We've got a Snake!!

Ok, yes, we do have live ones.

But this one though isn’t an adder or a grass snake or even a slow worm. It’s a handrail. (Great name for a snake!)

How timely! Just as I get a sudden unexpected acute need for support in the garden, we get one. It was actually prompted by our feeling bad about seeing our visitors struggling to get down our steps to come and pay us or visit the loo.

And, I had for some time been thinking about how we could offer support in difficult places without getting to look institutional. It’s an ongoing challenge but the snake is our second solution. Here’s the first, in a rough track down a steep slope in the Coppice:

They look wonky but they are secure. And - not institutional, I think? I love them. They are wooden. Needing regular repainting - shame about that. Perfection is elusive.

The steps to the lawn had us puzzling over the problem for a long time. They don’t look bad from below, but they are rough and uneven,

Then someone, and it may have been Charles, had an inspiration. Well, two critical things: have a rail down the middle. We’d always been looking at the sides and that never seemed right. But yes, have something down the middle.

And then - a snake!! Who wouldn’t love to hang on to a snake to steady them down the steps? (No need to answer that - we loved the idea)

Charles searched for a local innovative and imaginative blacksmith and found Daniel. Who came to see just what we wanted. And we started working it out:

All looked possible, so Daniel went off to make it. And I sent him a snake’s head I happened to have, to help:

After a while, Daniel sent us a picture and asked if he was getting it right.

It looked very promising. And then the day came for the installation.

There it is!

And the work started, involving a huge drill, which produced these:

Daniel acquired a useful helper:

And the snake arrived:

It rained and Daniel kept going….

Until:

Wouldn’t you love a little help from such a snake?

I’m very grateful.

Anyone out there have other ideas for people supports? I’d love to hear about them.

More Marion Cran next time! Promise.

And here’s help for your garden visiting plans:

and

thinkingardens

More Eccentric Gardens in the Welsh Marches.

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October 30, 2025

It’s neglectful to write about Monmouthshire gardens without a visit to the past and to early garden visiting. The Piercefield Walks were created and largely completed by Valentine Morris, (slave owner, sorry) and were open to the public from 1752-1760: