May 2007
Oak apples, now to be seen in the oak tree in the woodland glen, are formed as a result of a parasitic wasp laying eggs in the new leaves of the tree.
The 'apples' have a place in English custom and for many years 'Oak Apple Day', May 29, was a public holiday commemorating the day Charles 1 hid in an oak tree in 1651 at the Battle of Worcester.
The woodland garden is producing more wildflowers each year through careful management. By not cutting the grass until late summer, it allows wildflowers to set seed and multiply.
When cutting does take place, the clippings are taken away to reduce the nutrients in the soil, so encouraging wildflowers to grow. At the moment, the area is dominated by cow parsley which is attractive but can dominate other wildlflowers.
The Friends aim to gather and dispose of its seed this year to reduce its impact.
A moorhen family has had four chicks in the east side of the Moat.
Look out for those huge feet!
Bluebells are performing very this year in the Pleasaunce's woodland glen.
But are they native ones, Spanish or hybrids. Use this guide to check
The aim of management of the woodland glen is to encourage more wildflowers by not cutting the grass to allow them to seed and, when cutting, to remove the grass to reduce the nutrient content of the soil.
Lured by abundant stocks of fish in the moat of all sizes, a cormorant has been paying regular feeding trips to the moat. This picture is one of several new ones taken by our resident photographer Jason Green. The latest include a wren catching mosquitoes, a mistle thrush, a new brood of mallard chicks, a pair of robins and a great tit set against the walls of the Pleasaunce's garden. There are now 25 bird species in his collection on this site.
One of the Pleasaunce's annual horticultural marvels, the wisteria has been in full flower, this year set off my a forest of yellow tulips.
May
The Orange Tip butterfly can be seen on the wing throughout May. The insect has a set of creamy white wings which in the case of the male has bright orange or yellow tips.
The fruit trees within the Pleasaunce act as a vital source of food for the local Tits and Robins that flit from branch to branch, picking out the insects that they need for survival.
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| Last Updated: 27th-May-2007 16:42 |
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