It is mid June and it has been raining for two weeks. The garden has quickly become wild and overblown. I feel totally overwhelmed. I realize that I have to make a plan of action immediately and get help. Luckily, one of the local builders has a friend who has experience in land management and forestry. Thankfully he is able to come over within the next few days and with the use of chainsaw, starts making headway into the wilderness.
Many of the hazels and other mature trees were trimmed dramatically and five tall larch trees that had become very constricted together were felled entirely. Several dead trees were also removed and turned into logs. The grass was strimmed, the bracken and brambles hacked to the ground and several large shrubs including a massive wild rose were cut back: eventually it was possible to get down the drive again. Masses of nettles were pulled up by hand in the front borders and the ground covered with weed suppressant film to prevent them from shooting up again later in the year. For the first time in twenty years, the land started to feel like it was being managed again with some degree of care.