COW-SLIPS - THE SEQUEL!
By spritzhenry
16 comments
Well, off I went with my camera this morning to check out the damage from the unwelcome visitors yesterday – accompanied, of course, by my faithful hound. He was very interested in the strange smells everywhere.
The first evidence was obvious.
There are hoof-prints and skid-marks just EVERYWHERE – all over every grassed area, in every flowerbed and border. They appear to have really made themselves at home!
They walked into one bed and knocked off pieces of Gaura and Osteospermum, as well as squashing my spreading succulent, tearing off quite a bit.
Up behind the top border, one of them must have thought that my Festuca glauca in the trough with the Cyclamen had been put there as a tasty moutful just for him. There’s not much left of it. He pulled it out and munched it.
And of course, as expected, they left ‘presents’ behind, just as a reminder that they had visited us.
So what next? I met our neighbour again today, who told me that this awful man’s bull had been loose and had been in at least two fields of cows, and they will all have to have injections at a huge cost!
When Henry and I went for our walk, it was interesting to see that everyone in our area of the village had firmly shut gates! News travels fast in a small community. We are going to speak to the Parish Clerk and get advice as to how to proceed. I am not sure what action will be taken.
As to the garden, it was very fortunate that they came in the autumn when I had put the garden to bed, so that precious plants are safely tucked up. The grass will, I hope, recover over the winter and spring with some compost brushed in. The hoof-marks in the beds will soon disappear when it rains again.
I shall have to buy a new Festuca and replace the Gaura in the spring. The succulent will have to be tidied and cut back, but it does spread, so it should be all right
NOT an event I’d like to see repeated next June, though!
12 Nov, 2008
1 like
Previous post: YIKES! COW-SLIPS IN MY GARDEN????
Next post: Re-vamping the corner.
Comments
awww spritz, your poor garden, let us know what advice the parish clerk can give you
12 Nov, 2008
I do hope the farmer is put firmly in his place , he dosn,t sound like the kind of man to take much notice , It is good that you have your camera evidence .
Hopefully he will have to pay for the damage .!
I wonder if you can claim on your insurance ? or his
12 Nov, 2008
Hope your making good use of that manure Spritz. So to hear about all the damage though. As you say...good job its plant bedtime Maureen
12 Nov, 2008
~ glad it's not as bad as it could be~make sure you get full reimbursement if you can!
12 Nov, 2008
Update: The Parish Council already know all about this 'gentleman' and have tried everything to make him conform - so have the RSPCA, also the local Police. So we have to write to him and to the Parish Council next. Nobody seems to think that he will take any notice, though!
Steers last seen heading away from his farm about 2 miles away!
12 Nov, 2008
~some of these so called farmers are a law unto themselves~sue him!Can you claim on house insurance?~
12 Nov, 2008
I don't think so... I'll get himself to read the small print. Thanks for the thought!
Have to admit I'm not looking forward to scattering compost over such a large area!
12 Nov, 2008
~ we had three cows in the rockery at three in the morning but didn't have the foresight to take any pictures or would have done something about the fact that to get there they had to demolish a wall!~
12 Nov, 2008
Our poor farmer-neighbour had several fences broken down by these runaways, he's got quite enough to do without that! That 'MAN' up the lane has a lot to answer for...
12 Nov, 2008
~we'll have to set up a petition~keep cows in fields!~most people will think they are!~
12 Nov, 2008
Sorry about the damage, hope that man get's his comupence, if i lived closer i'd come & help you tiedy up .
13 Nov, 2008
Sheep always got into my gran's garden off the hills. She was always complaining they'd eaten her flowers.
They didn't leave big hoof prints though. And they only left small gifts.
I hope something can be done about it for you though .
13 Nov, 2008
Having taken a 'thank-you' gift round next door, and chatted to our farmer, I doubt very much whether ANYTHING can be done - the broken fences (caused by his bull) he has blamed on the local hunt, who are going to replace them! Can you believe his cheek!
Thanks Clarice - I appreciate the thought!
13 Nov, 2008
Spritz-I would have a word with your local elected Councillor as well as the Parish council, and report all of this to the Police as soon as possible. It might also be worth speaking to a representative from The National Farmers Union (N.F.U) and request a meeting with all of them, and show them the photographic evidence of the damage that has been done to your garden and its contents.
This is totally unacceptable, and should it happen again you could be faced with an expensive bill for the
repairs. Let's hope this is not repeated again, but it sounds as if he has got away with it for too long.This farmer does have an obligation to ensure that he cattle are kept in secure and safe conditions.
As you know I have some family members in farming and they do have legal responsibilities in respect of their livestock causing damage to other peoples property.
Let's hope there is a positive outcome.
With all best wishes.
14 Nov, 2008
Blimey what a disaster! I bet this took some sorting out Spritz!
16 Apr, 2010
Recent posts by spritzhenry
- New plants.
24 Apr, 2024
- OF = orange.
25 Mar, 2024
- Some of my roses.
23 Mar, 2024
- Trouble in my garden,
19 Mar, 2024
- Oh dear!
3 May, 2022
- My yellow garden.
12 Apr, 2022
Members who like this blog
-
Gardening with friends since
28 Jul, 2008
Sad that this happened to your lovely garden.:o(
Good that you have photographic evidence. :o)
12 Nov, 2008