A May Walk Around the Outback

1A Looking SE. This hedge is starting to thicken up nicely and will be allowed to grow to the paths edge.

1B Looking S down the middle of the field.

1C Looking S

2A Looking E.

2B Looking SE. The forground will remain open as meadow here.

2C Looking S

3A Looking E – Just one example of the amazing growth of young Oak trees in the field after just 3 years.

3B Looking W through a gap in the hedge towards the foliage and flower field, the other side of Jordan’s Farm. This has just been planted this year and I hope that the plants within will be a great source of nectar for insects and the wide field margins will create wildlife coridoors linking the Outback to the wider countryside.

4A Looking at a lovely low point in this SW corner of the field which creates a great big puddle when it rains, a brilliant temporary water source for wildife.

4B Looking N with the big hedgerow Oak tree on the left.

4C Looking NNE across the field

4D Looking E, two of the ghost ponds are on the right of the path a little further up.

5A Looking E at more detail in this area. First the number of shrubs that are emerging!

5B Looking S towards a full ghost pond and Ziggy taking a dip.

5C Looking NE at a Dog Rose, a strong grower, protector of young trees and so pretty

5D In this area there are very young Field Maples and Ash trees emerging too.

5E Last year this area of land was compacted soil still after the excavtions for the ghost ponds. Now its covered in Buttercups!

5F Not everything survives. This is a planted Goat Willow.  Planted shrubs and trees have a much higher mortaility rate than their naturally regenerated cousins.

6A Looking W with the edge of a planting area to the left next to Owl Pond.

6B Looking N up the central path towards the planting ring of species Oaks in the centre of the Outback.

6C Looking E

6D Looking S onto another very healthy ghost pond, Owl Pond.

7A Looking N.

7B Looking NNE across the Outback

7C Looking E

8A Looking S as a contrast to the Outback, a neighbouring field of wheat.

8B Looking S at the Blackthorn which is thickening up on our side of the hedge nicely now.

8C Looking E across the field towards the planted Lime and Oak with the emerging scrub inbetween

9A Looking W

9B Looking NW

9C Looking N with the Lime and Oak planted by the previous owners of Jordans Farm we think 6 years ago.  They are going for it now!

10A Looking N onto the Eastern ghost pond

10B The Ox Eye Dasies have multiplied and look great this year;

10C And we now have little Vetches in the sward.

11A Looking S, the forground will be kept as meadow.

11B Looking SW across more emerging scrub.

11C Looking W with the laid hedge to the right.