I’m sat this morning reading Peter Cooper about silent fields and also Charles Eisenstein’s “The More Beautiful World”. Catherine, just back from walking the dog, is inspecting the front garden, no doubt planning some changes. And I look at the privet hedge that has been there since well before we moved in nearly 25 years ago. Shall I rip it out and plant a mixed hedge of hawthorn, blackthorn, etc like we have in the back garden? Can I make it more friendly to birds and insects? All I ever see in the privet is the odd sparrow, spiders webs and the cat!
A short time later and a colourful movement catches my eye and I look up to see a pair of bullfinches cautiously searching in and out of the hedge. Absolutely beautiful! Have I underestimated the privet hedge?