March Notes 2015

by David Tidmarsh - 16:00 on 13 March 2015

Spring is finally here, even though the weather at times is reluctant to show it.

The first signs of the Blackthorn flowers seemed later for some reason this year. It is well named Blackthorn as without its foliage it is drab, dark and very thorny but it is quite stunning as the early white flowers emerge to shout out Spring is here! good news for early Honey bees as they start their search for blossom and pollen after their winter rest. We will be soon checking out the hives to see which ones have survived and which haven't.

I know the odd time I checked on them as I was planting young trees nearby, the strong winds did blow the lid off one of the hives and I just hope it was an empty spare hive that we had, only time will tell.

This Autumn I seemed to have been a little bit better organised than usual as we seem to have been able to get a good amount of trees transplanted out of the nursery and into planned areas around the Village. Normally the  Winter period is the busiest time for conservation projects, either replanting or cutting old trees down all to be done during the dormant period and before birds start to nest. Hopefully Spring and Summer will be a time to stroll around and enjoy the work we have done during the Winter months.

I have just photographed some dwarf daffodils in our garden and they are delightful, daffodils around the Village are about to emerge as I write but by the time you read these notes they will probably be passed their best.

Cherry blossom should be the next thing to brighten up the place followed hopefully by a good flush of flowers from the Apple and Pear trees.

The Conservation Group have just completed our last Willow Spiling task of the season, this was a stretch near the Floaters Mill bridge on the east side, to protect the footpath from further erosion. Willow stakes are hammered into the edge of the path and willow branches are woven between these stakes with the lower part pushed into the soil to help them root; this if successful stops the bank sides eroding into the Burn. It is quite narrow this footpath so we need to protect it or we loose it.

The Group also successfully replaced the handrail on the footbridge below Sydney Street which links the two Villages, very popular for dog walkers.

We have had a very calm Winter with hardly any snow to complain about in our area, only time will tell if this is detrimental to crop production in our gardens Bad winters sometimes control the number of pests that survive to give us problems in the Spring, but you can only take what life throws at you and get on with things the best that you can.

So lets hope we have a glorious Summer to look forward to. Ken

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