The Bark Chip Path

A MISTLE THRUSH flies down by a blackbird that's bathing at the corner of the pond. The blackbird moves on and the thrush takes over the spot and starts going through its own bathing routine. The mistle thrush isn't a regular visitor to the garden but we did have seen a song thrush recently that had taken a liking to the composted bark I put down between the hedge and the pond. The crab apples continue to be popular with the blackbirds.

The patch beneath the crab apple needed some attention, so, last week, I cleared a strip through it of all the perennial weeds I could find - the roots of nettle, thistle and coltsfoot, not to mention a sedge I planted by the pond and periwinkle which is almost as invasive - and laid down weed supression fabric. The composted bark path looks rather wide at the moment, I don't want the whole garden to look as if it's taken up with paths, but by the time the surrounding hostas, yellow loosestrife and evening primrose grow up alongside it, it will appear a lot narrower.

The first bird to take an interest in the bark, and the invertebrates amongst it, was the robin, which perched on the handle of the wheelbarrow, looking thoughtful, and kept darting down to peck amongst the bark chippings.