This project had less than auspicious beginnings in very late 2025.
A very blustery day as Winnie the Pooh would say and the wind snatched the gate and slammed it shut in such a way that it twisted the catch jamming it shut. It had to stay that way whilst I took a trip to A&E with my dad in an ambulance. As I fixed the jammed catch the next day the wind played again, another slam and the gate post split.
So a new post and a new gate were required.
An opportunity with the new gate to create access to the garden for hedgehogs.
I asked for a hole to be left in the new gate.
For ease and as they forgot until after the gate was hung the hole is simply the bottom of one of the lats cut off.
It should be sufficient for the intended purpose, but it looks a little unintentional, like a broken bit. That nagged at me and I thought perhaps I could add a small sign over the top of the hole to indicate its purpose.
Hedgehogs welcome, so it was obvious why the gap is there.
"hedgehogs can't read" my mother pointed out. That logic did not take the idea out of my mind.
Indeed having not immediately done something simple my mind then began to Deborahize it.
Not just a sign a frame like a little doorway, with the notice over the top.
Sketched it out then being me started doodling, little plant pots and plants coming up from them and then remembered! I remembered buying a bag of little wooden shapes, there were plant pots, leaves, flowers oh even butterflies in that set. It became something more doable, and perhaps an achievable family project. Something my parents and I could do together.
A trip to the loft and a little strip of thin wood that looked promising for the frame. Found the wood shapes where I thought they were (always a wonderous win) and at the right width to go on my wooden strip.
Choosing which leaves and flowers to add, My mother took over that part of the planning. Quick photo to keep the order in mind.
Back to the loft to get the one long bit of wood into three bits as per the sketch. Glue them together.
My mother coloured in the shapes using water soluble pencils. She found it a bit frustrating as the colours on the pencil was not quite the colour that appeared.
There was a slight design deviation during the colouring process which came to light when I glued the shapes in place.
I added the words..
Then off to the loft, half a tin of clear varnish was sadly solid, the gold tinted varnish was not going to work. None to buy in the local shops so I had to order some on line.
I would note it might have been wise to check that it was going to fit the space, given I had done a quick measurement of it on a bit of brown paper. Sometimes I am not wise.
Fingers crossed then
Varnish arrived project delayed a bit more, more paternal health concerns. Then a lack of energy for clambering into the rather cold loft.
First coat on, then well its cold and a bit damp in the loft so more time for that to dry than suggested on the tin.
A couple of bright and sunny days then snow..even colder in the loft but had to go up to get the containers down to put the Christmas decorations in so second coat done. With hopes it might be dry by the time I actually get around to putting the decorations back up in the loft.
Nope still too cold for a speedy dry, but then the gate is not itself dry enough at this point for attaching the sign (which still have my fingers crossed for it fitting) and with the first named storm of the year approaching with some snow on the ground more waiting it is then.
And waiting equals contemplating, glue it on or screw it on? ?
And more snow, and rain and wind and it being very cold, so extra contemplation time.... and a TV program with David Attenborough about the wildlife in London, and people cutting holes in fences between gardens for hedgehogs and calling it a hedgehog highway . And oh, they have little signs up over the gaps saying that. So perhaps not as mad an idea as I thought.
The way the weather is going, and it is the time of year for poor weather the gate might get painted , we are onto the third named storm of the year and still in January.
As is oft the case the initial hurry hurry has become ah no rush perhaps better wait for the better weather and being able to get the gate painted first.
February comes and goes with lots more inclement weather, March comes with a couple of promising sunny days and then back to the wet weather.
even more of the hurry hurry has faded even with my mother asking about it.
April and I have the green paint for the gate, which only leaked a little bit (I bought it off the internet and some reviewers had a less successful and much wetter delivery). I am waiting foe some sunny days to dry the gate so I can paint it and for it to dry.
So sunny days, not many, but very warm and the gate is dry and perhaps enough for the paint to dry, and my brother visiting because of my Father health and my Mother decided that we should paint the fence together as he is taller and could paint the top.
.
All nice and green, now and it dried fast. Fast enough to get the sign attached. Drilled some holes, not necessarily all in the right places. Glue and tacks (which my brother had to knock in as all that painting apparently weakened my arms )
Hopefully now we have the sign up and the weather is getting better the hedgehogs will come a visiting.
And that the sign stays in place a good long time, it being a family effort in design and make and placement, and my poorly Dad managed to pop outside for a moment and provide quality control. He deemed it as quite smart looking.
Oh and it fit, crossed fingers were successful. And yes the path ended up with its share of green paint.
I expect the slugs and snails that live in our garden will be hoping the sign is a failure.
