My walk around the Green comes at the time of the year when the hours of daylight are equal to the hours of darkness. It seems no time at all since we were celebrating midsummer day in June.
So far this year there have not been many completely still days. A wet winter, followed by a patchy spring with cold nights and chill winds from the northwest put spring growth back to a start/stop, reducing leaf and blossom development. This in turn had its affect on the insect life, which again meant a reduction in blossom fertilisation.
Plant life did not really get underway until late May, when at last we had warmer nights and longer hours of daylight. Likewise with our avian friends, the fledging of young birds was also delayed.
The forces of nature have caught up with the growth by producing a vigorous rush of soft spring growth, which is tender and vulnerable in the high winds that seem to be with us for four days out of every seven! Despite all these challenges, the Green seems to be coping quite well. The understory (floor level) shows prolific growth of bramble, hazel, hawthorn, bay, field maple, willow and yew seedlings. The gaps in the high canopy created by felling our infected Ash trees, are rapidly being replaced by the spread of the adjacent Oak and Sycamore trees.
The formal all weather paths are holding up well, with the informal paths being created as the wet areas are avoided by our faithful visitors. This provides time for other paths to grow over again, which is good to see.
Sadly, we have had a few visitors this year who have not been so kind to our beautiful little woodland. The Trustees are very grateful to the Guardians and other regular visitors, who like us, treasure this haven of peace and work hard to keep it litter free.
Over the next three months, the light values will drop by three minutes each day up until the December solstice, when we shall have a little under seven hours of daylight. However, our compensation will be the amazing array of autumnal colours! Nature’s wonderful autumn pallet!
Ian Jefferies
Guardian of the Green
(Retired Trustee and Consultant)
