Southern Town Park, Abingdon, Saturday 26th August

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Our main task today was to cut down the wild flower meadow, as it was the end of Summer and most of the flowers had shed their seeds. We met in the Youth Football Cub car park and made our way across the football pitches to the southern end of the park. The weather was fine and sunny but we were a little concerned by the forecast of late morning rain. Sally and Adrian set to work with their scythes. There was also litter picking to do and some Green Gymmers kindly volunteered for that task. The rest of us began raking up and transporting the vegetation to heaps under the trees. We decided to leave a small patch of corn marigold and another patch of flowers that were still in bloom. By break time, the scything of the wild flower patch was nearly done and we decided to attack some brambles on either side. We enjoyed our break, taking advantage of the nearby table and benches. The litter picking was also almost finished. In Summer, of course, some of the litter is concealed by vegetation and, as a result of the "unsettled" weather, there had been fewer outdoor unofficial gatherings - or could it be that people are getting tidier? After the break we continued raking up and also scraped some bare patches to sow some agrimony seeds and yellow rattle. Yellow rattle parasitises certain vigorous grasses, and on a wildflower meadow you need less grass and more wild flowers. We at last persuaded the scythers to cease scything so we could finish the last of the clearing up and made our way back to the car park. We had been lucky with the weather and the rain had held off.

Dieuwke and Helen litter picking.


 

Wild flower patch at start.

                                                                                




                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                             
                                     
                               A frog disturbed.                                                                               
                   Sowing yellow rattle seed.                                            

           The wild flower patch with name plate.
          






















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