A Rat, a Fox and Some Peppermint Creams

I knew something was up in the greenhouse when I noticed certain ornaments were out of place. Something had been on the top shelf and knocked over my ornamental birds. The following day there were droppings on the floor, too big to be mice. I smelled a rat, literally!

David, resourceful as ever, Googled humane rat deterrent. Because I couldn’t kill them. But I didn’t want them. Peppermint was recommended. So, we took some mint from the garden, made a strong tea with it, and poured it into a spray bottle. Every surface was misted with the infusion, and just to be doubly sure, David placed my peppermints at equal intervals all around the floor.

First thing next morning, I visited the greenhouse. Not one single mint remained, and just to put the tin lid on it, the last of my cucumbers were gone, and a highly prized rooted cutting of hydrangea quercifolia Little Honey, that I had been nurturing for two years, was eaten to a stump. I was not happy.

In the interim, something had burrowed under the compost bin, back kicking a load of - mighty fine, I have to say – compost into a pile on the gravel border. It transpired that we had a young fox doing the rounds of our back gardens, so I’m assuming he was the culprit. In due course, tiring of that, it seems he ventured up onto the roof terrace and dug up one of my red hot pokers, no doubt in search of blood, fish and bone fertiliser. (Lesson learnt!). Okay, I thought, I can scoop up the compost and spread it on the borders, at least I know its ready, and I can replant said r h p with different fertiliser.

Over the next few days, this very playful fox tossed several of David’s ornamental animals into the water feature and pulled the irrigation pipes out of the ground. He is elusive, preferring nocturnal visits to us whilst basking in the sunshine of our neighbours’ garden.

Finally, nature took its course. The security light went on last night and this morning revealed the scene of the crime in the herbaceous borders. It seems the fox had killed the rat. Order is restored.

 Love, Caroline

Cover photo: Autumn in our Garden