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I’m one of the volunteers for ancient woodland, Ashenground and Bolnore woods in Mid Sussex. Our conservation work around the woods, including the restoration of a woodland meadow, has just won an ‘Outstanding’ award from the RHS. We are so happy to see that the woods and thriving meadow has won the award too! Boosting habitats on the margins of the woods and within them creates vital areas for butterflies, moths and other insects that depend on the woodland margins. However, thinning scrub has to be carefully managed, to aid smaller creatures who are dependent on the scrub, hedgerows and glades connected to this dappled habitat, such as the dormouse, whose potential risk of extinction in the UK is now of even greater concern. We are also mindful that any hedge trimming does not occur during nesting season. Bird populations that thrive in woodland areas are no longer doing so, as highlighted by a recent report released by Defra, National statistics: Wild bird populations in the UK, 1970 to 2023 (7th November 2023), their statistics show that the “woodland bird index was 37% below its 1970 value” please find links to this information below. Our volunteer conservation activities are in line with a Friends of Ashenground and Bolnore Woods (FoABW) Conservation Management Plan. We meet monthly to improve biodiversity by mowing meadows and glades (after flowers and seed ripening), coppicing amongst the trees and ensuring that ivy and brambles are not stealing too much of the light below and through the canopy, by carefully cutting some of it back. This year, in Pond Meadow there was a noted increase in the number orchids and wildflowers, which attracted more butterflies and insects for children to find when we organised a children’s bug hunt in August. We also try to maintain clear paths through the woods with woodchip and tidy edges, hoping to prevent erosion and to discourage impromptu paths that will lead to heavy treading on precious woodland soil which holds next year’s spring flowers, such as native bluebells, wood anemones and wild daffodils. We also litter pick (unfortunately, filling 1-2 bags each volunteer session) and we keep the information boards up to date. In Sussex we are fortunate, we have more wooded areas than many other parts of the country (approximately 6% as opposed to the national average of 2,5%). However, this is still abysmally low, the State of Nature Report in September shows that "the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth" and after 50 years of data gathering by thousands of skilled volunteers, UK's wildlife is shown to be in devastating decline. In regards, to trees, hedgerows and woodland, the Woodland Trust preempted this report in the summer by producing their own report: Trees and woods: at the heart of nature recovery in England, please find the link to this valuable information below and if you have a local woodland group why not get involved? Spending time in nature, especially with community activities to improve your local area can be beneficial for us as well as our environment. Here is Sussex, there is a wonderful initiative to link public and privately owned woods, in a network of wellbeing, both for the woodlands and the people who live near them. To find out more about The Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs project, The Woodland Trust, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Action in Rural Sussex and Small Woods have written about this jointly supported project. I have included a direct link to them below. References: People's Trust for Endangered Species - The State of Britain’s Dormice 2023 https://peoplestrust.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/State-of-Britains-Dormice-2023.pdf National statistics: Wild bird populations in the UK, 1970 to 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/wild-bird-populations-in-the-uk/wild-bird-populations-in-the-uk-1970-to-2021 Woodland birds in quickening decline in UK, with risk of extinctions, say experts: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/08/woodland-birds-face-accelerating-decline-uk-experts State of Nature, the most comprehensive report on the Uk's current biodiversity: https://stateofnature.org.uk/ Trees and woods: at the heart of nature recovery in England: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/publications/2023/06/trees-and-woods-for-nature-recovery-in-england/ The Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs: https://www.lostwoods.org.uk/ Friends of Ashenground and Bolnore Woods: http://www.foabw.uk/ and https://www.instagram.com/foabwsussex/ https://www.facebook.com/FoABW

Exhibition of my watercolour paintings 'Joy of wildflowers' - appreciating their wonder (with a dash of charcoal, pastels and ink) at St. George's Church in Kemptown, Brighton, UK, August 21st - 26th 2023, along with 24 other eclectic creatives. Bootiful buttercups and wild strawberries I have an old pair of Dr Martens which I wore for many years, I couldn’t let them go, so they now act as plant pots, in the painting they are holding buttercups and wild strawberries. The wild strawberries have a lovely flavour and can grow in a range of habitats, they like a woodland edge, but can also grow in grasslands and even a rocky environment. The white open flowers are visited by many pollinating insects and bees love them as do small mammals and via their runners are easy to propagate. Bug bouquet – cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae. The Cinnabar Moth was originally given this name because of the deep red colour running the length of its wings, which are striking with a wingspan that can reach over 4cms in length. Their name comes from the bright red mineral ‘cinnabar’ which was used as a pigment by artists. The pigment like these beautiful moths is toxic (due to the mercury content), while the moths aren’t palatable because of their main diet as caterpillars, the ragwort plant Senecio jacobaea, which contains an alkaloid that is toxic to animals. In the bug bouquet I have featured the beautiful dainty flowers