A common garden problem is causing a stir at number 38!
RP stands at the end of the garden, and I watch as he scoops down to collect Poppy’s ‘deposit’ and ties the bag. He walks back towards us scratching his head. “That’s five”, he says, “FIVE!”
I nod and look out at our beloved new garden. Ever since we moved in last month, it’s been a complete haven, long sunny days spent reading and relaxing. We’ve built a bench to sit on, sipped wine, enjoyed the Spring sunshine, and had lovely chats with our new neighbours over the fence.
It really has become a special part of our new home. On Sunday just gone, we even managed to spend a whole day outside! I rummaged through the house to find anything to wash so it could hang outside to dry in hours!
“Clothes are drying in hours,” I exclaim to RP, who’s not as enamoured with this fact as I am. Instead he’s enjoying the Sunday papers and a cuppa in the sun.
Foxy little kitties!
“There must be foxes,” he continues, bringing me back to Monday evening, then he looks surreptitiously towards the neighbour’s house, “or cats”, he finishes. Both of our lovely new neighbours have cats. Gorgeous feline creatures that come and sun themselves in our front garden, and quietly survey us from the fence.
“They’re probably having a party over here while we’re sleeping and Poppy is locked in for the night,” he says.
I nod and agree, “Hmm, yes, it must be foxes, or cats”
I wonder if I should confess now or later that it’s probably not foxes, just forgotten Poppy ‘deposits’. ‘Later’ will do I decide and shut the door on our beautiful garden. I make a mental note to check the DC Thomson shop for bulbs for our planters. I want our garden to look even prettier!
Time for the truth?
Later on, I confess I think the deposits might be our dog’s, not local foxes or the neighbourhood cats. RP studies me. “Have you seen some of them?” he asks with a serious enough tone. I have a think… Have I? Yes, of course, I do my own fair share of scooping. “Yes, of course”, I say, “I do my own fair share of scooping”.
He eyes me. “Some of them are far too big to be Poppy’s,” he says finally, patting our snoozing pooch. He’s so sure, I think I won’t question it and instead make a mental note to scoop more thoroughly next time.
As it so happens next time I’m scooping I notice that, by Jove, he’s right! Some of these are far too tiny and far too big to be the product of our beloved pooch.
Hmmm.. I look to the left and right, and a flash of fur signals the departure of next door’s kitty from our fence.
Next time, kitty, I think, next time. Though what will happen next time I have no idea. A tummy tickle for them perhaps.
Cat Shoo Bushes
While writing about the lovely Harry and Meghan commemorative china mug, I find myself drawn to the gardening tab of the DC Thomson shop. White dresses and Westminister Chapel forgotten, I’ve retrieved my mental note to check bulbs for our planters. Something catches my eye almost immediately in the planters section.
Cat Shoo plants!
Plants that give off an aroma that, yes, you guessed it, shoo away cats! Perhaps this would be the answer to our fox/cat/Poppy issue?
Could our issue be sorted with the planting of some bulbs and the fruition of the resulting plants?
Stay tuned, dear reader, stay tuned!
Have a browse of the DC Thomson shop yourselves. There’s lots to discover!
Karlie Simmonds Karlie has worked in Digital Media for over 10 years, she is passionate about health and wellbeing and lives in Edinburgh with her partner, children, and Pug, Poppy.
