Himalayan Balsam is the pretty purple and white flower that now floods the lower fields, growing through bramble and nettle and under the trees on the plantation. It is phenomenally invasive as the seeds can be flipped 5 metres from the 2.5m high parent by a clever explosive spring mechanism.…
An amazing crew of 18 volunteers turned out on Sunday 16th April, even under grey skies and damp conditions. The invading brambles in the main entrance field were tackled again to expose the struggling bluebells that used to thrive here. A large portion of the cuttings was piled to define…
It was a beautiful bright day for cutting back the Rhododendron ponticum in the southern woods and using the unwanted branches to shield the woodland areas where thousands of bluebells and daffodils are on their way through. With 26 volunteers Ian led the way. Rhododendrons were planted more than a…
Sunday 15 Jan saw an impressive 20 volunteers assemble at the Lodge gate entrance for our first monthly Conservation event of 2023. Undeterred by the (accurate) forecast of heavy showers, the group split up into teams which battered brambles, cleared paths, lifted litter and cut back invasive rhododendrons near the…
Sunday October 16th saw an intrepid group of more than 25 volunteers of all ages bravely tackle the ‘jungle’ of the Middle Field. In the spring we planted 20 fruit trees on the Middle Field. Months later these have almost vanished under a profusion of nettle, bramble and goose-grass. It…
This was an event of two halves, beginning at the wildflower beds on the top field and finishing by the Champion tree, the variegated oak. Both areas needed attention and a fine gang of volunteers turned up to do the job. The wildflower beds had been beautiful earlier in the…
We have a problem at Childall Woods and Fields. The fields are slowly turning into woodland. We have to strike a delicate balance between a wild place and a managed space in order to achieve the varied habitat that is so important to the fauna and flora of the site.…
17th July 2022 A special event was scheduled to take place in the woods and fields this week. There was to be a special event with children from Henshaws, an organisation supporting people with sight loss and a range of other disabilities. To ensure the safety of this group, our…
Maintenance and Conservation Event, Sunday 19th June 2022 With the planting season coming to an end a final push was given to get the last trays of wildflowers into the top field. Our wonderful volunteers showed up as usual with dibbers and trowels and the last trays of wildflowers were…
Setch. Cowslip. Ragged Robin. Knapweed. Greater Burnet. What a fantastic collection of wildflower plugs to get growing on our top field. And what a fantastic and varied crew to plant them on Sunday afternoon. About 24 volunteers this week. Some were planted in long grass in straight rows Some planted…