Sometimes a commission comes through that takes you to a fascinating area of green woodworking. In this case, it’s for sixteen carved oak posts to support wrought-iron, garden arches. The garden surrounds a stunningly beautiful Arts and Crafts house and I will be looking to reflect some of the architectural Read more…
At last, they are finished and in place. These ash gates are based (loosely) on the traditional gate-hurdle with draw peg joints for the stiles and bars. As a contemporary twist (literally) I’ve included adjustable anti-sag cables with turnscrews – just in case someone fancies gate-swinging…please don’t!
Hornets have taken over the jackdaw’s nesting site (the young jackdaws, thankfully, having fledged). I’m very fond of hornets; they’re surprisingly docile and just seem to go about their business. A few do get into the house at night if we’re careless with bright lights and open windows, but they Read more…
There’s no better discipline for refining woodworking skills than letter cutting. I’ve been practising the craft (or is it art?) for many years now, but I’m still learning. However, it has so much more to offer than the finished plaque or sign: You learn to keep the cutting tools razor-sharp, Read more…
Huge numbers of small skipper today and a (silver-washed?) fritillary escaped my camera – yet again!
‘Where two ecosystems are linked by a transitional area and the number of species and the population density are greater than either of the adjacent communities’. In the last few weeks, It has become increasingly apparent that the transitional areas at the margins of the wood are, by far, the Read more…
As spring turns into summer, the new plantation has really started to flourish. it’s just over 4 years ago now since the finger-height saplings were planted, and It’s difficult to remember the dark and lifeless place it once was. Nesting linnets and blackcaps are singing from the sweet-chestnut tops and Read more…
Just managed to catch this charming little owlet before it popped back into the nest box. She looks ready for branching, so will be soon scrabbling about in the trees close by. I’m not sure if there are any brothers and sisters, but anytime soon we’ll know for sure, as Read more…
A lovely spring day at Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Hickling Reserve. We started the day practising knots and learning how to handle and grade Norfolk reed. This was followed up by some very impressive sculptural constructions. It still surprises me how a bundle of reeds and a ball of jute string Read more…
Bracken can dominate a new plantation, outcompeting young saplings and collapsing onto tree guards in autumn bringing them to the ground. There is plenty of evidence that crushing the bracken stems with a tractor-driven roller shuts down the bracken rhizome over time. This is backed up by the fact, that Read more…