tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post1290871091908410457..comments2024-03-11T19:40:23.089+00:00Comments on Views from the bike shed: Cutting backThe bike shedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05195882998271591934noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-15486161767964569132012-03-06T14:11:11.632+00:002012-03-06T14:11:11.632+00:00What a shame! All this glorious weather makes you ...What a shame! All this glorious weather makes you want to sing about nature, and yet the people you might think would care most can do most damage. Still - I look forward to hearing more about the cycling expotition!Catharine Withenayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06936767499911371984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-52485734363547425072012-03-06T08:29:29.352+00:002012-03-06T08:29:29.352+00:00Testing, Testing, Comment Moderation ;)
I'm i...Testing, Testing, Comment Moderation ;)<br /><br />I'm interested in hearing whether Comment Moderation cuts down the spam you're getting. My post has highlighted problems WP bloggers have with using the OpenId option.VPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-51779535197211128752012-03-02T14:53:47.855+00:002012-03-02T14:53:47.855+00:00Vandalism and all too clearly showing this man'...Vandalism and all too clearly showing this man's attitude to his surroundings.<br />Stewards of the countryside, indeed!<br />I remember laid hedges....we laid ours in France to the incredulity of the farmer across the road who was another slash and burn man.the fly in the webhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04563871975125538755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-7310356827085676802012-03-02T13:44:39.755+00:002012-03-02T13:44:39.755+00:00Sorry job there, looks like butchery...I'm gla...Sorry job there, looks like butchery...I'm glad you're doing another charity ride though. Let us know more about donating, etc.ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11376645220662546020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-82828544752081616412012-03-01T22:52:32.291+00:002012-03-01T22:52:32.291+00:00hedges as they SHOULD be!hedges as they SHOULD be!John Going Gentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14958171262765033946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-3762453979989395702012-03-01T16:08:02.707+00:002012-03-01T16:08:02.707+00:00It's so said.
I wrote a similar post a few ye...It's so said.<br /><br />I wrote a similar post a few years ago when the council starting brutalising the public planting on the estate. They cut back all the dogwood and willow stems in November, so there wasn't any winter colour that year. One area never grew back :(<br /><br />When I see hedges trimmed in the traditional way, I think they look great as well as being a haven for wildlifeVPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-53608285325393336522012-03-01T00:35:56.397+00:002012-03-01T00:35:56.397+00:00It bothered me to see that last brutal photo. When...It bothered me to see that last brutal photo. When I think of the beauty of Britain, the hedgerows shine in memory....pulling over to tuck into them, allowing others to pass on the road..the birds and their song, the flowering and fruiting abundance. <br /><br />Just think what that farmer has lost in bug defence...warrior birds gone to another field with hedgerows we hope.Gardeningbrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10709940044197929905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-83426285007523386862012-02-29T22:59:18.089+00:002012-02-29T22:59:18.089+00:00I hate to see the results of using a mechanical fl...I hate to see the results of using a mechanical flail.....certainly not working in harmony with nature in my opinion.<br /><br />I will look forward to reading about your next charity ride Mark...<br />Maybe at sometime we will get to ride together......TrevorW�� https://www.blogger.com/profile/13212954091289189979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-3379407374652735242012-02-29T20:52:46.279+00:002012-02-29T20:52:46.279+00:00Remember never to ask him for a short back and sid...Remember never to ask him for a short back and sides!lucy joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04863146546863419637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-840837084021020352012-02-29T14:04:07.667+00:002012-02-29T14:04:07.667+00:00Like Kath said, I hate to see the mess that the me...Like Kath said, I hate to see the mess that the mechanical devices leave when hedge slaughtering.Luckily round here, especially on the Royal Estate, lots of hedge-laying goes on, and I love seeing that. However, there is still harsh and sharp evidence of mechanical means being used in places too.<br />Thanks for the comment re Valentine's... I am not around much either, but for different reasons to yours. But still reading blogs once a week if I can.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-21325995712618850572012-02-29T10:17:06.937+00:002012-02-29T10:17:06.937+00:00You can understand the short-term economics of usi...You can understand the short-term economics of using a mechanical flail, rather than the long-term investment of the work of a craftsman on a well laid hedgerow.<br />However even with a flail it is possible to do a tidy job. They are supposed to sweep the road afterwards- bet he didn't!gzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08034777779347889773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-92075385202840566312012-02-29T08:01:25.474+00:002012-02-29T08:01:25.474+00:00Yes, there's a huge difference between trying ...Yes, there's a huge difference between trying to live at peace with nature and doing things because just because your personal itinerary says so.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133900289384226725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-36065809619289874942012-02-28T23:08:14.322+00:002012-02-28T23:08:14.322+00:00Poor Mark! I too hate to see the devastation wroug...Poor Mark! I too hate to see the devastation wrought by the flail, even though the hedge does recover. I hate it even more when it's done in the autumn, while there is still fruit on the bushes, rather than in late winter. Luckily we still have a couple of neighbouring farmers who still lay their hedges in the age-old way and make the most beautiful job of it. True craftsmanship and it only needs a light trim to keep the hedges in shape for many years after that.Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-24601440928635227562012-02-28T22:20:24.739+00:002012-02-28T22:20:24.739+00:00I love hedges and we have planted new mixed native...I love hedges and we have planted new mixed native hedges which are just getting going. I found it quite hard this year when we made the first cut which halved their height - not with a flail though. I know they will bush and thicken this way and we are very careful about times for cutting and times for leaving well alone. Our neighbouring farmer does cut like this with a mechanical flail and it does look brutal. However he cuts every year, not once every ten years. It always looks dreadful and it always recovers and I know the hedges will be full of birds and honeysuckle by the summer, but I wonder how much better it would be if he laid his hedges. I don't know. For him his hedges are simply a boundary. He works night and day and while the stock care cannot easily be mechanised,the hedge cutting can. Tricky, tricky, tricky.Elizabeth Musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09473705107636868753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-45158594820760065782012-02-28T21:44:22.256+00:002012-02-28T21:44:22.256+00:00Hello Mark:
Yes, there are still swathes of starli...Hello Mark:<br />Yes, there are still swathes of starlings that roost in the iron structures of the pier in Brighton. They fly directly over our house and make a wonderful sight against the sea and sky, especially at sunset.Jane and Lance Hattatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16831890261259302647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-90274369770106108222012-02-28T21:35:31.868+00:002012-02-28T21:35:31.868+00:00I hate to see hedges butchered by the mechanical f...I hate to see hedges butchered by the mechanical flail, they make me wince.Kathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003521059890699861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-39137323091079472772012-02-28T21:31:50.285+00:002012-02-28T21:31:50.285+00:00Hello Mark:
We understand and sympathise with your...Hello Mark:<br />We understand and sympathise with your feelings about all of this completely. Hedgerows are, in our opinion, often the Cinderellas of the countryside and they are overlooked at great cost to wildlife which really depend upon them, especially as there is generally very little uncultivated areas of countryside remaining these days.<br /><br />When we lived in Herefordshire there was such a difference between those hedges managed with care and responsibility and those treated as you describe above. The age old treatment of hedge laying was poetry in motion when it was seen but, sadly, not seen enough.<br /><br />The only comfort is that in all probability the hedge will recover and, with the farmer's indolence there will be several years ahead when the hedge and its inhabitants will be left in peace.Jane and Lance Hattatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16831890261259302647noreply@blogger.com