of fascinating geological formations, rocky foreshore and white sandy beaches, it is yet another part of the coast easily accessible from Kergudon and perfect to visit when you stay with us.
In a previous post, we said that the next great leap forward for the pool project should happen next week and I would be able to update in my next blog. However, and not uniquely when dealing with artisans and professionals on this project, there has been a delay and the cover won’t be fitted until the 25th June. I will update when I can!
While that won’t be progressing, there is lots for us to be cracking on with and next week’s dry forecast, while disappointing for grass seed, will enable me to continue with the hedging and weeding. Fun!!
Salut.