of the Mexican fleabane, a daisy like flower (part of the aster family) which is great for pollinators and although it seeds easily and can flower in little soil on a wall it does not have harmful deep roots. I saw a beautiful ‘bouquet’ just like this one in June, on the wall of St Thomas’ hospital in London, nestling into the bright harsh surface as if a fine florist had placed it there. The flowers were a busy refuge as wasps, bees, butterflies and other small insects stopped by to feed on the nectar provided by the small white, pink through to purple flowers. Dandylicious - Dandelions Taraxacum officinale, please leave them be. I know it is tempting to pull them up from every patch in your garden, but dandelions are a wonderful resource, both their pollen and nectar is beneficial for many types of pollinators, especially very early in the year when the dandelion's flowers are blooming before many other plants. The dandelion is great for many types of bee and other pollinators such as the peacock and holly blue butterflies, the leaves are also tasty for us and little visitors. Deer and the honeysuckle (bottom left), forgot to take a separate photo. Honeysuckle, is a very comfy hotel for wildlife, it is loved by many moths (especially the Elephant Hawk-moth) and other pollinators, birds and small mammals can nest in its stems and bark and along with other creatures from blackbirds to squirrels the berries are a useful snack. Deer will snack on honeysuckle too, so if you have a garden susceptible to deer damage look for a cultivar that is more deer resistant. Forget-me-not Dormice not only do little mammals sometimes raid the bird feeder, they also enjoy the smallest of wildflowers such as the dainty multicoloured forget-me-nots (Myosotis arvensis). These tenacious flowers that usually begin blooming early in the summer are valuable food source for butterflies and bees and they are also host plants for the larvae of some moth species. Flutter-by the Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris), Oxeye daisy and Herb Robert. There are wooden building boards painted black near us which have wildflowers growing next to them, against the dark paint the oxeye daisies, yellow Hawksbeard flowers and the delicate pinks of the small Herb Robert flowers with their fern-type green and burnished magenta leaves look wonderful. Bees, butterflies and moths love this selection too. Herb Robert flowers may appear too small to provide a pollinator snack, but these flowers are a good nectar source for many invertebrates. Oxeye daisy has been found to be a very popular flower for many species, in a survey along a road network in 2016¹, the Oxeye daisy was the most visited flower. Fox and Blackberries, foxes are opportunistic feeders and are omnivorous so when fruits are ripe, they like to snack on blackberries. If you have ever caught sight of them snuffling for the berries in your local hedge they are adept at picking them, we have a local fox who is now regularly checking the brambles as they ripen. Foxes also use overgrown brambles to protect a buried a cache of food. Summer Siesta – little honey bee taking a flower nap in a meadow buttercup, also surrounded by Oxeye daisies. Buttercups, can flower for a couple of months and are visited by many pollinating insects. When the seeds have ripened they provide a snack for birds and mice, then the plant will die back during the winter leaving only a basal ring of leaves before powering up again the following spring. Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) has a beautiful deep yellow centre, made up of many small flowers, providing nectar for pollinators, including butterflies, bees and hoverflies. I love seeing this resilient daisy, standing tall and cheering patches on waste ground, roadside verges, and meadows especially when we don’t mow too often! Squirreling - Squirrels are also omnivores and if like us you have a regular opportunity to observe their antics their inquisitive and resourceful search for food can have them hanging from a window box feeder or wildflower-tasting the red and white clover coming up in the verge near us. Clovers are part of the bean family Fabaceae, these legumes have nodules and root bacteria which help fix nitrogen in the soil. The flowers supply food for many pollinators, bees love them and the trifoliate leaves are collected by dormice, birds love the seeds roo. The Little Things - Ivy Leaved Toadflax, Cymbalaria muralis, loves nooks and crannies, especially in walls, as I have painted it. Toadflax likes a sunny spot, I saw it clinging like this this into a red brick wall along the north east coastline, intrepid as was its fellow brick mate, the sedum, giving shelter to the small molluscs that needed a home. The tiny toadflax has beautiful white and light purple snapdragon-like flowers, loved by bees especially the wall-nesting solitary bee which uses the small yellow markings as a nectar guide. The leaves are edible with a flavour like watercress, a creeping hardy perennial, that cleverly sets seed in your gravel, but good for containers and can also tolerate shade. Wildflowers to encourage through the seasons If you would like to encourage wildflowers for pollinators and other local wildlife here is a list to seed or not weed out, try leaving a few of those dandelions too! From January in milder areas there are Dead-nettle (both white and red), Mahonia (Mahonia aquilfolium), Snowdrops (Galanthus), Winter Aconites (Eranthis hyemalis), Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera x purpusii), then in February Crocus (Crocus tommasinianus) and brilliant Dandelions add to the food store. By March, Bluebells Goat Willow, also known as Pussy Willow (Salix caprea) and Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) near hedgerows and shady spots will be peeking through. In April little bright whites and yellows really begin to shine, Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), Cowslip (Primula veris), Daisies (Bellis perennis), light-purple Field Woundwort (Stachys arvensis), Forget-me-nots (Myosotis arvensis), Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) and Primulas (Primula Vulgaris). If you have acidic soil, and even tough heathland-like conditions you could try Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), with white flowers then black fruits. From May, nature's food store is blooming up, the wildflowers to encourage are: Alkanet (Anchusa officinalis) and Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) though both have blue flowers. Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata) or the rarer harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), the bright yellow tough Broom (Cystisus scoparius) found along roads and rail embankments. Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) which like clover also fixes nitrogen in the soil and offers very nutritious pollen, it grows well in grass and can even survive in shingle, sand-dunes and cliffs as can the cheerful yellow Common Rock-Rose (Helianthum nummularium). Back to blue with purple tinges there is Bugle (Ajuga reptans), violet-blue Pyramidal Bugle (Ajuga pyramidalis), perennial Cornflowers (Centaurea montana) and the annual Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus). Then the pinks of Bush Vetch (Vicia sepium) followed by Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) flowering in June and pink flowered Comfrey (Symphytum officinale). Geranium, one of the many starting with Round-leaved-Crane's-bill (Geranium rotundifolium) in May, bravely basking on wall tops and dry hedge banks. Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea), the bright yellow Lesser Hawkbit (Leontodon saxatilis) and Rough Hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus), plus Kidney Vetch (Anythillis vulneraria) all from June. The intense bright reds of the Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) also shine from June, loved by hoverflies and bees - even though the bees do not detect the red colour well. For more information on how the papery thin petals of poppies attract their pollinators please see the fascinating research by Casper Van der Kooi ² Red campion (Silene dioica) from June and White campion (Silene latifolia) a little earlier from May. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) followed by White clover (Trifolium repens) and purple tinged Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) popping up on meadows, lawns and waste ground. Finally, for the early summer months, Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor), especially to be encouraged if you would like to make space for other wildflowers in a lawn. Yellow Rattle is a partial parasite of nutrient-poor grasses so in slightly debilitating them, it will help other newly seeded wildflowers to rear their blooms in a lawn or grass verge. From mid summer, Black horehound (Ballota nigra) can flower in our wasteland places (usually well-drained) with mauve flowers along with Hemp -Nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit) which also likes field borders or woodland clearings, Blackberry Brambles (Rubus 'fructicosus'), delicate white, sometimes pink-blush flowers. Other waste ground residents are the robust Greater and Lesser Burdocks (Arctium lappa and Arctium minus) which look like globular thistles, lilac to pink tinged, plus the Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) with light purple flowers that were found to be one of the top nectar sugar providers³, Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa), Meadow Clary (Salvia pratensis) and Mullein (Verbascum thapsus). Still in July, Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), that gives a pungent punch to our recipes is also loved by pollinators, it thrives in drier soils and has self-seeded amongst the stones on our patio, as has the wild Thyme (Thymus polytrichus). Finally, the taller wildflowers make a towering appearance, such as Ragwort (Senecio jacobea), which is an important life support for caterpillars of the beautiful Elephant Hawk Moth (as are nettles), the majestic Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) and Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum). Happy wildflower seed sowing. Further information ¹ Promoting pollinators along the area 9 road network (West Midlands) https://cdn.buglife.org.uk/2019/11/A rea-9-Buglife-Services-report-final-draft.pdf ² How poppy flowers get those vibrant colours that entice insects: https://www.rug.nl/sciencelinx/nieuws/2019/02/how-poppy-flowers-get-those-vibrant-colours-that-entice-insects? ³ Food for Pollinators: Quantifying the Nectar and Pollen Resources of Urban Flower Meadows: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0158117 Wildflower seeds to collect in August, advice from Matt Collins Head Gardener at the Garden Museum in London: https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/aug/25/10-wildflower-seeds-to-collect-now-from-wild-carrot-to-welsh-poppies Natural History Museum, London, advice about better lawns for wildlife: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-grow-a-better-lawn-for-wildlife.html Bee-friendly winter plants from the RHS: https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/seasonal/bee-friendly-winter-plants Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Feeding Bees in Winter: https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/feeding-the-bees-in-winter/ Food plants for caterpillars: https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/why-moths-matter/about-moths/caterpillar-foodplants Goat willow from the Woodland Trust: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/goat-willow/

