Wellies and Walkies

The month us gardeners yearn for is finally here and it has been a rather soggy start. My wellies are needed once again, but this time for walks with Rosie in the rain.

Rosie and I pass through the allotments on our walks, we have a little look and sniff around (Rosie does the sniffing) before leaving to go on other adventures. I noticed the ground saturated with standing water on many of the plots, which comes as no surprise.

Even though it’s far too wet to do any work on the allotment my raised beds are coping well with the excess water.

The track into the allotments will need topping with shingle or crushed hardcore again, we usually do this during our working parties.

Onwards through the big gate we continue our walk and visit the nature reserve, I feel so lucky to have this right on my doorstep.

The community nature reserve is owned and managed by our village parish council. Local schoolchildren, residents and volunteers have planted several specimen trees of Oak and Sweet Chestnut around the site. They have also planted hedges and smaller trees and shrubs such as Rowan, Crab Apple, Wayfaring Tree, Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Cherry, providing valuable food and cover for birds, mammals and insects.

Bird and bat boxes have been erected in some of the mature trees to encourage breeding.

The wood sculptures in the nature reserve were designed and created in 2009 by a local chainsaw artist together with the children of the village lower school. The images, words and poetry incorporated are those of the children.

They describe how the children feel about our village, the countryside around us and the River Great Ouse that is such an important feature of the village.

River Great Ouse runs alongside the nature reserve, there are otters and other wildlife to see if you are lucky enough to spot them.

Heading for home we pass back through the allotments.

One tired but happy little dog!