Progress on my Hay Meadow

St Nicks Centre for Green Living YORK

I was blown away by the info that at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales they are able to use DNA barcoding to determine the identity of the pollen and nectar that bees foraged for their honey making. In fact to widen all the scientific data, the NBGW is inviting beekeepers throughout the UK to send a sample of their honey for testing . I found this out by chance as I was watching last Fridays edition of BBC Gardeners World , see on iplayer Episode 15 of 2017. Of further and for me , and more important info, is that the preliminary results show that bees have a preference for UK Native hedgerow and woodland species . They prefer Hawthorn , Gorse and Dandelions , and of the cultivated plants like Peonies, Skimmias and Muscari. If ever there was a reason to let Dandelions grow on my Allotment that is it . I've watched scores of Bees on My Echium plants , now I think a few Gorse bushes need to be planted. (can also eat Gorse buds).and I'll not agonize over my Dandelions.

Last week I went on a training course in York for the National Plant Monitoring Scheme to learn more good practice for my Plant Surveys in Filey. In this hidden green heart of York are about 10 acres of woodland and meadow and a Study Centre. It is here that if I ever turn more of my allotment into a Hay meadow I could get Scything Lessons, but for now , on  my Meadow which is 1m by 5m I think a pair of shears will suffice . I never thought that what I'd read of in Lark Rise to Candleford  or Far from the madding Crowd could be a reality . My family think Im fast becoming even more of a nerd, and now that I have been given Jennys Spinning wheel and a bag of sheepswool I imagine that the idyll will be furthered by their dreading homespun scarves as well as hay filled pillows. Worry not family!

My own meadow is doing nicely , since I  seeded it in October last. I have to keep referring to the species list in the Seed Catalogue, and weed out all the self seeded weeds. Here the irony is not lost on me. Shepherds Purse, Sow thistles and Common Knotgrass are the main culprits and easy to spot and remove , though doing this takes a lot of time on my already precious time . All the grasses look the same to me as they are growing , I need a course on Grasses and Sedges alone . There is no sign of the Darling of the Hay Meadow , Yellow Rattle as yet, but I've done a belt and braces here and bought a couple a packets of it alone ,to re sow backend .  I shall be cutting my very own Hay Meadow in a week or too when the seeds are set . 

June 17

July1st 2017

Lots of the Nectar rich plants in the Seed mix are beginning to flower now so I can identify them . Ive let the masses of Scarlet Pimpernel remain as ground cover as next year it won't stand a chance except at the plot edges . Ive already spotted the Wild Carrot, Bird Foot Trefoil , Oxe-eye Daisy and Yarrow. Im secretly hoping for some Orchids to find their way to my meadow . Filey is full of them at the moment and not just in the secret places that Botanists keep to themselves, but on lay-bys near Primrose valley, behind Filey yacht club, and best of all in peoples lawns. 

I was delighted when a friend messaged me to say she had spotted some in a neglected garden where the lawn was uncut . I took a trip up to look today, and was delighted to see them .The former owner of the garden would have been delighted too. If the house comes on the market the announcement should include that the lawn contained Wild Orchids . I would buy it .

Dear Dave

Woodmouse

I was planting a few Wallflowers in front of your Blackcurrant bushes, and weeding so that I won't let you down by a lack of tidiness on the border next to Brian's Rhubarb. You never told me about your Woodmouse. I must have disturbed her.  She kept us all interested as we quietly watched her for half an hour until she went home when we had turned to look at the Comfrey bed. The family had all arrived to inspect my new allotment  , where I am steward, and you were creator. Small boys , though I wont be able to say that for much longer , as Zak is as Tall as me now, and Reuben as verbal . They ran round the plot , up and down all the paths, saying it was brilliant, and we could have a Barbie, and the sheds are amazing . Their Dad gave them a lecture on health and safety and railway lines , and their Mum sat in one of your plastic chairs on the shed base you constructed. She was glad to sit and see their Grandmother was absorbed and occupied and their Grandfather more than happy to walk slowly to the site  and look at the view and make tea. 

Ive done quite a bit in my haphazard and yet planned manner. One bed is already sporting a 2" growth of Phacelia. It didn't rain at all for the first 12 days of my tenure. I had the pleasure of walking every evening and watering . I even had to fill the baths up , never done that in October before. 

Ive also planted a Wildflower Meadow in the bed next to the K**e .Two packets of Chiltern Seeds Special Pollen and Nectar Meadow Mixture only covered half the bed. Ive measured it now , 8 square metres, so have bought another 2 packets  and 2 packets of extra Yellow Rattle.  I'm not going to buy a Scythe or take the scything lessons I saw advertised in the Summer Edition of the Plantlife Magazine , but i'll manage my Meadow according to HRH guidelines but I'm calling it a Micro Meadow. 

Heres the list from the Catalogue

 I might ditch the Strawberries Dave! The ones on the ground I mean . I'm planning to grow more Dye Plants . The Irton manure man  John and his wife , have said I may have the wool from their Soay Sheep , and though I know it wont need to be dyed, it will get me into Spinning again  . Here I admit it was nearly 50 years since I last used a Spinning Wheel , I am planning to buy one and take lessons . Eventually !Eventually! Eventually ! I do plan to have all my Dye plants ready for when I'm proficient again and have bought in white fleece .

I'm hoping to keep my new plot in the pristine order you left it. I've tidied up my other tiny plot next door . I've finished the last 2016 cut of your Comfrey bed and tipped it into my barrel of fertiliser soup  . Im going to be very careful with the end of the plot near the Railway line and watch for MaresTail . As Bernard has managed to  mostly eradicate it from our joint plot, I will burn every bit that I see and make sure that the ground is covered to suppress it. 

So best wishes to you and Jen, wherever in the world you are now. THANK YOU  for YOUR WONDERFUL PLOT!