Acorn rescue, plant a few of them and grow the best bio-home for future bugs, beasties and birds. We are fortunate to live next to a fragment of ancient semi-natural woodland, where during this last year I have seen how incredible the ancient trees have been at coping with severe storm winds (a red-weather warning during Storm Eunice) in February. Then after that a dry spring, followed by a hot summer with searing heat and prolonged drought, in fact reservoir levels are still very low. At the north side of the house, we felt the ancient trees kept the air around them cooler and fresher than the baking 35 degrees heat over the hard urban tree-less surface at the rear. However, even though they had their own microclimate the trees began to show signs of stress by the end of August, with crispy, dying leaves, early shedding of acorns and they lost of a few short branches (summer branch drop). The ancient strip of trees has magnificent English Oaks, Beech and Chestnuts so I began collecting a few of the acorns and beech nuts and potting them up. Then I extended my acorn rescue by taking small packets with me while out walking (the small clear bags with a sealable strip that come with the lateral flow tests are handy) and a pen to note where they came from on a fallen leaf. I have collected from trees shedding their acorns over hard pathways or where people are more likely to walk over them. Outside the house, the grand old oaks seem to have had a 'mast year' resulting in so many being crunched underfoot. The Tree Council explains ‘mast’ as "relating to the old English word ‘mæst’ – when acorns accumulated on the ground and were eaten by domestic animals like pigs. 2022 looks to be a really good acorn year." I noticed the squirrels near us have been less interested in our bird feeders compared to this time last year, they are likely content with the abundance of acorns. Yes, it has been a good year, hopefully, they won't mind me planting some! These greener acorns below were shed in late August, before they were ripe (acorns turn brown when they are ready), but I'm planting them to see if they could still produce seedlings next spring. For drainage, it is good to have grit or small stones at the bottom of the pot before adding compost. I used garden soil with some peat free compost and after placing the acorns I added approximately 2cm of soil on top. I'm now keeping the pots in a shaded spot, checking weekly to ensure the soil doesn't dry out. Further advice on planting from the Tree Council & Woodland Trust in the links below. If you are ensure about which type of acorn, seeds or berries you are collecting and you don't have a botanical guide there is a lot of help available online. On the Woodland Trust Website you can read about the difference between an English and Sessile Oak. The English oak has leaves with hardly any leaf stalks or none at all, while its acorns are on long stalks. These features on the Sessile Oak are the other way around - acorns with no stalks but leaves that do have them. If you photograph the structure of the leaves or pick up a bunch that have fallen on a pathway, let them dry and then it is easy to see the defining features. The oak tree supports abundant wildlife, we have seen the English Oak trees (Quercus robur) next to our home provide a haven for Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Woodpigeons, Robins, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Starlings, Sparrows, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Jays, Magpies, Crows and little Wrens, it has been a wonderful year watching some of their chicks flourish. In fact, it was not until I sat down and recorded the birds I could see for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch back in January, that I realised there were Nuthatches visiting the feeder. I was so happy to see them as I had not seen the darting, beautiful Nuthatch up close before. There are many more species that rely upon our mighty oaks, an enormous 2,300 wildlife species in all (Research published by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and held by the Environmental Information Data Centre), providing vital shelter, food and breeding spots. They also seem to be a recreation park for the local squirrels! Amongst the 2,300 species that can thrive on, in and around living and dead oak wood, the researchers included birds and bryophtyes, including mosses and liverworts, fungi, mycorrhizal fungi, lichens, invertebrates - many of the UK's spectacular beetles, moths and butterflies and also larger mammals, from wild boar, foxes to precious bats. We live in an area with important pockets of ancient woodland, seeing their treasures come to life, such as the bluebells and wood anemones in the spring or the golden autumnal afternoon light on a bounty of fallen crab apples has been such a comfort and valuable tonic, I hope you can find the time to get out into your local woodland and nature reserves. Better still why not plant some acorns for the future, find our what you can do with the seedlings in the spring via your local Tree Guardians or wildlife group? So many of our species call it home, where would we be without our inspirational, mighty oaks gracing our skyline? Bountiful acorns and seeds - a 'Mast' year explained and what factors help them occur: https://treecouncil.org.uk/acorns-abound-this-autumn/ Advice on gathering and growing from seed: https://treecouncil.org.uk/seasonal-campaigns/seed-gathering-season/ https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/advice/grow-from-seed/ Seed gathering Identification guides for common trees: https://treecouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Seed-Gathering-Season-seed-identification-guide.pdf Easy to use nuts, cones, seeds, winged seeds and fleshy fruits spotter sheets: https://treecouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Seed-spotter-sheet-final-v2.pdf RSPB 2022 Big Garden Birdwatch results: https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/bgbw-2022-results/ Oak-associated biodiversity in the UK (OakEcol), Mitchell, R.J.; Bellamy, P.E.; Ellis, C.J.; Hewison, R.L.; Hodgetts, N.G.; Iason, G.R.; Littlewood, N.A.; Newey, S.; Stockan, J.A.; Taylor, A.F.S. (2019). NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. (Dataset). https://doi.org/10.5285/22b3d41e-7c35-4c51-9e55-0f47bb845202

