Lush May Day

Look what all that recent rain has done - doesn't this look lovely and lush?

This snap was taken in our village arboretum and I don't think I have ever seen it looking so lovely. You can usually find an assortment of dog-walkers and young kiddies on bikes racing around the gravel path. Although today I did spot one young mum pushing her lad (probably about 6 months old?) around the gravel pathway in his pushchair...oh, how I remember those times. Frantic to get out of the house, just walking around the village to get some air and pushing The Boy around - all the while chatting to him and describing the things around us. Mind you, the arboretum was not developed until a couple of years after my pushchair wielding days, but our route was around the rest of the village.

So yes, we actually had (sshh, don't scare it away) S-U-N-S-H-I-N-E today. Mind you, it was good to see it after that crashing thunderstorm we had at 01:44 in the morning and woke me up with a right old fright. (I didn't hear that one coming beforehand.) And after a stressful day at work I reckoned a leisurely two hour bliptastic walk in the sun would be more beneficial than a one hour steamy, sweat-filled, gymnasium-packed Zumba class. And it was. Much better.

Information from Guildford Borough Council:

Onslow Arboretum

This delightful young tree collection to the northwest of the town centre is situated in the heart of Onslow Village and bounded by the A3.

The Arboretum has been constructed using the theme Around the World in Eighty Trees and the visitor can pass through Europe, Asia, Australasia etc. and see eighty different species of trees native to the continents.

Wildflower meadows are also stunning to see during the summer months.

Access/furniture
Access via Onslow Village Recreation Ground. where there is a small car park or by foot from the A3 and Manor Way. Wheelchair and pushchair access is available throughout the site. Many benches and dog bins are available. The site adjoins the Recreation Ground where there are public toilets and a playground.

Habitat
Individual plantings representative of the Arboretums theme, meadow and grassland underneath trees and dense mixed broadleaf edge.

Management
Young trees are regularly formatively pruned, footpaths maintained, areas of meadow and grassland cut annually with the cuttings from the meadow being taken away. A programme of tree planting is carried out and has included a great number of trees sponsored through the Tree Sponsorship Scheme.