Soapwort and Foxes

Young foxes in the garden

  

Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) is a wild flower I have had for over 30 years.  It blooms from June to October and is not loved by slugs or snails (although some of the information says it is) so is very useful in my garden. It's a perennial, about 3ft tall and was given to me by my son-in-law when I first moved in here. It is white, sometimes a bit pink.. 

Soapwort

My soapwort used to be white but has turned pink this year

Soapwort contains saponins which with water create a soft lather. It can be used as a heavy-duty household cleaner (though I have never tried it). Put 2 cups of freshly picked and chopped soapwort leaves, stems and/or roots into two pints of water. Boil the water, add the soapwort and cover the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes, allow to cool then strain it through a clean kitchen cloth. It sounds pretty easy. 
I enjoy it in the garden and the slugs really haven't been interested in it. 

Fox asleep by the pond

The foxes, or rather one fox, seems to have taken my garden as its daytime place. I never feed it - there is plenty to eat in the garden without any help from me - and I am careful to allow no space where it can make a den. But it does like to lie on the roof of the shed where it can survey the land around it safely. Every now and then, another fox comes and plays with it. 

Two foxes playing together

I think they must be too young to have cubs, perhaps they will have them next year. 

Young fox in my garden

When it is on its own, it would like to make friends, but always rushes off when I get too near. I prefer the foxes to cats although I was not happy when this one caught three frogs in a week and left them uneaten lying around. I have now covered one side of the the pond with plastic netting and hope that will protect the frogs. 

I might find a way to make it less obvious!