Community care of our water resources, lessons from centuries past. We lived on the south-eastern edge of Granada, Spain, in a beautiful village called Huétor Vega which sits 744 metres above sea level. The climate was not easy: some classify it as Temperate-Mediterranean and others as Continental, at any rate, unless there is shade from a large tree and a great deal of inactivity the summers were unbearably hot and even more so now. At the time we were in temporary accommodation, my garden therapy was restricted to a small terrace that felt hotter than a pizza oven, it was more than I could bear. I had a drastic solution, I decided to rent an over-large huerto (allotment) in the lower part of the village. It was October and the autumn winds brought a rich smell of rain, but the 850-metre plot still blazed in the sun, I was only armed with tonnes of naïve enthusiasm. The owner, Rafael, a gentle villager who had worked the land all his life, was bemused by this guiri (foreigner) who intended to grow bulbs on his land but without regularly watering them The plot was flat but it had to be tilled and given furrows that would run down from the entrance where the irrigation channel entered. I was lent a traditional metal hole that had a curve in the handle and so I began making the ditches by hand. After a sweaty morning and some maths I realized it would take about two weeks just to dig the furrows, so I resorted to mechanical methods, although I would have loved to have worked with one of the local horses. There were no hoses or electrical pumps, Rafael showed me how to water the land by hand. First, the furrows that were not to be watered at all had to be blocked at the entrance with mounds of soil. If any of the planted furrows needed an extra soaking, the water's advance could be slowed by smaller heaps of soil in the dip of each furrow. When all was ready, three small sluice gates were opened by turning heavy cogs; it was then I realized that I was being shown techniques centuries old that had been passed down through many generations. The acequia (irrigation channel) that I used was called the Acequia Del Zute, it runs a 1,630 metres course from a larger irrigation channel known as the Acequia De La Estrella. Over the years, some of the horticultural land has been taken over by asphalt, but before much of it disappeared under concrete the Acequia Del Zute was used to water 20 hectares of land. As I dug further into the history of the village a sense of wonder and fragility began invading the way I saw the surrounding landscape. The only river into the village, Rio Monachil, flows from the Sierra Nevada mountains; if you look up along this river valley, the many huertos that are dotted along the fluvial terraces provide a verdant scene that is becoming ever more precious. It is still so green because it is a living tribute to the hydraulic skills that began more than 1000 years ago. The sluices I opened which brought water from the Acequia Del Zute were made by the Moors probably no later than the 12th century. Although most of the original records were destroyed after the Catholic Monarch’s conquest of the Moors in 1492, the acequias in the village were again registered as Muslim in origin and publicly documented in 1572. Since then and up until 1960 all the fresh water in the village had come from two street wells and the acequias, five in all, linking the village to the fresh water from the mountains, in 1960 the first modern drinking water system was installed. One of the five main irrigation channels ran through the upper hills of the village. It was named Acecolilla and was built by the Romans, who also constructed a Roman bridge to carry the highest channel over a gully (Barranco De la Culebra) across the eastern slopes. This feat of hydraulic engineering would have been later improved by the Jewish community which had settled in and around Granada, and then completed by the Moors. The Acecolilla had to comprise difficult changes in level, but it was designed with a 3% gradual slope that eventually ran a full 5 kilometres until it reached the edge of the city of Granada. At this time the village was called Veschi and was part of the Roman colony of Betica. Even then, the area was recognised for its productive land and named the ciudad florida, or city full of flowers. In the hot, sometimes unpredictable Mediterranean climate, water, the crucial raw element of life -has to be managed well. The Muslim conquerors who first came to Spain in 711 by the way of Morocco were Arab male soldiers originating from Medina and Damascus. Accompanying them were also North African Berber converts, together they formed an army with a distant heritage. Their religion, Islam, had been born amongst the nomadic desert tribes who not only understood the vital importance of water, but who also believed in the important symbolic religious purification that water provided, as specified in the Koran. This knowledge and belief came with them to Spain and over several centuries inspired the building of magnificent monuments and the creation of rural communities whose social practices were deeply interwoven with the irrigation and maintenance of their land, even though most of it was managed by the Mosques or owned by nobles. The basic use of water and the rules of irrigation were passed down through the community and were adhered to by all inhabitants so that their irrigated agriculture would not fail. Their water systems were so closely built around the land and their crops that the law seemed ecological in origin rather than derived from a cultural standpoint. Great effort was needed from the whole community to ensure that the hydraulic infrastructure was cleaned and maintained, and the sharing of water regulated. This consensus not only occurred within each small community but also between each alquería (farmstead); moreover, a consensus between clans was usually reached because the artificial irrigation system was regulated by Islamic law. Each family that owned or farmed a piece of land had a turn in taking water from the acequia; this turn was measured either in time or by volume. If by time, the divisions of the day were marked by the five periods of Islamic prayer, which in turn were regulated by the position of the sun and the length of the shadows it produced. After the conquest of the Moors these rules and customs were taken over and adapted by the