Henllys LNR CoVID-19 Home Wildflower Project

March 2020

Due to the CoVID-19 outbreak, several projects planned for Henllys LNR this spring and summer have had to be abandoned or postponed. However, the Henllys COVID-19 support Group gave me a chance to think about what we could do together even though we are all at home apart from each other.  from From this, the Henllys LNR Home Wildflower project was born. So far 45 different families across the area have come together to take part in transforming part of their gardens into native wildflower havens.

Map showing rough distribution of Households taking part

https://drive.google.com/open?id=19ihKs7BVbuyiE4zAyMeYB9QUi39qla52&usp=sharingI created a downloadable introductory document which helps local residents to understand what we are trying to do and contains all the recording sheets and guidance on what photos to take.
 
With help from Sammy Gawler, a local teacher, we have created a wildflower detectives series of activities to entertain and educate children at home. This work will also provide data which will be analysed by local children.

Finally, I created a "how to" document, which details how residents sow their native wildflower seeds. I also created a short practical demonstration on the principles of transforming areas of lawn into a wildflower meadow.

Links to downloads:
1. Introduction.
2. Wildflower Seed Detectives
3. How to prepare grounds and sow wildflower seeds
4. YouTube video of a practical demonstration of wildflower seed sowing

How to sow a wildflower area; an applied practical demonstration

Wildflower Seed Detectives

Oct 2018 - grass patch being dug over between my neighbour and our houses

Post-seeding and being tamped down

Same strip in June 2019

Same strip in June 2019 from above

Chamomile shark moth caterpillar (same strip) - July 2019.

Same wildflower strip (July 2019) 

Hoverfly on corncockle (same strip July 2019)

  You can view some of the wildflower areas across the project on the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HenllysHomeWildflowerGroup

21.06.11 More Balsam Pulled...Great Strides Made

Tonight we had Steve, who was out walking his dog, Kay and Isobel (who were out walking their dog) and myself pulling up more balsam. Isobel then ran home and grabbed her brother Brandon who only wanted to come out on Thursday for the planned event. Unfortunately, I have to geve a talk in Cardiff on Thursday so we went out today instead.

We started off further up towards the noticeboard today for the first hour.

From Jun 21, 2011 balsam

Following this, we went over to the burnt oak. This was a mass of balsam last year, and was also a mass this year, except around the oak itself. This must have been the edge of the spread last year and we pulled it before seeds were set. However, the area behind the oak was a mass of balsam, intermixes with bracken and bramble. We set on to this with aplomb. Moreover, we were very please to release the crab apple tree, the ash tree and the field maple from the balsam. The other trees in the area which Patricia and I cleared of brambles last year look much healthier this year too.
No organised event this Thursday, but feel free to pick up balsam as you go, or when you stop for a chat with other dog walkers.