Upton Nature Garden is many things for man people: a haven for local wild plants and animals;
an adventure for kids to discover, a sanctuary for reflection under the trees; a picnic spot; a visual
feast through the seasons; an opportunity to burn off those calories (or eat cake) at the working
group meet-ups. All are welcome to explore, rest or just walk through on their way to the play park.
After three years the nature garden is maturing nicely. To date the Upton Nature Group has been
successfully holding ad hoc working parties to carry out the relatively low amount of maintenance
required to keep nature in balance and broaden the range of habitats and local native species that
live there. We encourage people to pop in and work on the garden at their own convenience. We’re now
proposing three new initiatives:
1. A regular schedule (weather permitting) for working parties at which all are welcome on the
3nd Sunday of the month April – Oct to do regular “garden exercise”. We hope this will help
volunteers new and old to plan ahead;
2. A quarterly program of family-focused nature activities to seed the new generation;
3. Contacting local schools and community groups to tell them about the Upton Nature
Garden.
There were two volunteer working sessions and a family nature activity during April. The Easter
family nature activity included ” bird spotting on your phone” using Merlin (the Cornell University
bird song recognition app). This helped us to identify a wide range of birds active within the
garden on Easter Sunday: robin, wren, great tit, blue tit, blackcap, goldfinch, dunnock, wood
pigeon, chiffchaff and possibly a black redstart, though the latter being unusual in the UK would
have needed a visual confirmation to be sure.
We also cleared the bark chipping pile from outside the Nature Garden andused some of it to renew
the paths through the woodland and to mulch under the edible hedge. The remainder was moved next
to the nut tree bank ready for the May Green Gym session. Through April we’ve seen a great display of snakes head fritillary in the meadow – over 50 were counted in mid April – big clumps of cowslips and widespread native English bluebells.
The mulching of the woodland near the mound done last year to reduce competition from grass has really
paid off this spring with the numerous English bluebells flowering in this area now. The wild flower meadow perennials made a great showing last year and their leaves are looking strong again this year despite the very dry March; we’ve sown new poopy and corn marigold annuals to enrich the colour mix this
summer. Pray for some April showers to help them germinate and grow!
We’d love to hear from groups interested in making use of the nature garden – al fresco wine tasting, forest bathing, or an outdoor classroom venue are a few ideas. Contact either Kathryn o Francoise for more information.
All of this has been provided at no cost to the parish, as all the creation and maintenance has been funded by grants and local donations. We encourage the use of the nature garden by all – walk through, explore, enjoy.

The nature garden, if you haven’t heard of it, is a small, natural oasis for people, animals and plants
in the heart of the village, at the back of the Village Hall.
It’s 3 years, give or take, since work began. Take a stroll around it now, and you’ll see a decent
hedgeline, flourishing ferns and shrubs, and at long last a good clutch of bulbs. The dogwoods,
which haven’t done much until now, are suddenly thick enough to add strong yellow and red to the
muted winter tones. It’s an encouraging glimpse of what the garden will be like when it ‘grows up’.
You may have noticed the woodchip at the bus stop gate. It was donated by a local tree surgeon a while
back, but it’s been too wet to shift much of it onto the paths where it’ll help suppress the grass. If you
have an hour spare (and a wheelbarrow) it’d be lovely to see the pile go down.
Last year we spread plenty of mulch on the woodland beds. This did a good job of keeping
down the grass, especially on the mound, but elsewhere it’s proving quite formidable. Again, if
you have a spare moment to weed around a dozen or so plants it’ll reduce competition for nutrients
and moisture.
Plans for this coming year are deliberately low key: to make sure the plants we put in last spring get
established. Occasional weeding, watering if dry. Feel free to fill up the can at the big butt and give
any thirsty plants you see a drink!
On a financial note, the nature garden continues to be funded by grants we received from TOE and our
county councillor, plus donations from local businesses. We hope you enjoy it!

