Despite the challenges of pandemic times, a small number of volunteers were able to prepare and sow an area of the churchyard with wildflower seed. Some hard graft was required to rake away the thick thatch made up of grass cuttings from previous years, exposing the soil so that wildflower seeds can germinate and hopefully flourish. A new management regime will now delay grass cutting until September, allowing wildflowers to grow through the summer and drop their seed before being cut. Grass clippings will then be removed to prevent enrichment of the soil and allow the wildflowers, which thrive in nutrient-poor soils, to grow without being out-competed by the grass. It will be exciting to see the meadow develop in the spring and summer and our fingers are crossed for the success of this first step in the project.
