Monday 16 March 2015

Woodland Plants on the "Go Slow"

Each spring we keep a look out for the appearance of the cowslips, violets and other woodland plants but this year they seem to be taking their time to emerge from the leaf litter of the woodland floor.

The best we could find on the cowslip front were these specimens..

The violets didn't fare much better...

Most were struggling to get to out into the light..

However we found one clump which seemed to be doing a little better... but perhaps that was due to the mole hill pushing it up from behind...

And there were a lot of mole hills...

We produce a fine crop of moles in Braye! But obviously we're not alone. An online search revealed a very busy mole catcher based near our home in Lancashire. His web page makes interesting reading (See here)

Perhaps Colin could take the online certificate for accreditation to the Guild of British Molecatchers and we could set up in business: he could catch them and I'd make trousers and waistcoats!!

In the meantime we have a new toy to deter the little blighters...

We hope they'll die laughing!!

5 comments:

Jean said...

I thought you said your plants were being a bit shy....that multicoloured one is doing really well.......!!

Susan said...

Lots of cowslips out on the main road up to Tours today.

Colin and Elizabeth said...

Jean, that multicoloured one is a real gem! It's perennial and doesn't need any special care at all. I think we'll dig up the rest of the garden and give it over to more of those!

Colin and Elizabeth said...

Susan, I think our cowslips must be in too much shade. Either that, or they are just plain lazy!!

Tim said...

Our violets are out down by the river bank...
but, yesterday I saw a no-no colour combination...
Brimstone nectaring on a bunch of extremely dark purple violets...
the colours did not rest well together!!