Tales from a Stream Bank

When we made the move to Hampshire over 4 years ago, one of the many things that attracted us to this home was a very small stream that runs along the entire length of our boundary and through our front garden. Around here the name for a little bit of water like this is a "Bunny" and I have no idea why. This tiny little bunny joins another which then runs across the local golf club into the sea. It is populated by little fish and is regularly visited by a host of birds and other wildlife. 

The bank had been rather unsympathetically landscaped, by which I mean a load of rocky soil had been dumped and held in place by railway sleepers. The soil and been left uncultivated and loads of very tussocky grass had taken hold

My neighbour and I decided we wanted to cheer it up a bit and so we are now in our 4th season of attempting to make it pretty. I think we are beginning to win.

After consulting loads of people it seemed that one answer to getting rid of the grass was yellow rattle. This plant attacks the grass and leaves spaces for other plants to take hold. The seeds were purchased and sprinkled liberally , now it was just a waiting game. 

Over the past 3 summers the number of pretty little yellow plants has increased each spring and a gentle breeze once the flowers have died, leads to the rattle of the seeds in the pods as they are sprinkled for another year. I only ever bought 1 packet and it is really doing a good job. 

So this week I have been out wading in the water clearing away a few weeds and making sure there is plenty of space for the rattle to reappear soon. All the other plants that have finally seeded are beginning to re-grow. This is how it looks at the moment, Quite a difference I think you will agree.  I have 5 tins of seedball wildflowers ready to be sown in the spring , I can't wait.

And that leads me on to seeds. Its the time of year when gardeners start planning and buying the seasons plants and seeds. I am now the owner of a huge seed collection and taking a lead from Sarah who I met on twitter and then in real life in France a couple of years ago, I keep them in a rather lovely wine box. Yes we did drink the wine .. 

Having tipped them all out and piled them up, it seems I am only short some Brussel Sprout seeds and I will have all I need for the coming summer. I can almost hear the collective Yuk as I mention Sprouts, but homegrown ones are wonderful. 

Of course my addiction, means that I will probably end up buying loads of others as well, just to add to the box. Luckily we are off to France again soon and I will make sure we get at least one more box. 

So thats all for now, as its been so mild the daffodils in the lane have already started to flower which is very cheery.