I have some new "pets" lol

[Tobi]

...So when I went out this morning into the garden as usual with my coffee, I saw a flash of movement and heard rustling under the Oleander shrub.
It was definitely not the squirrels. At first I thought it was a bird, but when I went down to look, the rustling continued and nobody flew out. I didn't think it could be any other creature as I have wire netting all around my garden, firmly fixed to keep Badgers out.
I went inside the shrub as far as I could get, and that was hard work. Then I noticed a hole dug under there. As I watched, two baby rabbits came out of the hole!  Mama rabbit had moved across the lawn. I just caught sight of her.
The babies were shocked to see me, and dashed away to run inside the old tumble-down wood shed.

I don't know how that mama rabbit got into my garden but she must have thought it was a great place to bring up her family. I also don't know how they are going to get out when they have grown!   

I sneaked away to leave them in peace, but they are going to have to get used to me being around  
I watched again a few times later on, from the downstairs toilet window, and saw them all playing on the lawn. They are very welcome.

Thank goodness I don't have a vegetable garden!

[cathie]

Your garden must feel like a welcoming place for wildlife, it's kind of you to let them stay.

[Catherine]

You should have a fun summer with your rabbit visitors. Mama bunny must have felt your fenced garden was safe for her babies.
Lots of possible predators would not be able to get in.

Does she just have 2 babies?

[Tobi]

Yes it is a perfect place for her to have her babies, and a pretty intelligent choice. Foxes can't get in, and there are many trees surrounding the lawn, and a nice big shrub to hide under, so a Buzzard wouldn't be able to stake them out. Also I have no dogs or cats.
Yes there are just two babies. I kept a watch today but didn't see them. I was beginning to believe they must have gone (somehow!) But then about lunchtime I walked round the side of the wood shed, and a fast rustle in the ivy/dead leaves etc there told me they are still around. I doubt if I'll get to take a picture though. I try to leave them in peace mostly.
The worst thing is when the grass needs cutting. But they must have been there well before I last cut it, so they were not TOO freaked out by that obviously!

[Catherine]

I wonder if they will make a permanent home in your garden. That would be rather nice wouldn't it. You could plant a few carrots for them.  Think of the fun of watching them grow up.

Do you really need to cut your grass?

[Tobi]

Well....I remember that garden way back when the grass wasn't cut. And it wasn't just grass, it was 5ft high nettles, giant Hog weed, brambles all over the place, Ash trees springing up....
There is no way I want to go back there! It was literally impossible to move in it. When my hubby and I first moved in 32 years ago, we cleared the lot, and planted vegetables and not much else.
A couple of years after he passed away, I decided it was back breaking work to keep up the veg garden over a half acre, so I cleared it again then a few years later re-planted lawn and shrubs.
Now maintenance is fairly easy. If I let it get like it was it will kill me to fix!
Those little bunnies are going to have to fit in. But I will clip around the Oleander with hand shears.

I didn't see them today, but heard a bump in the wood shed. Mama was in the field eating barley grass....so there is obviously a bunny-route in and out!

[Catherine]

That is one lucky bunny mama, She as a sheltered habitat with food and I assume there is water. I am sure she will cope with whatever you have to do to keep things up.

I can see why you don't want it to get too messy. That was too much work to clean up in the first place.
It sounds like you and  your husband took a neglected mess and made a beautiful space out of it.

I stopped growing veggies. In the summer they are so cheap it wasn't worth all the work. I have trees and shrubs. Many have berries to feed the birds and the flowers feed the bees and butterflies. 

Maybe the bunnies will keep some of the weeds in check.

[Tobi]

Today I went to buy groceries. I bought some carrots, and chose the ones with green leaves on the tops. When I got home I cut off the leaves and put them out for the bunnies.
They are kind of still there....but keeping a low profile. I saw one at 5.30 am the other morning (couldn't sleep until after dawn and it was a beautiful blue morning) Then they were there again at 10 am.... Then today saw no signs but hear a rustling under the shrub when I went out to have my coffee this morning.

I would share the carrots with them, if I am sure they are still there -otherwise Mr & Mrs greedy Squirrel will eat them! lol

Yes I worked out that for one person it was a lot more efficient to buy the veg than to work so hard planting it. I would rather buy it. For only £10 I can get a lot of veg. It would cost me more than that to grow it, work it and pay the chiropractor for damage to my back and sciatica! haha

[Catherine]

You and I came to the same conclusion. For a small personal garden it costs more to grow the plants than they are worth. I can buy the veggies cheaply and plant things in my garden that make it a small woodland paradise.  It is a place of peace and beauty.

In the winter when vegetables are expensive they don't grow anyhow. I get more benefit from my beautiful trees than from a few pieces of parsley.


I hope your rabbits got their carrot tops. If they had been guinea pigs they would have been all over them the moment you put them down. Rabbits must be more shy and cautious.

[Tobi]

Well, the little rabbits are still there. They have plenty of places to hide. One great place is under a huge 'weed' that I let grow and flourish because it has pretty pink flowers which bees adore. This is not an unpleasant sort of weed and is related to Geraniums....(I think) although it stinks when you pull any out. The rabbits are not eating it! Just using it as a bolt-hole.

Mama rabbit doesn't seem to be around. But the 2 little ones are growing fast. They hop about nibbling at the grass which I am leaving longer for them. But they completely ignored the carrot tops I put out for them!
They were starting to wilt so I put them in the field for the deer.

They dash for cover if a pigeon flies over. That means they are 'streetwise' about dangers from the sky (i.e. Buzzards!)

They are very scared of me of course....