Felicitations from Pat and Sam

[docsquid]

I should add that we, too, are top of our professions. But still humble enough to seek advice from as many people as we can and to get training from the best experts we can find.

[Terry]

I can see we are going to have to be thick skinned on this forum. So far on our first post we've had our choice of apparently perfectly OK chainsaw slated, our inherited plants criticised as ruining the landscape, and even a poke at our spelling. If you were serving a long queue at a bar and typing with one hand, you'd make the odd typo too.

We'll bare with the forum as theres alot we want to learn, but can we not be talked down to like idiots please. We were both at the top of our professions, Sam as a deputy Governor of one of the UK's biggest prisons and I have a Phd and have been a magistrate too. We've turned a loss making bankrupt business round into very successful, we are not a B&B, we have up to 45 guests each happy to pay over £200 for a night, and we are fully booked. We'll make a great job of the wood too, given time, good advice and a bit of respect.

Some people are women, and better than men at most things, get over it.

Hi Pat and Sam
Firstly, welcome to the forum
As you say you have had a slightly rocky start to membership, but to be fair you did wade into a couple of touchy subjects, albeit inadvertently.

I think the main thing about chainsaws is that they are not in the same league as DIY power tools and need to be approached with caution as they can be lethal - even in the hands of a professional who has a momentary lapse of concentration. Most people can adapt and work with chainsaws quite safely, but it is important to be aware of the dangers and your initial posts indicated a lack of knowledge and experience.

Please do hang around and keep us updated with your progress. I am sure you will learn a lot from the assembled experience as well as teach us a few things based on your experiences past, present and future.

[Dexter's Shed]

I can see we are going to have to be thick skinned on this forum. So far on our first post we've had our choice of apparently perfectly OK chainsaw slated,

been there, done that,
the same as your arguing the merits of your tesco/american/made in china chainsaw, twas the same with my widowmaker
I have always found it best to ask the question, wait for all the different answers to come in, then pick out the bits you want to follow and disregard the rest, try not to get too wound up about the negative ones,

get some pictures up, people always like those, and it shows your not just some keyboard warrior sat behind their computer, you may also want to join the swog facebook page, as it seems that has some members that rarely look in here, and so you'll get another point of view, or another good slating

[Stephen1]

Oh dear - you misunderstand me. I wasn't having a poke at your spelling (that hadn't occurred to me)- I was echoing your phrase that we would 'realise' why you like them if we saw them- My view being that perhaps when you had researched a little more about their devastating effects on woodland you might 'realise' why some people here might feel less positively about them.

[Patandsam]

The spectacular display of Spring flowers and attractive evergreen leaves make Rhododendrons popular, versatile shrubs that offer multiple seasons of interest. They are excellent for use in shrub borders, foundation plantings and with smaller varieties, rock gardens. Rhododendrons truly shine when planted in groups or in woodland areas that offer filtered shade. Excellent companions for Rhododendrons include spring blooming bulbs, hellebores, hostas, bleeding Hearts, pieris, heathers and japanese maples.

I guess like marmite you either love them or hate them. How could you not like this?

[Stephen1]

I think they're beautiful -really beautiful. As a child I used to love the rhododendrons in the woods around windermere and her islands. I also think Himalayan Balsam is an attractive plant, but I've spent literally days this year pulling the wretched thing up because ecologically it's a real problem - and unfortunately Rhododendron ponticum is a real problem as well. I won't foist anything upon you that clearly isn't welcome but if you do want any links or refs. please let me know.

[oldclaypaws]

Welcome Pam and Sam

Your Rhodos look stunning Pam, in the right place they are spectacular. Its not widely known that before the Ice age they were a British native and covered wide areas. They can spread rapidly though so you might want to restrict them to the formal areas and give other wild plants a chance in the rest of your woods- bluebells and ransoms for example, which are also very pretty.

I grew up in the Lakes at Bassenthwaite and it is an amazing place, always changing. It must be fantastic to able to paddle in a lake or go for a row whenever you want. Sounds like you must be very good at what you do, one up from Fawlty Towers then.

