ariel view of the siteSeven volunteers worked at the orchard today in a productive session that included several different tasks.
We erected three bird boxes that had been made by pupils at Dixons City Academy. These pupils had also made some insect homes using dock, willowherb and loosestrife stems from the orchard placed in recycled plastic bottles.These, and a couple of shop bought ladybird and bee homes, have been secured in sunny spots.
Last summer the grass areas were not mowed very often and as a result there has been a significant increase in ground elder. We hope a stricter regime of mowing will bring it back under control. We also made a start on general weeding of vegetable beds and around the trees.
The plums and greengage were in full blossom and the pears just starting.
The afternoon was very sunny and we saw comma, orange tip and small tortoiseshell butterflies.