I dont believe it (again!!!!)

[ideasguy]

As we sat having dinner, we heard cows moo-ing. They sounded closer than usual, so Mary opened the blinds, and stared straight into the eyes of a huge steer.
I havent moved so quick in a while! Then I realized I'd better not frighten the beast too much or it would crash through everything in sight. To my horror, I discovered it was facing the wrong way to encourage it to move, AND it had a friend. Two VERY large steer in a very small garden. One walked away through stage right, but the other ploughed straight through that small bed - with 5 prize Japanese Maples, two small rhododendrons, cyclamen, and a host of other pretty plants.
Then I watched as they ploughed through the bed at the front of the house, leaving a trail of broken plants.
Then I discovered there were MORE cows in the front garden. They proceeded to crash through a low hedge back into the lane beside my house.
Mary then called from the front door to say our neighbour from the house backing on to the top of the garden had heard cows in to BACK garden.
I walked up the main path, devastation everywhere - broken plants, hoof marks, and skids. Found a herd of the creatures. Fortunately a neighbour helped steer them out down the back path, onto the driveway and out the gate.

Police arrived. The farmer was at a plant sale, could not be contacted. His nephews arrived and have now put the herd in another field (hopefully secure)
Now waiting for the farmer to make contact.
Ive walked all around the garden in the dark, and I can see its really badly cut up (the ground was soft) - sods everywhere -  like a ploughed field, muck and sods all over the driveway.

Dreading daybreak!

[NightHawk]

That's terrible news George.  I hope everyone got through it without getting hurt.

You seem as though you coped well with yourself and your neighbour herding them away, under what must have been extremely difficult and potentially dangerous conditions.

Let's hope daybreak doesn't reveal more devastation.

Anxiously awaiting your report of the aftermath.

Laurie.
 

[Palustris]

That is very very sad. I hope this mornings inspection of the damage is not too heart breaking. We have been lucky in that the fields around us have been cattle free for the time we have been here.
Sick!

[ideasguy]

Worse than expected. Shrubs damaged, hedges wrecked, conifers smashed.

The scary bit? As I walked around the garden with the farmer and his son, he looked at the hole in the hedge and said that was probably the BULL! I can tell you they were HUGE beasts and I'm counting my lucky stars that big fella didnt turn on me..

Awaiting a call from the insurance company. They are insured through the Farmers Union. Meanwhile, I will brush up the driveway and give it a go with the powerhose.

[NightHawk]

I'm really sorry to hear that George, you must be feeling heart-broken by now.  Not a nice thing to happen.

Before you do too much of a tidy up George I would suggest getting as many photos of the damage as you can.  Just in case you need them to assist in your claim.

Laurie.

[ideasguy]

Yes, going out to do that now.

[NightHawk]

It's good to know that there's Insurance in place to compensate you financially George, but as gardeners we all know that the biggest loss is all the love and dedication that's been put into getting your gardens looking great.  We can only imagine what you are going through right now, but you must feel as though part of you has been ripped away, your personal space has been violated, and no amount of money can replace that.

Certainly, you can replace your old plants for new, but you've lost the maturity of your trees and shrubs which will take years to attain again.

It's ironic that just a few days ago we were discussing what we were all doing to get our gardens tidied and prepared for winter.  This totally unimaginable and painful occurrence has been a devastating setback for you.  One that will probably take a long time to recover from.

Lets hope that never happens again.

Laurie.

[ideasguy]

Ah yes, the winter tasks.

New:
Fill millions of 6in indentations in lawns
Restore 6in scallops out of manicured edges of paths.
Reseed after repairs
Fertiliise the lawns

Ive taken a bunch of photos. Now to upload.

[Palustris]

Will the Insurance pay for like for like? I mean we have shrubs bought for 89 pence which are now selling in G/C s at over £100. Do you have to buy small things and wait or can you get something the size of the plant in the garden?
We still have footprints in the front lawn from the herd of bullocks which rampaged dwon the road 10 years ago, never did get round to levelling them out.

[Lynda A]

So sorry to read what has happened to your garden George. All that hardwork and time invested in maturing plants, I hope somewhere there is something positive gained from all the devastation, and i hope the Insurance don't take to long in paying you.
Don't suppose the farmer wants to give you half a cow for the freezer !!

[ideasguy]

Thank you for your sympathetic comments folk!

My work colleagues took it a little less seriously. I got two text messages:
1) Mooooo    (Well, that one was predictable!)
2) Blue Circle 
Thats cement, for anyone who doesnt know that product. Ive been told by my colleagues in the past that it makes a good front garden 

RE: (Eric) Do you have to buy small things and wait or can you get something the size of the plant in the garden?
I took the day off work. The farmer arrived bright and early. The Insurance assessor did not show up.
Ive taken over 100 photos, and written up a document listing the damages to support my case.
We shall see.

Heres a few pics of the damage:


















Half a Potentillla shrub left (right of pic, beside gate)


Bullseye  This is a new variety of Salvia from Glenarm Castle. Dat bull stood right on its base. All thats left is broken stems.


And my dwarf conifer?


I dont believe this. Are these glasses working OK? Maybe if I give them a rub...


They aren't too good on taking corners, are they?
I'd a nice little set of plants right on the triangular point seen in this photo.


Here we have a conifer with a hole. Do they actually like conifers?


The good news. This small part of the garden was untouched. It was the only bit they walked past!


Bye bye George...

[Palustris]

Quickly take the stems of the Salvia and use them as cuttings. Even at this time  of year they will root in the house. One of ours got mashed like that and we now have about 20 of it!