Christians, who then wrote them down as laws governing the use of the irrigation water. These are the rules that are still used by the villagers today: in real terms this governs on which day and at what hour you can open the sluice gate to your huerto and for how long. The crops grown by the Moors are the same fruits and vegetables that you can see growing in the village today, the Mediterranean diet here is of Arabic origin. Many of the plants first introduced by the Moors came from their trading routes through Persia, Syria and even from as far as China, whence the silkworm was imported along with the need to grow Mulberry trees. Fruit trees such as Apples, cherries, pairs, lemons, limes and oranges were grown and in between them vegetables such as artichokes, aubergines, cabbages, spinach, turnips, green and white beans, as well as melons and watermelons. There were also many aromatic plants, for example jasmine, lavender, myrtle, roses violets, daffodils and lilies with saffron and laurel. To dye clothes they had plants such as dyers’ madder (Rubia tinctoria) for shades of red and pink, and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) for the production of yellow dye. In the areas of soil that could be reached by irrigation, the land was not used unless absolutely necessary. However, crops such as vines, which were probably introduced by the Romans, were planted on the drier hillsides to produce table grapes, currants and vinegar. In the village this is still practised, and a delicious local wine is also produced. Of the 5 acequias that once flowed like arteries through the village, only stretches of some of them can still be seen flowing through the open land. Many metres of them are now hidden underground below concrete, modern housing and roads, so the trees and plants which once grew along them have been removed or dried up. Fortunately, the tradition and love of owning an allotment is still very much alive in the village and, for the moment, this prevents some of the horticultural land from being sold for development. This living landscape is fragile indeed. Only 10 minutes away in another village, a recently built golf course surrounded by expensive houses took an overly large share of the water supply, hence many of the villagers lacked water for several hours per day while water was diverted to the golf course to try and keep it green and attractive to house buyers. Travelling a little further south towards Motril, where a dam was built to supply water for the tourism on the Costa Tropical (and more golf courses) has meant the capturing of vital streams and acequias, while the Alpujarran valleys above and the surrounding vegetation has dried out. When we lived there, I wondered how long this beautiful village would hold onto its precious parcels of land with an incredible agricultural heritage. This week speaking to a close Spanish friend still living near the village, she told me how many of the trees are dying due to unprecedented heat. Sadly, the acorns we planted and watered until they grew into small trees in the local forest may not have survived. Centuries of care and irrigation know-how cannot cope with the rapidly increasing climate change challenges without revitalising community care, a change in modern, wasteful water habits and a rapid reduction in fossil fuel use. The soil there was so rich it was as inviting as chocolate cake, it has supported bountiful harvests throughout many centuries of tilling and careful water management, I really hope that we have the desire and motivation to protect the land and our precious water resources so that it can continue, wherever we may reside. This is an edited version of my article which was written for the printed journal - The Mediterranean Garden No 48, April 2007, a short overview is now in the archives: http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/48-flowing.html

The above picture was painted earlier this year using a black and white photo as a reference, taken when I was a toddler, barely two years old and in the garden as often as I could be. I was there with friends - blackbirds, a robin and some insects, plus an imaginary fox and squirrel. It takes me back a number of decades, hence I painted it with a vintage Ladybird book style, back to a time when climate change and biodiversity loss were hardly known or generally understood. A time which offered more certainty, much more than our children have to look forward to or to dream with now. I grew up in the north east of England, next to the River Tyne and its industrial shipyards, definitely not a beauty spot. Happily, I have seen many welcome changes to the area, the noise of heavy, dirty machinery has gone and the visible pollution in the air has disappeared but the negative consequences of our industrial revolution have not. Here's my poem about hopeful Certainty in childhood (even in an industrial area next to the River Tyne) which I've had in a folder for quite a while, my watercolour painting above belongs with it. Certainty Certainty in harsh boundaries, rusted greens, smoky rain, washed over silhouettes of towering cranes. Shipyards, pungent smells, anchored onto the riverbanks by dust coated men. Metal pounding marking time, as if it would go on and on and on forever. Certainty in memories. Certainty in grandma’s sayings and harsh weather, sea-frets with damp light. Couldn’t see too far back then, no internet, social media or phone, unless ye could borrow the neighbours when they were home. Certainty with the first winter frost, sinews of ice smooth across the panes, magical greys, caad, finger-tip chill, touching filigree veins. Blasts and gales, proper Geordie conditions. “It’s a belter of a winter like” then a fearless spring, all four seasons crisp and definite, wonderfully the birds did sing. Certainty on the telly, weathermen wore ties, part of the established security. Like the latest bulletin and that one big voice: “Chronicle!” Bellowed by the gadgie on the corner, aye, him with the big belly. Daily headlines - Grandad had a cautious word, so I knew things weren’t alright with the world. Grandad