life
COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING
countryside news
what to look out for
COMPILED BY:
TONY RIDD
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Bluebells
Bluebells are one of the best known of all our
native wild flowers. They carpet open glades
and recently coppiced areas in woodlands as
well as being scattered along hedge-banks
and old pasture. They have a violet blue
flower, with an odd one or two amongst the
pack often being white or pink. Their strong
scent can often fill the air on still days and
evening times.
back to nature
A countrymans diary
I often talk about colours in the
countryside, and this is the time of year
our colour explosion really gets going.
Expect to see every colour you can think
of and then many more. Between birds,
animals and flowers there is probably an
infinite colour chart for us to choose from.
Our winter work is all but over and it’s
just a matter of finishing up a few jobs.
Weed control around the many trees and
hedges we have planted now takes priority.
Over the last couple of years a lot of our
hedges and
many of
the smaller
woodland
plantings
have been
mulched with
woodchip
that we have produced. For those not
mulched we generally use a glysophate
based weed killer, sprayed carefully around
the base of each plant to control any grass
or weeds. This helps the shrubs and trees
to establish more quickly, benefiting from
unrivalled water and nutrient availability.
Birds have a habit of nesting anywhere
that suits them, so extra care must be
taken when moving around the garden,
workshops or shed. Any ledge, crevise or
pot is a potential home so be prepared to
share your space, at least until the young
have left the nest.
Island Life - www.isleofwight.net