Stave Hill Ecological Park

The SHEP is also looking extremely well organized. Spring is usually a period when the new growth climbs through the old, but at Stave Hill the old growth has been firmly removed and the new growth will have a free range. I walked past a man hoeing at the grass area below the windmill. It looked like hard work but everything was very tidy and clean.

The main highlights of the walk through the ecological park were the violets, a single lovely daffodil and two frogs mating in the tiny pond at the end of the butterfly sanctuary. The reed bed opposite Stave Hill pond, and the fabulous coloured bark of the surrounding shrubs, are as lovely as usual. The colours never cease to amaze at any season. The butterfly sanctuary has been crew-cut again, but will doubtless recover eventually. The bee-attracting budleias are all growing new leaves. The new moat at the end of the butterfly sanctuary still looks very harsh and new but it will hopefully mellow during the summer.