We had a great turnout for the planting party in April. Thanks to the merry
dozen who took the time to find homes for 120 new shrubs, perennials, ferns
and grasses, not forgetting the additional help to trailer the plants from
here to there, bake delicious cake and cookies, pay invoices, and give
advice! It really does take a village.
My early-20s nephew came along and he summarised the experience as
follows:
“Everyone was very friendly and I had a lovely day in the sun. It’s nice to
know I did something for the community and I look forward to returning in
the future.”
No money changed hands obtaining this review, promise!
A quick recap
In case you haven’t been on www.nature-garden.co.uk or seen the info
board in the garden, here’s a potted history:
• in 2021 villagers got together to create a space for nature by the village
hall, on the site of the old toddler playpark; the Parish Council made the
land available.
• all the funds for clearing, constructing, materials and planting came
from donations and grants
volunteers from the village and beyond have done all the maintenance work
at quarterly working parties
Recent improvements
This year we’ve addressed the lack of ‘water features’ by adding a goodsized water butt and a small waterpoint to attract birds and
insects. Inspired by a visit to RHS Hyde Hall we also put up some willow
structures to draw the eye. And, as previously mentioned, we invested in a
batch of new shade-tolerant plants, variously berry-bearing, evergreen,
flowering and wildlife-attracting to improve our year-round colour and
interest. See the full list on the website.
Plans for this summer and beyond
We’re hopeful of a good wildflower display along the lines of last year’s. It
won’t be the ‘pictorial meadow’ that most illustrations show, because we
haven’t resown with a seed mix including annuals – that has a hefty price
tag and involves disrupting the soil. Still, we’re likely to get masses of
insect-friendly daisies, wild carrot, buttercup. selfheal and red campion,
among others. It’ll be a magnet for butterflies, bumblebees, moths,
crickets, voles and other meadow species. In July it’ll be scythed off in
sections.
The orchard is growing really well. When there’s a dry period of course
we’ll need to keep the fruit trees watered. If you fancy helping, just fill a
watering can from the butt as you wander past and empty it on the mulch
around the trunk. (The mulch helps retain the moisture.)
In the woodland area the mound is looking especially green and lush at the
moment. Over time we’d like the whole of the central area were the
mound is to be free from grass so the frens and other plants can thrive. To
achieve this we need more woodchippings so if you’re having broadleaf
tree work done, please encourage the arborists to drop the chips by the
bus shelter.
Feeling nimble-fingered?
One of the volunteers suggested that we could include a couple of small
hazel and willow-work hides or dens for small people in our plans. So
anyone with weaving skills who fancies taking this on would be very
welcome.
Thanks again to all volunteers, supporters, and contributors. I hope you
find time in the coming months to enjoy a stroll through the garden or
some moments of peace and calm on the banana bench.
Kieron – On behalf of the nature garden volunteers

Someone once made the claim that the single best thing you can do for
wildlife is provide a pond. This gets repeated all over the shop, but I haven’t
been able to find the actual, ahem, source. Not that it sounds too barmy;
doesn’t everything need a drink now and again? Anyway, we’ll be able to test the
theory ourselves: with the help of Nate and Jemma Dyson (see pictures)
we’ve just installed a water point in the nature garden. It’s a wide dish
with stepped sides set into the ground so creatures of all sizes can use it.
Although not big enough for plants or fish, it’ll give bugs and birds a
reliable water station – and maybe amphibians and mammals will stop for
a sip too. I learn from Dave Goulson’s book ‘The Garden Jungle’ that water
boatmen, pond skaters and water beetles can all fly, so we may get some true
pondlife into the bargain.We can keep the water point topped
up with unchlorinated water now that the butt is rigged and filling (thanks
to Luke James and UVHAT). If you’re ever passing and see the level in the
dish has dropped, feel free to use the watering can by the butt to replenish.
Besides putting in the mini pond, volunteers have given the wildflower
meadow its annual chop. As you’d expect after its cut (essential to
prevent grasses dominating) it’s looking somewhat dowdy, but still
attracting lots of wildlife. The disgruntled residents of a bee’s nest turned
out to protest when we started raking off the straw, and the area is teeming
with crickets, beetles, worms and woodlice. We’ll do some selective grass
removal and re-seeding in the next few weeks.
Other upcoming tasks include cutting back the hedge plants to encourage
them to bush out more. Plus weeding and mulching the perennials. If you’d
like to be involved and don’t yet receive volunteer mailings, please drop a
line to kieronhumph@gmail.com

Kieron

The grass is high, there’s elderflower in the air and the swallows are
swooping – the hallmarks of a classic Oxfordshire summer. In the nature
garden one villager has noted a good display of ox-eye daisies, viper’s
bugloss, campion and purple loosestrife. The roses, irises and honeysuckle
are blooming too. Also spotted: cherries on the tree Caroline planted for
Kit.
We’ve been asked by the PC to say whether the garden ‘is where it should
be in terms of appearance and plant development’. Interesting question.
We planted according to a design drawn up by a professional
horticulturalist, using plans and some computer renderings of what the
garden might look like in a few years. You can see them on the nature
garden website (www.nature-garden.co.uk). You can also see a fab bit of
tech magic courtesy of Brian, showing how the site looked before we began
the transformation and how it looks now. I think that’s a fair reflection of
where we are. But it’d be great to hear from you, especially if you’d had
different expectations of the nature garden, so we can feed back views
from everyone.
And while we’re talking about the garden’s genesis, it’s worth remembering
that every penny spent on the garden [£6,700], including all materials,
plants, trees and equipment has been covered by grants or donations.
Creating and maintaining the space has been entirely down to our excellent
and enthusiastic volunteers. Thank you.
Which brings me to:
Working party on Saturday 1 July, 10am
Please join if you can for a maintenance session – plenty of light tasks
available or heavier jobs if you fancy a workout.
All ages and abilities welcome. Cake and drinks.
We look forward to seeing you if you have any time to spare.
Kieron Humphrey

