What do you call a rabbit with no ears?

Visitors to Hill Top will have noticed our resident population of rabbits in the orchard adjacent to the garden. Contrary to popular belief, they are real wild rabbits and they are free to come and go as they please and as long as they don't stray into the garden, we pretty much leave them alone. Over time they have grown used to our visitors and are happy to browse on the grass just a few feet from the fence and the camera-clicking tourists.

Just recently a new addition to the warren has caused a bit of a stir..

Anyone seen my ears?

Notice anything unusual about about this little chap? That's right, he's got no ears! Here's a close up view

Aaaaah!

I don't know if he was born without his ears or if he lost them in an unfortunate accident but it doesn't seem to bother him and the other rabbits treat him just the same.
Thinking about it, I haven't seen him for a while, perhaps he's gone off on an adventure to find his lost ears? Cue for a book anyone?

We've had some lovely sunny dry weather recently and the garden is looking great, even the veg garden is coming good (slugs hate dry weather). Crops of strawberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries have been gathered in and my long suffering runner beans are two-thirds of the way up their poles.

Runner beans

The main borders are a riot of colour and the roses on the new trellis are in full bloom.

High summer

We recently heard that the gardeners at Mottisfont had drawn up a rose garden inspired Spotify playlist. Not to be outdone, and with much better taste in music(!) I managed to come up with a Hill Top top 20 with some tracks relating to the garden and others to the little book characters. We're releasing it in two parts so my musical link this time is actually 10 tracks..don't say I'm not good to you! the link is here.

Bye for now.


Words and pictures by Pete the Gardener.