What the heck is this?

Wow Lucky that is some view! We have an enclosed oasis of a garden at the back - and a car park at the front! Mind you, the car park gives hours of free entertainment, and we are only 400 yards from the town square (40 from the doctors), so there are advantages!

The views are stunning

I put it all over the place and I think I've divided it at various times. I don't think you can do it any harm, it is very obliging!

Oh yes - that is it - isn't it lovely?

At what stage do you divide it? and where is it best to put it? - it is in shade at the moment - is that the light place for it?

I think your 'snowdrop' is leucojum aestivum known as 'spring snowflake'. Is it about 15" to 18" tall? I had a small clump when we came here 30 years ago and I have divided it and moved it around and now have quite a lot. It is what I consider a Good Doer.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201704/medium-620143-20170406-160551.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201704/medium-609045-20170406-160646.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201704/medium-338154-20170406-160654.jpg

And 3 views from the back of the bungalow so you can see why we love it! We can see this view through the enormous windows in living room and bedroom.

We are so lucky.

This is the "snowdrop" - I have not managed to find an identical one on the net.

ooh, I will have to tell him about the sensor, or surprise him for his birthday. Never know what to buy him, he would love one of those!

DH tied the end of the hose to a bit of trellis near where the cats walk through, then he just has to creep outside quietly and turn on the tap. Usually he isn't quiet enough!

We have a gadget with a sensor on it which attaches to the hose so it can be moved around. When anything walks past it gets a squirt of water. Not sure if it works on cats - we haven't seen one get caught yet - but it does with pigeons and the DGC love playing with it.

My DH has just been knocking on the window to deter next door's cats from pooing and weeing in our front yard. They took no notice. He then got wound up by a car speeding down the street, raising a cloud of dust, and a dog weeing against our garden fence. I've told him about the hose pipe idea (and moved his chair).

Now - a hose pipe connected to the cold water supply works well if it reaches the cat!

I read somewhere that a cucumber has the same effect.
We tried it and it doesn't work, the cats just walked by ignoring it on their way to having a spray.

I have heard that a length of hose on a garden frightens cats away, as they think it is a snake. I have no idea whether it works.

One of my mother's favourite sayings when I wanted to leave off my vest
There is some debate about whether it means the May blossom or the month of May.

I understood the saying "don't cast a clout (clothing) 'til May be out" meant the white later flowering May trees.

Blackthorn is doing wonderfully well in Norfolk this year. The flowers have been out for two or three weeks and the leaves are just starting to break. Should be a good year for sloes. Hopefully. Our sloe gin stock is seriously depleted.

Yes, it's probably blackthorn, hawthorn flowers from May onwards (also known as May).
The blossom on blackthorn comes out before the leaves.

I saw a cat spraying and pooing in the nice soft soil where we had weeded the day before. Unfortunately it was in the front garden, I was parking at the time and drove on the lawn because I was busy shouting at the cat through the window of the car. It took no notice.

It could be blackthorn. That flowers earlier than hawthorn (and produces sloes for sloe gin) Blackthorn leaves are smaller and rounder than hawthorn, without all the deep serrations, and the thorns are even more brutal.

luckygirl I think you'll find that's Hawthorn. It's beautiful in the lanes here in Swindon. One site also called it May, so you were also right.

gillybob?

I tried orange peel to stop the cats. I didn't work. Water pistols work well but I tend to get a bit tired at around 1 am and always end up falling asleep and missing the horrible thing.

I managed to get rid of rabbits by spreading a solution of red pepper around the place that they favoured - it worked straight away.

Just to show my ignorance, what is all this white blossom on the trees in the wood? I assume it is too early to be May blossom.

He wouldn't pee on me when I was writhing in agony after being stung by a jelly fish TriciaF so have no hope of him doing it to deter next doors moggie!