When I bought my Chainsaw (A Stihl), its a manufacturers condition that the retailer shows you how it works, starting, where to put the oil and the right mix. Not sure you'll get that from Tesco, and they can be pretty dangerous, so as the others said Sam should try to get some tuition, false legs are not the best fashion accessory. If you have leaning trees it might be an idea to get a winch and pull them down before cutting, they are the most dangerous- I know someone who was seriously injured cutting a leaning willow from behind, it split and sprang back, crushing his chest. He's not worked since.

As someone who is not the main earner in the household, I have great respect for women who make successful careers, it would be a better more peaceful world if they ran it. Nice to have a girl on the forum who gives as good as she gets.

[Dexter's Shed]

go for the tesco one, what's the worst that can happen
at least it costs more than my 20" imported widow maker, so it must be better, short clip of mine in action, points to note; I've stopped smoking since the making of this health & safety video, I'm wearing most of the PPE, but not all, and most importantly, I'd already worked out an escape route, leading away from where I thought the tree would go, yes I know you would normally cut closer to the ground, but I wanted to use the stump as a chair, to sit and contemplate life and the use of all my limbs

http://youtu.be/3k3l8umnv2c

[Patandsam]

They can spread rapidly though so you might want to restrict them to the formal areas and give other wild plants a chance

Thankyou Stephen 1 and OCP for some appreciation of our favourite shrubs. What none of you would have known is the trouble we have had with to put it bluntly, dirty old men. A public footpath crosses the site from one corner, across the drive and down to the far shore. Its popular, but despite a low fence and big signs saying residents only, there are people who will try to wander nearer the house to have a look. When weather permits we do aerobics, tennis, jogging, strapless sunbathing, pilates, swimming and whatever else we fancy. Even though the Rhodos provide a great screen, we have found persons of the male gender lurking in the bushes next to the exercise area. Its pathetic and really gets our back up. We get people walking down the drive past the clear 'no walkers' graphic sign asking to use the toilets, and have even had a group of Asians came into the dining room and held their hands up wanting to be served. That was actually pretty funny, they clearly didn't understand a word and when we politely ushered them off the table they thanked us and sat down at another. It took ages to try and make them understand we weren't a public restaurant. Worst are the Yachtsmen, but thats another saga. We have a wonderful set up, but the screening provided by the Rhodos is our best protection from these DH's.

I'll make sure Sam gets proper Chainsaw training. We have a tractor and will pull down leaning trees before cutting them, thanks for that. Hope your friend eventually recovers OCP.

[Landpikey]

Welcome to the forum. Your woodland sounds wonderful. Good luck with whatever you decide to do with it. You bought it, you are looking after it and if you want certain trees/bushes in it then go for it. However, if you were to ask for an opinion on Rhodies....... hmmm!

You will certainly get a broad spectrum of replies on here so please don't immediately jump in and give them what for. I haven't come across any trolls on here and if people are taking the time to comment then they must have something they would like people to hear (even if you do disagree with it!!). There are always at least 2 sides to an argument and even more sides to a friendly discussion. Like someone on here has said; post, wait, read and then decide how it best works for you.

Regarding the chain saw - if it's got a CE mark and being sold by a reputable retailer then you are as covered as you ever will be. I agree that the professional makes may tend to last longer but as you have enough on your hands running the rest of the establishment I doubt you would ruin the McC anytime soon anyway. Clearing paths for people to enjoy the walk around would probably be a perfect job for it (Plus you have the tractor for pulling over the ones you aren't confident to tackle yourself).The deciding factor when I chose one was where I could get it serviced properly. Perhaps there is a willing semi amateur out there who would clear ones for you if they were allowed to take the wood home for logs? I have a Jonsered saw at the moment as it was bought for chopping up the rafters on the house. The local dealer has an established business now and has now become a dealer for Husqvarna so that is the brand I will go with. Purely as he is 4 miles from me. If I buy off the internet I would get it cheaper but I wouldn't be able to pick it up in the shop and see how it fits me and what 5.8kg (plus bar and chain) feels like to hold. He is also willing to give advice so for me - he is the man.

As to the "dirty old men" there are various discussions on here for trail cams. Mounted high enough up out of harms reach and with 2 or 3 covering each other to prevent vandalism, with signs up stating that there is CCTV operating in the area, you may put off most of them from hanging around.

Good luck with your venture and the woodland.

When you decide that you've had enough of trying to make a profit and want to host (for free ) a load of forumites and show us around your wood - please bear in mind that I asked first