October

 I write this on the day the clocks have gone back by an hour. Light for working in the churchyard will naturally be less with the shorter days but we will gain some light as the trees shed their leaves this Autumn and this will be a major part of our November work sweeping and keeping the paths through the churchyard clear. Despite rainy days this month has been good, work has continued clearing away and planting up, most of the areas between the gravestones in the lower churchyard are choked with grass which leaves little scope for anything to grow. Carefully clearing these areas is a painstaking job carefully saving bulbs and other plants, where there are no flowering plants we will be filling in with varieties that will spread and flower. The first picture is one such area carefully cleared and planted up with several Geum variety Banana Daiquiri. On the far side to the right of the main or West door grass on the bank has been raked to remove accumulated thatch, and expose the soil. Yellow Rattle seeds have been sown which will hopefully germinate and spread providing a source of pollen. Yellow Rattle is parasitic on grass roots so hopefully it will establish.