cobbled shoes, his hard-grafted works of art. Customers less able or well-heeled, always left treading easier in themselves, he took no notice of life’s pecking order, I learnt to do the same. Encouraged to look beyond the cold assurance of a hard-pressed life, I found a secret escape, as a toddler to the garden, then exotic longwave, Mediterranean and tropical scenes those perfect blue skies, with salsa-backed stories that might one day be mine. Certainty in dreams, especially Jesmond Dene, explored where the burn sparkled. Boots plodged, soaked socks, segged shoes all clarty, the magnificent trees didn’t mind and I knew they were watching. Friends said: “ganin doon the Dene again, that’s geet posh like!” Well, even the public netty smelt clean. Dreams of rescuing donkeys from the Hoppings, on the Leazes, where the bottle-green grass punched fresh air, it smelt sunnier than a bunch of wildflowers. No hint of welded stench up there, no slate-fog, even when it was chucking it down. No giants blocking out the light, no massive irons across the road, no sulphur bile forcing our lungs to fight. Industrial invincibility, did they really believe in seeing further? All the while a spewed-out heat crept through the decades, insidiously ravaging all our certainties. Abruptly, my memories let me go, no refuge, just a cacophony of voices orchestrating the news and all our seasons are really confused. Where is certainty now in these tremulous skies, our children, their dreams, do they know where to fly? Let's make hope for them and see certainty smile. Michelle Thomasson Geordie words used in the poem: Aye = yes Belter = really good Burn = stream Caad = cold Chucking it down = raining heavily Clarty = muddy or dirty Doon = down Fret = sea fog Gadgie = an old man (aad gadgie) or an official of some kind, word of Romany gypsy origin Ganin = to go Geet = very Hoppings = A fair, from the Anglo-Saxon word 'Hoppen'. Leazes = Pasture land belonging to a town Netty = toilet Plodged = wade about in water Segged = segments of metal hammered into the soles and heels of shoes to make them last longer Ye = you

We live close to a small strip of ancient woodland with magnificent, old deciduous trees and confers. When a beautiful, tall Monterey Pine had to be felled last year, due to disease, I was really saddened. The sculptural tree top could be seen from a long distance, it was stunning! After the pine had been felled a lot of the trunk's pieces were left lying around, so I took some of the small pieces to make a beetle bank, hoping to provide a protective habitat for some of our smaller insect inhabitants. Then just before the heavy storm winds in February of this year, 2 nearby oak trees underwent some pollarding. As the pollarded branches were from broadleaved trees, I took the opportunity to ask for some of the wood from the tree surgeons. I wanted to build a log pyramid for our endangered stag beetles. This wood could make an ideal home for them. I also took some larger trunk pieces to make two lovely seats for any human visitors. It is best to build a pyramid log pile with deciduous wooden branches that are at least as thick as an adult arm. Then dig a hole so that soil can sit between the logs and allow at least 50 cms of the wooden branch to sit below the surface, preferably in an area with some shade to help keep the wood moist. Our Stag beetles with their amazingly large mandibles are in trouble. Their numbers are in serious decline, so they are protected and can not be sold in the UK, as well as being listed as a priority species. They are also categorised as an endangered species (Red listed) in many European countries. Happily, the South East of England is a strong hold for this rare, beautiful beetle, I am hoping some may find a welcome home in these logs cut from grand, old, oak trees. The Stag beetle spends most of it's life under the soil, in the wood, so please do not burn old wood and take care when mowing in the summer (this is their active, short reproductive season when they are above the surface). To find out more about the Stag beetle, please see the following links: https://ptes.org/campaigns/stag-beetles-2/stag-beetle-facts/ https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/stag-beetles.html To make a log pile or log pyramid here is a helpful downloadable info sheet from the People's Trust for Endangered Species: https://ptes.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Build-a-log-pyramid-for-stag-beetles.pdf For a guide to the Beetle's long living larvae: https://ptes.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Larval-id-with-BFTB-logo.pdf A quick ID guide to Stag beetles and their lookalike friends: https://ptes.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Beetle-ID-with-BFTB-logo.pdf

Small actions can make a world of difference for the birds, bees and beasties, here are some of my gardening plans for our small rectangular plot. So roll on the spring, until then I'll let the seed heads and dry stalks stay for any hibernating insects. The exterior garden runs south east – north west, it has a chalky, loam soil and along the west side there is a high wall causing shadow from midday in the summer. Later, the northern end of the garden is bathed in afternoon sun which shines through beautiful tall oak, beech and pine trees, along with mature holly bushes. These trees which are near to the house run around the edge of an old hospital estate, we are fortunate they weren't felled when the houses were built. In this weekend's Big Garden Birdwatch Survey (for the RSPB) I noted in a hour's bird watching that this reassuring strip of old woodland immediately in front of the house provides shelter for woodpigeons, robins, sparrows, blackbirds, blue tits, coal tits, great tits, a nuthatch, song thrush, wren and some crows. How important it is to let our hedges and trees flourish wherever we can. In contrast, a small interior patio to the rear, has a warmer southerly aspect that is surrounded by brick walls, these will be lined with bee bricks, herbs and sedums for pollinators. No matter how small your green space or balcony they can be vital pit stops and small refreshing habitats for our native wildlife, here are some links with more information, hopefully encouraging you to try wildlife gardening too: https://theconversation.com/urban-gardens-are-crucial-food-sources-for-pollinators-heres-what-to-plant-for-every-season-174552 https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/plant-bee-kind/ https://www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk/ https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/plants-for-bugs https://www.rhs.org.uk/wildlife/in-the-garden/encourage-wildlife-to-your-garden https://butterfly-conservation.org/how-you-can-help/get-involved/gardening/gardening-for-butterflies

