We were surprised but pleased that humanity has thought fit to ask our opinion on our communal living arrangements and preferences. In places such as your churchyard we have tended to hide away or grow very small in order not to be spotted. Our bigger more showier cousins have in the past been either picked because they were pretty or taken out because they are considered a weed. There is no wrong place to grow from our point of view. As long as we have light and water and the right conditions for our particular preference we are happy. Anywhere will do, even guttering, pavement cracks and discarded corners of buildings. In fact this is about the only undisturbed habitat left. This makes us sad. You humans do love to tidy us away. Anyway, we thrive when left to our devices and nature is strong and is here for the long haul. If you want to help us, here are our tips.
We have in the past spent thousands of years building small communities that we particularly like, for instance woodland, one of our favourites; compatible, amicable, even mutually beneficial communities where we thrive together and to your eyes produce a wonderful show in the spring. You could reintroduce our friends and we would be very pleased to renew old acquaintances. For instance, wood anemones, red campion, white campion, bluebells, white and black bryony, clematis vitalba, honeysuckle, lords and ladies and stinking iris. We like to grow under and up the trees where we will form a carpet of colour.
Our sun-loving cousins who have packed their sunglasses and covered themselves with sun cream would wither under our conditions. They thrive amongst the grasses. Some go a bit mad if they get the chance and try to take over the place but we can forgive them as they attract our pollinators in their hundreds. Ox eye daisy, poppies, chalk knapweed and red clover to name just a few. Ask our friends who like to come looking for us.
Nature has arranged it that butterflies and bees need us for their food. We try to persuade them not to eat us but it's a constant battle. Those that overcome the struggle to survive make the miraculous metamorphosis into wonderful winged creatures that are so beautiful to your eyes. They seem to especially like nettles, brambles and birds-foot trefoil.
Our friends, the bees, have not been visiting us so much lately. We're not sure why but suspect something to do with coming into contact with chemicals in the environment. Although we ourselves need some trace chemicals from the soil that we grow in, on the whole we're not fans of too many or too much of any particular chemical. It makes us ill. We've also noticed that a lot of our enemies, slugs and snails have disappeared because of chemicals. We thought we had that one covered. We've all learnt to live together over a very long time and would prefer not to be interfered with.
We do need help however. Something that we now are unable to do for ourselves. Restore our friends. Please find them and replant them. We miss them.
Copyright Sue Grayston
We have in the past spent thousands of years building small communities that we particularly like, for instance woodland, one of our favourites; compatible, amicable, even mutually beneficial communities where we thrive together and to your eyes produce a wonderful show in the spring. You could reintroduce our friends and we would be very pleased to renew old acquaintances. For instance, wood anemones, red campion, white campion, bluebells, white and black bryony, clematis vitalba, honeysuckle, lords and ladies and stinking iris. We like to grow under and up the trees where we will form a carpet of colour.
Our sun-loving cousins who have packed their sunglasses and covered themselves with sun cream would wither under our conditions. They thrive amongst the grasses. Some go a bit mad if they get the chance and try to take over the place but we can forgive them as they attract our pollinators in their hundreds. Ox eye daisy, poppies, chalk knapweed and red clover to name just a few. Ask our friends who like to come looking for us.
Nature has arranged it that butterflies and bees need us for their food. We try to persuade them not to eat us but it's a constant battle. Those that overcome the struggle to survive make the miraculous metamorphosis into wonderful winged creatures that are so beautiful to your eyes. They seem to especially like nettles, brambles and birds-foot trefoil.
Our friends, the bees, have not been visiting us so much lately. We're not sure why but suspect something to do with coming into contact with chemicals in the environment. Although we ourselves need some trace chemicals from the soil that we grow in, on the whole we're not fans of too many or too much of any particular chemical. It makes us ill. We've also noticed that a lot of our enemies, slugs and snails have disappeared because of chemicals. We thought we had that one covered. We've all learnt to live together over a very long time and would prefer not to be interfered with.
We do need help however. Something that we now are unable to do for ourselves. Restore our friends. Please find them and replant them. We miss them.
Copyright Sue Grayston