Sycamore seedlings and Alliums

 

Today is the last day of March 2023, February was quite dry and March has certainly redressed the balance and has been very wet something you really atune to working outside. Despite the odd damp Saturday morning work has continued planting up where we can, last Autumn we potted up quite a number of various Allium varieties overwintering them outside in a cold frame, these have now been planted up next to the top of the path leading to Church Street South and if the foliage is anything to go by we should be in for a spectacular display in a month or so. 

Whilst working in the churchyard we have been struck by the overabundance of Sycamore seedlings, there are literally hundreds of them in the grass and every nook and cranny. This is a fair indication that last year was a 'mast' year where a tree puts a huge amount of energy into seed production, 2020 was a mast year for our native Oak according to The Woodland Trust so it would appear 2022 was a similar year for Sycamore. 

February

 February is not my favourite month, Winter always seems reluctant to release its grip however the mornings are slowly getting lighter earlier and buds are appearing on bushes etc. On the plus side the snowdrops in the churchyard are quite frankly

stunning. Lovely clumps of fresh green leaves and crisp white bells of flowers, a real treasure on any day be it bright or dull. On the maintenance and gardening side of things we continue tidying and planting, over sixty bluebells in the green have been planted in a freshly prepared area at the top of the Churchyard, the new dead hedge is finished and a composting area has been  created to pile up our jute bags of collected dead leaves. There is a sense of satisfaction in tidying and organising in an ecologically considerate way.