nepia

They look like Thuja. At this stage I'd say leave everything alone, see what starts to sprout and take things from there. Thuja is more resistant to pruning than the cypresses but still has its limits; new growth will give you a guide as to what's going to be possible

Highly likely Mick but that doesn't mean short-term or that Charlie hasn't got many years ahead of him with a decent quality of life

Picked up some 8-9"dia rounds of dry rotting ash yesterday (firewood that's too many years old); will drill many holes in them and put them around the place. They won't last long but perhaps a couple of years with a roof of offcut WRC board.

Well that's a bit inspiring - thanks. I'm on the case now as, like Spud, I thought the things were for £££s in Surrey garden centres. I have offcuts, I have roof tiles and I think I know where to get some old garden canes. And we have many small insects with this stunning weather 👍 Does it matter much about the siting? Sun or shade? Perhaps the site merely affects the species using them...?

Ah sleep - that ever impossible dream! I have lived on 4-5 hours of it most of my life unfortunately. But recently much better (that won't last) and I slept till just after 8 this morning after a midnight start; 7 full hours of it. I feel ready to take on the world!!! Well done Stevie - keep up the good sleep; we all need more than we get.

I expect we'll see Black Kites here one day and maybe not too far in the future the way the climate's going. They are the world's most widespread raptor.

Actually this could be a good reason to use the app; just point your phone towards the garden/woodland/fields, hit the green button and see what's there even if you can't hear it. You may be pleasantly surprised. For example I had no idea blackcaps were so numerous or widespread - they're everywhere, heard (apparently!) but not seen

Not jealous. Not at all

@farmer rod They're as good as on your doorstep; brace the kettle! I'll be in touch soon Jon

It tells me how deaf I am

All good ideas chaps. I have raised veggie beds, I have slate crates to line with dumpy bags for 'alternative' planters and I have a pair of 1200L non-bunded oil tanks on 600mm pedestals for rainwater harvesting from the roof of a 6x9m Sussex barn. Sooo.... if anyone wants to make their own posh planters or harvest their own rainwater I have just the things for you... 😁

@AHPP I'd rather not keep the bottles at all if possible so I'll offer them to anyone who'll listen. I don't actually see why they couldn't be used static on a pallet (rainwater harvesting?); wouldn't a ratchet strap round the middle be sufficient to maintain shape? As said all taps and caps are in good order

Now you tell me 😭

Ta daaaah! Found a guy 40 miles away with two different entries on the Bay; asked him how many he actually had and picked up six today. I don't want the bottles but finding cages alone.... well it's difficult enough to make me start a thread on the subject. In the highly unlikely event that anyone has a use for six bottles with working caps and taps then fill your boots; they're in west Kent on top of the North Downs.

I'm just embarrassed