Can You Believe It?

Last Saturday I burned off a heap of prunings from Hughsie's garden, which had been laying next to a driveway at home here for some months. Allan was alive when I did the job, so I could probably go back in this blog to tell you exactly when it was done, but for now let me guess and suggest last autumn

It was quite a big job, pruning large tree camellias in Allan's neighbours place that encroached over the fence and harboured huge blackberries that came over. Allan teed it up with his neighbour that I should do the reparation, and I did so in three stages, each requiring a trailer load of prunings to be removed. Amongst the camellias was an old lilac and a native shrub with a big head that were also cut back as a matter of common sense.

I dumped the three loads at home to burn in the future after it had all dried out which brings me to last Saturday. The material had all well dried out. The leaves had all browned and fallen off so it was branches and sticks that burned quickly and fiercely with almost zero smoke, the way it should be. It took over an hour to work my way through the pile , throwing on to the fire at a rate to keep it going, but not too hot causing everything it the vicinity to be singed.

Near the bottom was a branch of lilac, about four foot long, with a green shoot on it of about four inches. The constant moisture of the last six months must have encouraged this stick to do a survival of the species thing. There were no roots on the other end, but strong root nodules if that's the correct term. I found a spot to plant it. If it survives and grows I'll be totally astounded, and thrilled to my back teeth.

If it does, you'll find me cutting four foot branches off lilacs late next autumn and planting them as cuttings, to get a row of lilacs with a bit of size to them going, quick and easy. Nature is amazing.