It's raining again today but over the Easter weekend we did have a couple of rain free, mostly dry days when walks could be taken and some garden tidying could be done. The garden wheelie bin was full. We now have to pay for collections and had done so a few weeks ago but hadn't received a sticker for the bin. It was due for collection on Tuesday and we put it out not knowing if they would take it without a sticker. Thankfully they did. The sticker arrived in the post about three hours after the bin had been emptied.
On Saturday, as the sun was out and the sky was blue we decided to walk in our local Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Reserve at Hem Heath woods. We parked at the World of Wedgwood (V&A Stoke) and had a morning coffee in the Six Towns Cafe Bar before heading into the woods.
In just a few weeks time these woods will be full of Bluebells but for now there were Lesser Celandines along the paths.
On the way to the pond we passed many trees that had been chopped down. There has been a programme of work over the winter to tackle the presence of Ash dieback disease on several of the Trust's reserves including this one.
It was sad to see so many trees had been felled. The Trust have taken down those trees considered to be a high risk to safety. Mostly along the paths.
Ash dieback is a fungal disease for which there is no cure. It was first discovered in Europe in 1992 in Poland and reached the UK in 2012. Symptoms of the disease are dead branches, blackening leaves and discoloured stems with diamond shaped leisions where fallen leaves were. This causes the tree to weaken and drop branches and to eventually collapse. The disease is spread by the wind.
I am glad you managed to get out and about for a woodland walk Rosie. I got soaked when I ventured out today. Still not cut the grass or been able to tidy the garden yet this year. Those Lesser Celandines look so pretty and cheerful. We haven't signed up to the garden waste service for a couple of years now. The price of collection has raised to £100 P.A and it is fortnightly. It used to be a weekly free collection. I hope you get to see the bluebells in a few weeks time. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone. It's those short, sharp showers that catch you out. It's the first time we have had to pay for garden waste collection but we do need it for the size of our garden. It's £40 this year but I expect it will go up. It's always been collected fortnightly with the recycling bins, the alternate week it's ordinary household waste. I'm looking forward to the bluebells:)
DeleteWe hope to get back to do some tidying up in the garden soon. The weather has been changeable this week. I'm glad you got out and we also look forward to a woodland walk to see the bluebells in a month or two.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda, it's just the time you want to be out in the garden and the rain has stopped us. I hope we will have a few more dry days this month and that you and Mr P can get out into your lovely garden. It's good to look forward to the bluebells:)
DeleteOne of my dreams is to walk through a bluebell wood in England. Here we have the Spanish variety, not as fragrant. Being in the woods, with or without bluebells, is a lovely way to relax and rejuvenate.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lorrie. I hope your dream will come true one day. I also hope some of the Bluebell woods over here remain as they are, many are now taken over by the Spanish variety which is a shame. They are pretty but as you say not as fragrant as the English ones:)
DeleteOur garden bin recycling collection has just re-commenced too and we have to pay for it as well :(
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were able to get out for a walk. It looks a lovely wood and great to see the Lesser Celandine and it is always good to go yearly to see bluebells as they are such a wonderful sight :) Such a shame about the ash trees but understandable. Very sad especially after the problems some years ago with Dutch Elm disease.
Thank you Caroline, it's the first time we've had to pay for garden waste collections so we have been lucky until now. It was good to get out for a walk and I'm looking forward to bluebell time there. Yes, a great shame about the trees. I've noticed lots of Lesser Celandine along the road sides and verges this year, with Daffodils still in flower and Dandelions coming out it's quite a stunning show of yellow and green:)
DeleteSo much rain, hail, wind and general nastiness here that just stepping out the door is misery! Can't even think about garden cleanup. I will look forward to your photos of bluebells and flags!
ReplyDeleteThank you Granny Sue, wouldn't it be good if we all could have a few days of dry weather so gardens become workable again? I hope to get back to walk through the bluebells and take photos too:)
DeleteThat path looks really muddy, I hope you had some knee high wellies on! Nice to get out and about though especially with the bluebells and flag iris starting. Such a shame about the Ash trees, people keep telling me our Council have cut lots of trees down along the main road into the village and we're all wondering what's going on but sometimes I suppose they just have to protect the road if the trees are getting on a bit. I'm glad your bin was emptied and your sticker finally arrived! Have a good weekend. 😊
ReplyDeleteYes, that bit of the path was very muddy, we managed to skirt around it but had put walking boots on so had other shoes to change into, lots of cleaning of boots when we got home. I'd heard that the trees were being felled but it was still strange to see so many gone. The sticker is now on the bin ready for the next collection, if we can ever get out into the garden again:)
DeleteGosh I thought it was muddy here but that is some muddy path. Lots of trees felled here but that is because of our hurricane last November. It’s so sad seeing the landscape change. B x
ReplyDeleteIt was very muddy around the pond and boardwalk but other paths were okay. It felt quite different in the wood, lighter and more open. It is sad to see trees disappear. Very windy here this weekend but nothing like your hurricane, that was devastating:)
DeleteGlad you were able to get out and about and enjoy the sounds of spring, but oh my that mud! Would need to be really careful, thinking it was slippery? Nice you got to see some flowers. My Daffodils are blooming nicely this year, better than last year for some reason; but I don't know why. So many storms take out trees, sad. Hate to loose trees.
ReplyDeleteIt was muddy but not particularly slippery, it was only a couple of areas the rest of the paths were quite dry thank goodness. Boots needed cleaning when we got home. Spring flowers do seem to be doing well even in all the rain and wind:)
DeleteI think we are all enjoying the small breaks in the rain when the sun comes out and the air is fresh and clear and perfect for walking outside. Big muddy puddles but I'm sure some good boots sorted that out for you. It is sad about the trees that have been cut down but hopefully other creatures will use them as ground based homes unless the Trust decides to move them. Have a great week x
ReplyDeleteYes, it's so good to have a few days without rain so things can be planned more easily. We saw a family near that puddle - parents skirting around it, dog and children running straight through. We had changed to walking boots so we were okay but wellies would have been better. I think the larger pieces of trunks will be taken away and utilised elsewhere:)
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