Spring is here in the watermeadow… We have been planting more seeds with the help of our resident horse Toffee, she has been doing a great job!

Many of the plants and trees we planted last year are blooming beautifully. Lots of the corn field plants we sowed last year have re-seeded themselves and are going to make an appearance.

Early blossoms are essential to get bees and butterflies up and running with pollen (for protein) and nectar supplies, even the humble dandelion (often sprayed and killed as a weed) is vital to these precious species!

After an inspection of the meadow on Friday we have planned some more invasive work into re-flooding the meadow later in the year. We hope to drop the level of the meadow further to encourage overspill from the river to pool there. We have removed the drains from the meadow placed there some 20 years ago and the ground has since sunk naturally but we think it needs further help. We have also allocated the positions for planting 2 small copses of native trees.

The sandmartin bank has been seriously eroded by the weather and will need the pipes re-seating but we have had a large colony of bees move in around the pipes – so we will have to wait!