by Caryn Hibbert

It has been a cold start to spring this year, with even snow falling at the beginning of April, but over the past few weeks as the days have grown longer and warmer and the sun rises higher each day in the sky, spring has sprung.

We heard the first cuckoo heralding it’s arrival from sub-Saharan Africa on the morning of 14th April, one week earlier than last year. That same morning we were also thrilled by a grasshopper warbler, safely returning to the same bush it nested in last year after wintering in Africa. We know this thanks to the work undertaken by the BTO in our meadows who monitor and inform us of the small things that never cease to amaze us and without this work would be totally unaware of.

This little bird weighs around 10gms and between our encounter last year when it was ringed it has journeyed south all the way across Europe and the Sahara desert to overwinter in east Africa before making the long and hazardous journey back to our water meadows to nest and raise their young this summer.

These birds return to our meadows thanks to the wonderful biodiversity of plant life and insects they support. As the water levels fall (it has been a very dry spring too) and the hedgerows burst into life, the May meadows are swathed in a haze of yellow. Dancing amoungst the grasses are pretty cowslips, dandelions and tall meadow buttercups with their fragile and delicate serrated leaves. Slowly as June approaches the pinks and blues of wild orchids, vetch, vetchling and ragged robin start to appear.

The orchids are always a delight and searching for their bold fleshy spotted leaves as they emerge from their winter slumbers is always a delight. We have now counted 5 different species of orchid in the meadows at Thyme and each year there is always something to surprise us too. Last year it was the diminutive twayblade hiding amongst the spotted, marsh and occasional bee orchids.

There is nothing lovelier than a mown path through the long meadow grass to delight and inspire and we have carried the theme of long grass through to the gardens at Thyme, leaving the grass to grow and the daisies, fritillary and buttercups to enchant us. We have noticed the occasional pyramidal orchid too that thrives in drier sandier soils also appear and hope to see more this year.

Join us and Plant Life this year and celebrate #nomowmay and you will be helping the insects, bees and butterflies that support wildlife and allow nature to thrive.