Common-Keeper's Update May 2016
[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="2/3" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]Recent warm and often wet weather has seen all the plants on The Green put on a major growth spurt whilst wildfowl have been hatching their young. Young ducklings, goslings, and seven cygnets can be seen on the pond at present. The swans range far and wide for grazing so do not be alarmed if you see them at one end of The Green or even in someone’s front garden. They are generally best left to their own devices but can benefit from a bit of help crossing roads when necessary. As the spring bulbs have died back so the wildflower areas have burst into bloom with field poppies, cornflowers, and giant scabious really catching the eye. You may notice that the chestnut paling surrounding the meadows has been replaced with less obtrusive light stock fencing and the pond fencing is set to be removed this summer and replaced in two areas with the same materials.
Most of the trees are flowering also with horse chestnut and hawthorn being perhaps the most noticeable. Pond marginal vegetation is also getting in on the act with the sedges and yellow flag iris currently in bloom. All the pond equipment such as the pumps and oil interceptor has been serviced and cleaned out which hopefully should help offset any effects of a dry spell and reduce algal blooms by keeping a steady in-flow of ground water and separated road run-off.
Things to look out for: 1. The swan family 2. Yellow-Flag Iris 3. Wildflowers- Poppy, Cornflower, Scabious 4. Wild Garlic[/cs_text][/cs_column][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/3" style="padding: 0px;"][x_image type="thumbnail" src="http://www.barnes-ca.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/yellowpond.jpg" alt="" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content=""][cs_text]
Yellow-Flag Iris
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Poppy
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The Swan Family
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Wild Garlic
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Wild Flowers
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