I have quite a large garden, with two wildlife ponds and a rather unruly wooded area at the bottom of the garden, which I am slowly transforming into a sort of woodland glade area (rather than just a terrible mess : ). It's important to me that my garden is wildlife friendly; that it is ok to do a bit of retrieving practice with the dog in it; and that it doesn't involve too much work for me! I was delighted to find out recently about stumperies, which are a relic of the Victorian gardening era. You incorporate stumps of trees, logs, etc into a shaded area, and plant shade-loving plants (such as ferns, hellebore, hosta etc) around the stumps. Then you mostly just stand back and enjoy the effect of your stumpery, feeling very pleased with your artistic / gardening efforts. So I hope, anyway. So, yesterday I took the first steps and hauled a large stump out of the forest, across the road and into my garden. All well and good, but I hadn't reckoned on the 'help' offered me by two wet, dirty and very enthusiastic labradors (Poppy and her pal Paulina), who thought this was the best game out, and that I obviously needed their aid to drag said stump home! Then Poppy insisted on 'helping' me plant the hellebores and a camellia… I just hope she doesn't get down there and dig them up again… She couldn't understand why I was 'wasting' the perfectly good stump she had so thoughtfully helped me get home, and kept trying to drag it away from its spot where I had carefully placed it! She is an enthusiastic, though perhaps not classically skillful, gardener… Anyone else get much gardening 'help' from their dogs?
Re: Dogs and Gardening ;D ;D ;D Good girl poppy! Charlie is a very enthusiastic gardener. He diligently waters the geraniums (cranes bill) all of the time, and because I obviously like planting them so much, digs the new replacements up so I can do it again. He very neatly shears off the new fronds on the ferns, before they get too big and messy. His best contribution is pooing right on top of small lavender plants, in perfect straight lines, which he thinks adds an artistic flare to my efforts. Plus, he keeps all the rose bushes neatly pruned - to ground level.
Re: Dogs and Gardening I can just picture the assisted stump dragging. ;D Julie, you'll not be making up any lavender sachets from your garden then... ??? Brew has decided that this garden wold benefit from a pond - at least, that seems to be what she is trying to dig. Unfortunately, it's not our garden. I'm at my mother's. Fortunately, my mum favours the 'rustic' look (i.e. doesn't care much at all about gardening), and as long as I keep filling it back in, it could be a while before she even notices... Clare
Re: Dogs and Gardening Riley also excels at watering lavenders He does unfortunately have slightly clumsy feet which has been the undoing of several plants, in particular a very nice dark purple Hellebore!Luckily he's not a big digger - phew!!!!! He does enjoy helping Ben with the woodshed though....mainly that involves pulling wood out, chewing it and leaving the remnants on the lawn to attack the mower :
Re: Dogs and Gardening Oh Barbara , I also have a flattened Hellbore and they are so pretty but also thankfully resilient Yesterday was really springlike here , first time out in the garden with no coat on , I had two assistants : : Sam is ace at pruning the apple trees and some of the shrubs , such a helful fellow he is and right now, Millies passion is the ponds , both full of fish but also frogs which fascinate her . Our fish mate every spring, most offspring dont make it but yesterday I spotted some tiny fry which was lovely
Re: Dogs and Gardening I have a wonderful image in my mind of your stump trip with twp excited (if not a little bemused...) dogs! You know..I hadn't even considered how it might become a bit challenging this spring as I try and transform our soggy, muddy garden with a labrador puppy! Oh dear.....
Re: Dogs and Gardening Harley loves digging holes : I currently have 3 large holes in my garden I give up filling them in as she goes back and digs again!! Touch wood......she hasn't been out digging for over a week now let's hope it continues!
Re: Dogs and Gardening We have Las Vegas style fountains that shoot up all over the garden when the irrigation timer goes on.....Dexter didn't chew through the pipes with any pattern in mind he just when free style with his design!
