Nature Blog by Jenny Bourne

I’m past talking about the relentless heat and lack of rain that’s now put most of England into drought conditions, so I’m talking about green manures today!

Another heatwave, with temperatures in the low 30os for the past week, no rain forecast for another week with strong breezes today, welcome for Wimbledon men’s finalists today perhaps but drying up the allotment beds even more. The recently planted cosmos, zinnia, sunflower and other annuals are wilting in Pollinator Patch and Crab Apple Corner and plans for next year’s planting scheme will definitely feature drought tolerant

As it’s been so punishingly hot and humid over the past week or so I’ve not been going up to the plot except very early in the morning or very late in the evening to escape the extreme and uncomfortable heat. But there are always quite a few Large Whites and sightings of Peacocks, Red Admirals, Meadow Browns and the occasional Tortoiseshell around the plots that have flowers growing in them.

Rain at last for ‘flaming June’! So very welcome to replenish our water sources and provide our crops and flowers with much needed water.

Matt has reported that that yet again birds have successfully nested and fledged young in his shed, this year a pair of robins – it’s evidently the des res ‘go to’ location for our allotment songbirds!