Some people have more imagination than others.  What I saw as a large bit of timber which might make a seat, Sue saw a crocodile!

It all stems back to when we were having the trees felled for the pond walls. As Matthew and his team lugged the main straight stems up to the yard for sawing, a few twisted bits got left behind, potentially to be converted into firewood.

This bit however survived to fight another day, as I chain-sawed a seat into it.  Not, at the time, the best place for a seat but it seemed better than just burning it.

Over time Sue started to call it the crocodile.  (Incidentally she tells me that in the days when the Forestry Commission actually managed this area with staff employed on site, one of the workers – Bob Thomas (neighbour Christine’s late uncle) – actually carved a croc on one of the picnic sites!!)   The name stuck and so when our gardener, Caroline, came to paint the new plan – of which more soon – she included a crocodile in the drawing.

This rather put us under a bit of pressure to make it look a bit more like a scaly beast and improve the area around it.

So yesterday we set to clearing the assorted brash and brambles, removing a few scruffy conifers and sycamores and improving the paths.

The addition of a couple of new bits of Douglas Fir gave our beast a tail and hey presto!  a believable crocodile!!

Croc, basking in the early morning sun

There’s a little bit more to do -moving the eco-pile in the background for example – but now visitors will have a new place to rest -if they dare – on the way round the garden, just after they’ve marvelled at the totem pole (Mick, that’s a hint to get started!)