I'm a world class ditherer when it comes to the big changes in the garden. For a long time, I've bemoaned the shade cast by two leylandii I inherited in the garden, and the fact that nothing will grow beneath them. I felt that my garden was becoming a deep, dark pit. But should I remove them?
Well, for many years I took the coward's option of chop chop chopping away at the tops and tips, shredding and composting a seemingly neverending supply of sap-filled branches that caused my skin to come up in a rash.
But on Friday I took the plunge and got my tree man in to do the deed.
The weekend has then been all about digging in home-made compost into the impoverished soil, and planting back up a whole host of Red Campions, Aquilegias and others I had saved and moved out of the way of the hobnail boots.
By Sunday afternoon, glorious sunshine poured into the garden when previously an Arctic darkness had reined throughout winter.
The 'gardening for wildlife' idea is that the extra sunlight should mean more butterflies, dragonflies and other insects will linger in my garden.
As with any change, some creatures will lose out - I expect I will get fewer Goldcrests and Blair's Shoulder-knot moths.
But I think the gains will be worth it. And I don't just mean no more rashes!
If you want to drop by my RSPB wildlife gardening blog, it is updated every Friday, and I'd love to see you there - www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/hfw
I think you'll find its a good thing in the long term, you could always plant something deciduous in the same area if needed.
Best to give it a season to see if it changes they dynamic of the garden at all.
www.thecynicalgardener.com
Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.