Jarn Mound and Wild Garden, 21st April 2018

By Andrew -
Spring has sprung, and we were out in force to finish tidying the Arthur Evans Garden at the foot of Jarn Mound. This was the damage caused by the heavy snowfall at Christmas. Chainsaws had earlier in the week cut down any dangerous trees and broken branches and we dragged all this to the bonfire site. We rescued some of the flowering twigs to take home, as it seemed a shame to throw them onto the fire. There is still more to do, but we look forward to helping Oxford Preservation Trust another day.

In the meantime, walking through the woodland with our loads it was a pleasure to notice the many wild flowers now in bloom.  The ground is sprinkled with the star like flowers of the Vinca in blue, white and purple. There was even a clump of stunning dark mauve hellebores and one of snakeshead fritillaries. The banks are covered in primulas and in the sunnier patches cowslips and forget-me-not.  

In the boggy area near the bonfire site the lodden lilies are in flower, and are likely spread further. We can also look forward to seeing flag irises pushing through in the ponds later. The bluebells are also just beginning to flower and will be a carpet of blue, here and on other sites on Boars Hill in a week or two.

As an addition to our work on the wild flower patch on Easter Saturday, James and I put the sign up today to mark the site.  The area is still clear of nettles, but around the tree where we fixed the sign, the nettles are growing apace. While this could be a good thing, my ankles are truly stung.
-Ursula


Tea break.

Lodden Lillies.

The bonfire.

Cowslips and Forget-me-not.

Sign for the wild flower patch.



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