| Next Year >> |
2011
November & December activities
4th December
We cleared beside the hedge in November and began some hedgelaying on the last workday. We started coppicing some of the field maples in the hedge so that they become bushier and do not grow too tall. Areas of long grass and nettles were cleared. At an extra task morning on the 19th December four of us tidied up the bit of hedgelaying that had been started. We were pleased with the resulting few metres of our first attempt at the skill. Must take a photograph !
October's activities
27th October
Bit of "housework" - we cleaned the pots and trays at the beginning of the month! Today, now that much of the seed collected from the meadow in August has germinated, we have pricked out many of the seedlings into pots, so hopefully they will be ready for planting out next spring. Also, Wood Anemone corms have been planted at the edge of the shrubs beside the cycleway. They should flower from March to May, adding some colour on that side.
1200 plug-plants added to the Meadow
30th September
During the hot and dry, final week of September we transplanted 1200 plug-plants of our own wildflowers into the meadow. They are perennials, which should establish during the winter and start to flower next spring and summer. Together with the similar number that we planted last year, they should make the Meadow colourful and encourage more butterflies and other wildlife.
The plants comprised:
Betony 30
Bird's-foot Trefoil 210
Black Knapweed 300
Cowslip 45
Devil's-bit Scabious 120
Field Scabious 240
Marsh Marigold 6
Meadow Cranesbill 120
Purple Loosestrife 24
Saw-wort 15
Self-heal 60
Tufted Vetch 30
8th AGM
26th September
This was held in the evening in the local pub, during which various matters were discussed. The list of the group's activities associated with the meadow during the past year can be downloaded here.
Hay cut
14th September
The hay was cut and baled by a local farmer. The grass was removed to reduce the fertility of the soil, which gives the wildflowers and finer grasses a better chance to compete with the coarser grasses. The next job is to put out the plants that we grew from seed collected from the meadow in summer 2010.
Seed collecting
7th August
As many of the wildflowers have finished flowering and the meadow will have its annual hay cut soon, we spent the morning of the workday collecting seeds from them. We will then be able to grow plants to add to the meadow next year. Seeds of Greater Knapweed, Common Knapweed, Field Scabious, Devil's-bit Scabious, Meadow Cranesbill, Yellow Rattle, Saw-wort, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Cowslip and Red Campion were collected before the heavy showers arrived. Since then the seed has been sown into trays.
Big Butterfly Count in the Meadow
25th July
Michael and Angela participated in the 15-minute Big Butterfly Count survey, recording a total of 84 butterflies of 14 species: Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Gatekeeper and Ringlet.
Wildflowers at their best
3rd July
On the hot, sunny morning of the July workday, we spent some time admiring the many butterflies fluttering over the wildflowers. See the Gallery for some photos. We then mowed some of the grass paths and cleared the encroaching stinging nettles.
Workday
14th June
We continued removing hogweed flower heads, mowing the paths, and, once the rain returned a few days later, started planting out some of the wildflowers that we had grown from seed last autumn.
Award from Civic Society
17th May
BMWG were one of eight recipients of the 2011 Conservation and Environment Awards.
Our Chairman, Michael Sammes, accepted the award in the form of a certificate from Chippenham Civic Society on behalf of Baydons Meadow Wildlife Group.
It is the first time the Civic Society has given environmental awards for wildlife-related projects at its annual ceremony. Previously these have always been for sensitive improvements to buildings and their associated grounds.
Workday
1st May
We were mowing the paths and cutting off hogweed flower heads to prevent them from seeding. If left, these plants could dominate the meadow.