Six-on-Saturday – You’re Flyin’, Buddy!

It must be a very exciting time for housesparrows. The little ones are out of the nest, on the ground and plenty close supervision is needed. They’re chasing, hiding, diving and doing all sorts of everything to strengthen their little wings. The poor mothers are demented, while the oul fellas sit on the wall.

The starlings are busy too and the swallows are back. It’s a bit like O’Hare Airport in Chicago. I’ve not been there but I hear that it’s very busy. Watching the comings and goings, I got to wondering how come birds never meet in mid-air? There must be some unseen flight plan in place. If we could only decode what they’re saying, it might include lots of…

• No, don’t go there! Don’t do it!
• If I have to tell you again, I’ll tan your arse!
• Those flowers are poison. Stay well clear.
• If your father hears about this…

Of course, on the other hand, the fledglings surely have a bit of banter among themselves.

• G’wan ya good thing! Let’s have fun!
• Holy sparrow, you’re flyin’, buddy!
• Crikey, I’m trying to get away from the mother! She’s a nutter.

There are times when everything falls into place as the little ones cling to the feather tails of their mothers, likely driving them to distraction as often as not. Perhaps it’s a case of two bird weeks being the equivalent of the terrible twos?

What would all these birds be noticing in the garden this week? Well, for starters they’d surely have admired the first rose…

First Rose

The Rosa korresia is in bloom. Just one. It’s been well taken care of during the winter and now its time has come once again.

Summer Begonias

I can remember buying a selection of Christmas plants last year. Yes, the cyclamen and other little bits were a treat during wintertime, yet it was the container(s) that caught my eye. As soon as they were finished, the plants headed to the compost corner and the containers to the shed. Now I’ve planted them up with annual Begonias and they will enjoy a shady spot in the front garden between now and November. They will want very little attention apart from a dip in a water tray once in a while. I had one container last summer and was delighted that the Begonias made it through the winter. So, they’re not really annuals. I did bring them to a very sheltered spot in the back garden after Christmas, and now they’re ready to return to the front again.

Hard to believe there’s a gorgeous red container beneath! The four plants have multiplied. In fact, I may separate them… if only I had another container.

Rooted Out

The stump of a fuchsia had been staring me in the face since last year, daring me to do my damnedest to move it. I balked on several occasions, because a job like that is like cycling a steep hill. The task must be respected. In any case, it’s done now, and I’m glad of it! I decided to remove some stone at the front of the rockery and this helped me to get under the root. Everything is now back in place (except the you-know-what) and I’ll add some summer colour here very soon..

Outwitting The Birds

I’ve sown some seeds here but despite my best efforts the birds have been picking faster than they can grow. Bamboo has been added but the feckers can get between them. This week I’ve strengthened the defences by adding some plastic that blows in the breeze.

Tipping Point

This year I’m only growing scallions, lettuce and spinach. I’ve been sowing at intervals of about three weeks. This week the tipping point has arrived, meaning that they are growing faster than they are eaten. My plan last year fell away in July when I just got fed up of continuing to sow every few weeks.

I’ve just noticed that the birds have moved to the shaded section where the spinach is planted. They’re upsetting my lunch plans.

Annuals

This little Alyssum was sown on the 18th of March. I’ve had it in the glasshouse until the last weekend of April and it’s been outside since then. There’s enough of it to fit around the edges of many a pot, and just to be sure, a second batch was sown in mid April.

Rhurbarb

Did I mention scallions, lettuce and spinach? Of course, there’s rhubarb too. There’s nothing we enjoy more than a good feed of rhubarb. The toxic leaves were added to the compost heap and custard was added to the cooked stalks. Delicious!

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You noticed that this Six-on-Saturday just became seven, didn’t you? Naughty but nice. I do like to bend the rules now and then. The house sparrows made me do it.

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That’s it for this week, a cháirde. Until next week, I hope that all will be well in your world. Slán go fóill.

About Six-on-Saturday

We are a group of gardeners who write. We write about six items in our gardens, and we do it on Saturdays. I’ve been doing this since June of 2020 and I enjoy nothing more than reading about and seeing other gardens from near and far. Lest we forget, many more choose to publish on Twitter and Instagram. You can find out more about it here. Six things, in your garden. Could be anything, and frequently is.

Pádraig.