[NightHawk]

Taking up your comment George about the cows not being too good on taking corners, I'm wondering if they don't have very good eyesight in the dark, so instead of avoiding obstacles they just plough straight through them. 

Maybe if we have any bovine experts on the Forum they could enlighten us on this.

What a mess.  I almost want to cry along with you George - I've never seen anything like it before in a private garden. 

Good tip about the Salvia Eric.  That particular plant is obviously one of George's most prized plants, so any form of salvage would be great.

Laurie.

[ideasguy]

I have already taken cuttings - last weekend, as I knew it was tender. I deliberately left the broken bits "in situ" today to show the assessor. It was cold and wet, so I'll pick up as soon as the visit is over, and use them for more cuttings.
Thanks for the assurance that they will root at this time of year.

Another tender variety, Salvia fulgens, also picked up at Glenarm Castle just missed the same fate by half a hoof, in the front garden.

As we walked up the garden, the farmer said "Lucky they didn't try to get into the greenhouse"
Just imagine that!

[Palustris]

Bull in a china shop?

[ideasguy]

Indeed Eric. It would be something like that.

RE: Lynda

Don't suppose the farmer wants to give you half a cow for the freezer !!

Now, why didnt I think of that!
Thinking about it, I couldnt expect Mary to pull and haul that much meat from the freezer for Sunday dinner  We'd have to invite Desperate Dan for dinner (hey, remember the Beano? or was it the Dandy?)

[bossgard]

George:

I?ve been wrapped up in my own things trying to get everything winterized. And I haven?t been on the Forum checking things out, so . . .

I?m sitting here, looking at the pictures you?ve taken of the damage to your garden. I have tears in my eyes, all that work and effort that you have done to create something nice for everyone to view, and have it destroyed that way.

I wish I could help you, I hope the damage will be taken care to your satisfaction.

- Toby

[ideasguy]

It needs a lot of repairs thats for sure Toby. Its extra workload, and thats the last thing I need.

Insurance assessor hasnt arrived yet. I'm not happy about that! I took the day off yesterday to escort them around the gardens.
Cant reach the farmer today - no answer on phone, so he's probably out at work. We know him and believe that he has things processed.
Cant bear to look at that mess much longer.
We shall see.

[ideasguy]

The Farmers Union man arrived today and inspected the damage.

Hes a farmer, and he explained the holes in the box and escallonia hedges, and the broken conifers.
The steer stick their heads into the hedges  - to scratch their heads!!

Apparently they go berserk with a Pampas grass clump!

Anyway, things are now in hand, so I feel a bit better.



 

[NightHawk]

It's good to hear that things are now moving forward for you.

Did they explain how the cattle got out in the first place?

Laurie.

[ideasguy]

The guy today was from the Farmers Union, not the farmer whose herd broke loose.
They broke through the hedge in the lane which runs beside my property. They are now moved to another field further away. The farmer also did some work blocking the escape route, so hopefully no more visits!

[3fren]

I am 2 months late in sending in my sympathatic consolation.

Look at the bright side George, they may leave their dropping to fertilize your soil !
Who knows,  new species might spring up in the Spring , oop sorry...laughing on the matter.

My husband had a little farm in the South of Malaysia.  He had some tropical fruit trees and
flowering plants.  He is experimenting with the biofuel plant - Jatropha oil seeds.

Every new season, the squirrels will arrive and sink their teeth into the durians, causing them
to drop prematuredly.   Initially we were very upset, we read that in order to get rid of these
pest, we need to skin one of them, burn it and throw the ashes around the trees then
it will stop them coming..  sounds very Voodooish doesn't it ? scarely..

We did not do anything but just watch...there must be something about nature.. hmmmm

We discovered that the durians that was chosen by the squirrels are the top grade.
And these little fellows, after their fills, they left two good months of undisturb fruits for us to feast on.

There are also stories of other little animals in the farms too....wild boars..they brought their family and
roll on the flower beds..

You should find out why these steers gets into your garden.  If it is the fault of the farmers, they should
help you out...
 

[JeanV]

Commiserations! We do have cows sometimes in our field and they did once rub on our fence so muich it fell down,  but we noticed in time! Hope you can repair damage!
Jean

PS just seen I am late as well <sigh>

[ideasguy]

Thanks for the kind words of support Jessie and Jean.
I'm waiting on my compensation claim to come through. Enough time yet to get it fixed before spring is upon me. Ive opted to do it myself, rather than hire a landscaper. Anything saved will go on new plants!

The cows broke through a hedge then went "exploring", Jessie, and the farmer acepted responsibilty. Our gates were open (for easy access to cars and pedestrians) Didnt expect the pedestrians to be quite so gigantic!

The farmers Union guy explained that they like to scratch their heads - thats what happened to my larger plants and hedges - and probably why they flattened your fence Jean. The pretty (and very expensive) fences readily available in Garden Centres are like sheets of paper for an itchy bulls head!

[ideasguy]

Finally, Ive managed to repair the lawns, front and back.

I never seem to do one job without it multiplying into several tangential jobs. The lawn needed repair and the greenhouse staging needed replaced.
Have you ever pulled everything out of a greenhouse? I had to do it a number of times over this past 3 weeks, during this exercise (emphasis on exercise - I though my back was going to break!).
In between, had to cut the lawns twice.

I scooped loads of wheel- barrows of soil from under the staging in the greenhouse and mixed it with copmpost, and filled the damaged areas.
It took 2kg of grass seed to apply to the repaired areas!
Sowed the front about 7 days ago (no sign of germination as of this morning on my close inspection on my way to work)
Sowed the back last night.
Phew!