Wildflowers in the Overflow Cemetery
We’re getting ready to sow wildflower seeds along the eastern edge of the overflow cemetery. Upton Parish Council, the landowner, has given the go-ahead for us to carry out a trial sowing this year. We’ve raked out moss and scuffed up the grass (which tends to throttle wildflowers), and we’ll be scattering seed soon.
The mix we’re using contains flowers and grasses including oxeye daisies, field scabious and black medick.
Don’t expect too much in the first year though. In spite of all the preparation the soil will probably still be too fertile for wildflowers to do well. Fingers crossed that’ll come in successive years.
The grass won’t be cut again until the flowers have bloomed and produced seeds.
If the experiment is successful we’ll look at extending the sowing area next year, and maybe planting a hedge to give the space some definition and character.
Chilton Road Closure
As well as giving traffic-free access to the Hagbourne track and beyond, the closure of Chilton Road is proving to be a great wildlife haven. Badgers are active in the hedge, and there are increasing numbers of bird species to be seen. Yellowhammer, reed bunting and firecrest have all put in appearances in the last few weeks. You can check the full list of species on iRecord (www.brc.ac.uk/irecord) – search for ‘Chilton Road survey’.
We’ll be liaising with Wild Oxfordshire and Sustrans to look at how we can make the hedgerow and verges even better wildlife habitats.
Wildlife Garden Competition
We’re launching our search for the most wildlife-friendly gardens in the area on 1st May! The competition is part of our project to support the local owl population.
Our website has ideas and inspiration for wildlife gardening at www.hugsustainability.org/wildlifegardening
Kieron