This winter we are continuing with the removal of overgrown Laurel started last January. This is very tiring work as the shrub has a lax growth habit and has become seriously congested and is along the steep slope between the driveway and the stream. It has taken a few days to cut just one area of the Laurel down and the effort is in the clearing of it for cutting into logs for store and burning the rest. The current dry spell has helped greatly and we hope to complete this work early in the new year.
Also work on the top field has now restarted after planning permission was finally granted. Drainage works are being completed. We moved the only bullrushes that we have identified on the site to a location on the edge of the main lake. We hope they come up OK in the summer.
The very wet weather of the previous week-end resulted in much damage to a small area of the main lawn as some visitors parked half on the narrow driveway forcing passing vehicles onto the lawn. Fortunately the turf rolled back into place quite easily and repairs should be invisible by the Spring. The last of the leaves continue to fall and as most came down over a very short period we had to do some leaf sweeping that we normally don't bother with. Most of the gardens are now resting for the winter but we have seen one or two primroses out already.
We still hope to get a "tidying up" cut of all the lawns before Christmas.