After the long, dry winter, the rain has certainly perked up the plants in
the nature garden. Daffs, hellebores and cowslips are all in abundance. As
inevitably are the weeds and grass, so it’s time for the spring spruce-up.
Working party on Saturday 1 April, 10am
If you could spare an hour or so from 10am this Saturday we’d love your
help to:
 weed around the trees and perennials
 get the wildflower meadow raked and ready for sowing
 reapply mulch to the hedge plants to suppress the grass
Please bring a few tools if you can. There’ll be fruit and veg (in cake form)
and hot drinks to keep everyone’s energy up.
Over the winter
Most plants have a period of dormancy in the dark months, to conserve
energy and escape the weather. This gives the garden elves time to look at
other jobs, so here are a few of the changes since November:
 another 2,000 bulbs were planted – hearty thanks to Malcolm Wright,
Julia Nehring, Ian and Judy Robertson
 a fact-filled sign now welcomes visitors near the bus shelter-end
gate, with lovely illustrations by Rob Traynor
 the original metal bench has been stripped (HT Ian Wright) and
repaired, repainted and reinstalled (huge props to Brian Rippon)
 fruit tree and hedging pruning (tvm Jo Fidgen)
We’ve also taken delivery of a large water butt (made from recycled
plastic). The aim is to start harvesting water off the village hall roof soon,
so we’re ready for any dry spells. This time last year we had some very
warm weather, so best to be prepared.
Hedging at the overflow cemetery
A hardy half-dozen volunteers turned out in February to restock the native
hedge around the as yet unused cemetery. Thanks very much Ian
Robertson, Kim Gould, Paul Batho, Kathryn Fletcher, and Duncan Reid. We
were surprised to find that relatively few plants had perished in spite of
the long hot spell last year.
Chips with everything
Mulching with wood chips is vital to conserve moisture in the soil after
planting hedging, and to suppress weeds. But it’s quite hard to source the
mulch. If you’re having tree or hedge work done, please mention to the
tree surgeon that they can drop off the shredded material at the overflow
cemetery or by the nature garden so we can take advantage. They’re
usually happy not to have to make a special journey to dispose of it.
Thanks very much for reading – and for weeding on Saturday 1 April if you
can make it!
Kieron, on behalf of the Nature Garden Volunteer

Upton Nature Garden’s first Birthday to be celebrated with a walk and talk led by Oxford Botanic Garden’s Kate Pritchard.

Sunday October 2nd 10:30 at the village hall.Continue Reading Upton Nature Garden -1st Birthday

The initial garden creation phase is complete save for commissioning the
sign.
The meadow is sown and watered. The gates into the garden are
completed and the fire escape path from the small meeting room has
been realigned to improve safety. There have regular maintenance visits

during April and May by the Nature Group members to water the new
plants and shrubs, and a volunteer day where the meadow area was
prepared for seeding and the areas around the new plantings were weeded.
A social celebration event for all the volunteers is being planned.
The five year maintenance plan for the garden is in preparation, drawing
on best practice documents from conservation and horticultural bodies.
The nature group would like to thank the Parish Council for their support
over the past year, and look forward to next.
Kathryn Fletcher

 

Full green ahead for the nature garden!
The verdict on progress in the nature garden is in! Alex Little, the
horticulturalist who kindly provided the original designs, declared it the
eighth wonder of the world, or at least I think that’s what he said. There
was a helicopter flying over at the time.
One thing Alex was unequivocally complimentary about was the volunteer
posse who came to plant up the perennials a few weeks back. He was
impressed to see so many taking part – encouraged by some glorious
sunshine!
If you’re taking a stroll in the garden, you’ll see the individual plants are
quite small, but (Alex noted) this gives them an advantage over larger potgrown specimens which may have become over-accustomed to their pot and
fail to flourish when released into the wild. Ours should develop fairly fast
as we go from spring to summer, and adapt well to their new surroundings.
Inevitably there’ll be a few failures – the gooseberries in particular seem a
bit reluctant – but in the long run we’ll have more robust stock.
Preparing the wildflower meadow
It was hard to miss the display of wildflowers outside Autumn Leaves (at the
bottom of the High Street) last year. We’re hoping to replicate that in the
nature garden. The secret? Really thorough preparation. Wildflower
seedlings can’t compete with a thick thatch of grass, so it’s important to
remove as much of the green stuff as possible. Not forgetting to bury a dung
-filled cow horn under a new moon …
To this end if you’re using a mini-digger at any point in the next few weeks
could we borrow it for an hour to level off the ground? Then we’ll be ready
to rotovate.
On 23 April we’d like your help raking the bare soil to create a very fine
tilth. If conditions are right (i.e. not too windy) we’ll be able to sow and
tread in. Come along from 10am if you can – there’ll be cake!
Signing off
The last stage of establishing the garden will involve putting in a sign, a
wooden bench, and a new gate near the bus stop. There’s also a dead hedge
under construction in the woodland section – dry sticks piled between stakes
to create extra habitat – and more mulch-spreading to do.
If you want to get involved, or have ideas for events or new features, please
email us: support@nature.garden.co.uk Otherwise, go ahead and enjoy the
space as the fancy takes you. Hopefully there’ll be lots to see and enjoy.
Kieron
On behalf of the Nature Garden Volunteers
kieronhumph@gmail.com