Meadow Area

 

Richard Bell's Wild West Yorkshire nature diary, Tuesday, 12th June, 2007

dockcow parsleyWHAT EVER I DO, to my little meadow area – clear, plant with a crop of swedes (rutabagas) to lower soil fertility, re-seed – it always seems to be the docks (left) that grow most prolifically. Never mind, I like drawing docks, but if I want some of the more colourful meadow flowers to grow, I’m going to have to weed the docks out one-by-one or, more simply, give the area another mowing, putting the trimmings on the compost heap in order to lower the fertility of the meadow and so encourage a greater variety of wild flowers.

small whiteSmall white

This looks like a weedy version of cow parsley (right, with sketch of speckled wood sunning itself on the hedge nearby) but I guess that it is smaller than average because I mowed the area a few weeks ago.

Yorkshire Fogwasp and flyWith a crimson wash to the seed-head and a fine velvet down on the sheaths clasping the stem, I’d say this grass is Yorkshire Fog, Holcus lanatus.

citronella candleWe ate out on the patio this evening, with a citronella candle to discourage any midges.