I do enjoy seeing the cheeky little squirrels running around, scrambling along the fences and tight-rope walking the telephone wires.....but....I wish they'd stay out of my garden.
Early in the year we spotted, to our great surprise, three very healthy broad bean plants coming up in the front garden. It didn't take much working out to figure the squirrels had buried them as they do nuts - and forgotten them.
So I dug them up and replanted them in the back garden where we planned to plant a row, and they are thriving. In a rare moment of assisting the vegetable chief (husband) I actually planted the bean seeds alongside for him. Eventually up popped three shoots. They didn't appear to grow - someone - which had to be a pesky squirrel, had dug up the beans and left the now wilting shoots.
No more shoots appeared....because the little blighter had dug them all up!!! We've planted some spare ones in pots to plant out when they are actual plants - we'll beat them yet!
I don't have a nice patch of newly planted daffodils....or tulips either! Two years ago they robbed me of 25 new frilliary bulbs! Every time we dig we find lots and lots of walnuts, and conkers (horse chestnuts) neither of which we have in our garden. We do have little hazel nut trees - but never can never find a nut on our own tree (and small walnut and conker trees) and we have to be really quick to grab our almonds before they do. I'm told that scattering polo mints deters them - I'm not convinced.
As I say, they're fun little animals to watch but I wish they'd stay out of my garden.
They didn't spoil Mum's basket though and once the crocus had faded, up came these lovely miniature 'Tete a tete' daffodils. Thankfully the frillaries already established in the wild patch are spreading naturally and they obviously don't like bluebells.
At least there is one garden that the little pests can't get to - the 1/24th Herb Garden Celia Thomas and I created as one of our workshop projects a few years ago.
Stay safe, and thank you for looking.
Robin
