Bracken Clearing

Today’s task for the Spout Hills volunteering group was bracken clearance in the grass / wildflower area in order to stop it spreading from where it’s allowed and to maintain a good diversity of plants. My collage top left is fox and cubs; top right is water hemlock; bottom right is common spotted orchid and bottom left is a cut down giant hogweed. Water hemlock is the most poisonous plant in the uk and is found by water - this isn’t currently being removed. If the poison is ingested it causes death in a few hours by constricting the muscles and causing asphyxia. Giant hogweed however is cut back if it’s seen, as T did today. If you get its sap on your skin and it’s exposed to sunlight, then you get big burning blisters within 48 hours and eye exposure could cause blindness. Fox and cubs has probably escaped from someone’s garden. There were so many common spotted orchids around, more than bracken! Because of the very high pollen forecast and my hayfever I only worked up to the tea break, then showered and changed as soon as I got home to minimise the pollen impact. 

This afternoon I watched a good final from Eastbourne, then sat in the garden for a bit and then watched a bit of Glastonbury.