In praise of privet

The safari with Frank in tow passes a superb Privet hedge several times everyday.

This is the 'normal' introduced Japanese species rather than the native species but in this instance it matters not.

There are literally thousands of miles of this stuff planted up and down the country. Only rarely are they allowed to grow tall and flower. In my last home my next door neighbour was always berating me for allowing my half of the hedge to grow rampant and not be kept clipped and 'tidy'. Tidy is an outdated Victorian concept of the human 'domination' of nature - there is no need for it anymore we need to cut the apron strings from our 'illustrious' past and soon.

This particular hedge was alive with moths at dusk a couple of evenings ago and this morning was full of bees. I dare say with a bit of sunshine at mid-day there would have been a sack full of butterflies too...but I'm not there at that time of day to check it out.

So for anyone out there in blogland with a privet hedge, or any other hedge for that matter have a rest, take it easy, relax, chill out, leave the clippers in the shed and sit down and enjoy the wildlife that uses your pride and joy instead...it's far more fun and much less hard work.

As for me due to all the recent overnight rain I've not been able to get the moth trap out very often so I think I put on a thick skin and wave a net around on the main road hoping to ignore the vacuous comments from the drivers passing by.

Today's rant is now over and I'm looking forward to a safari tomorrow - windy but not windy enough for Storm Petrels.

In the meantime let your outback be and leave your clippers to go rusty in the shed.