Verge

There are little green verges outside the houses at the top of  our street. We have lived here for thirty three years and I have tended, mowed and protected our verge for all that time.  Looking back it has been a constant battle and I could write a book about it all.

There used to be a horrible, diseased tree growing in the centre of the verge. I have no idea what variety it was but it was thin and unhealthy and struggled to put out any buds towards the end of its life. 

We reported it to the council's "Streets Ahead" team and after a few months, contractors came along to remove it. Several months later they were back planting a new tree. I would have preferred a native tree but instead we  got a magnoliua kobus which has is origins in Japan. We had no say in the matter. 

It was planted in January of this year and I am happy to report that it budded successfully this spring and has put out  new leaves..We have watered it several times  to increase its survival prospects. It is also nice to have the new tree there with its supporting stakes because  I am sure that the sight of it discourages careless drivers from parking on the verge.

It has often been heartbreaking to see the grass all churned up by vehicles - like a ploughed field - especially in wintertime. Lower down our street residents have given up trying to protect their verges and some never even tried. Especially when it is wet, it looks a right mess down there.

Maybe I am sounding a bit like King Canute or Victor Meldrew in  the sitcom "One Foot In The Grave" but I don't care. I know there are much more important things to think about than a strip of grass but I am going to continue caring for that grass as long as I live here.

I was out there this morning giving it its second haircut of the year. I also do next door's strip.

Things I didn't cover in this post were litter, shitting dogs, arguments with car drivers, polite notes on windscreens, a letter from the council instructing me to remove my little white stakes, buying turf to repair damage, sowing grass seeds, using weed killer to remove kerbstone weeds, conversations with supportive neighbours and passers-by, putting grass cuttings in the wheelie bin, making signs like the one below - following the removal of the old tree. In my defence I would argue that I am caring for the environment - our immediate environment.

Written in blood

from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/6zTbNI8