The Gouda Greenmap in the Netherlands, one of the first clickable maps on the WWW. At this wintery time of year, I'm finding more time for reflection. We are still suffering from the pandemic here in the UK and especially after the recent COP26 held in Glasgow (November 2021), when many of the resolutions have proven in effect to be toothless, things could feel dark. However, there were many hopeful, practical, community changing events brought into the spotlight at COP26 and here is one of them! After 25 years of green community mapping, the Green Map system has gone from strength to strength and this was highlighted in a webinar with Wendy Brawer and current green map makers at Glasgow. I developed one of the very first interactive (clickable) Green Maps on the World Wide Web way back in 1996 and continued to update and enhance the burgeoning graphics interface for the next three years. Here's an overview of how it happened. The Gouda map was developed in a few months at the end of 1996 by me and Frits Van de Laan who was a member of a local Friends of the Earth (FOE) group. The FOE group gave a small grant for the printing of a paper version of the map along with a directory of local green services, while the Municipal Council supportively shared city map data. I had geographic information system mapping (GIS) experience, so I was able to take the map data and convert it into one of the first clickable maps on the WWW for the Green Map project. Although a city paper map had been provided by the Council, creating a digital version by scanning it was not successful because the subtle map colours did not display with enough contrast on the screen, (back then there were only 16 widely understood colour names in HTML’s graphic user interface). Using mapping software, I re-drew the map and then added new layers of information using the latest available version of HTML (3.2), with ‘Frames’ and ‘Map’ elements that allowed clickable hyperlinks to the visual map. Frits discovered a glitch in the very first version of the Green Map’s Icon symbology, but we resolved the problems in the Green Map Font and 25 of the icons were incorporated with graphic editing software. At the time the Gouda map and the Greenmap system were pioneering, using the latest software specification from the W3C and those long forgotten versions of the very early web browsers - Netscape 3 and Internet Explorer 3. Twenty five year's on, it is inspiring to see how many communities and countries have been involved since then, motivating and supporting local people to recognise the positive steps they can make and have made; as well as drawing attention, very clearly, on their local green maps, to the hazards and environmental challenges they have yet to overcome. To think global but act local, here is how you can get involved in creating a Green Map for your local area: https://www.greenmap.org/ using the new open Green Map platform: https://www.greenmap.org/stories/ogm2 The Green Map system webinar presentation at COP26, with information from five countries who were currently making Green Maps: https://youtu.be/Kqrdm6Jlu2U https://www.greenmap.org/blog/our-climate-events-fall I wrote the short overview above for the Green Map system, it first appeared here: https://www.greenmap.org/stories/gouda-nl-first-interactive-green-map-1996/256 Our original writeup on the technical dialogue of making an interactive, clickable green map: https://www.greenmap.org/greenhouse/files/Gouda97.pdf

Wildflowers are so important for many of our native pollinators, and therefore one of the keys to keeping our food crops blooming. With climate change and biodiversity loss negatively affecting plant communities, any data which helps us to monitor ecological changes is a positive wildflower spotting bonus. And this is where the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) comes in. NPMS survey data will allow botanists and other scientists to assess the abundance of our wild plants, as well as helping us to understand the health and trends of wild plants across the amazing range of habitats found in the UK. Fascinated by wildflowers, I first started with a beginner’s wildflower survey for Plantlife, a conservation charity working to save vulnerable wildflowers, plants and fungi. This was about 12 years ago when I was simply armed with lots of amateur enthusiasm and an easy-to-use booklet which had the most common wildflowers, grasses and trees helpfully grouped by colour. I was allocated a couple of small square plots and a log pathway to survey which were situated on beautiful grassland in the Cotswolds. After a couple of years, I began to quickly recognise chalk grassland plants such as field scabious, marjoram, cowslips, wonderful bee orchids and even autumn gentians, though don’t let these little beauties fool you, they begin to bloom as early as July. After a couple of years, my wildflower recording expanded to 5 plots within a 1 km square on the edge of Workman’s Wood, next to the Ebworth Centre in Gloucestershire, where the National Trust manage the beech woodland and six hundred acres of organic farmland. Two of my plots were nestled within the woods; my plant recognition skills were challenged but the scenery was wonderful and I was in habitat heaven. Then in early 2015, the yearly Plantlife survey evolved into the National Plant Monitoring Scheme. At the time I had been one of 400 volunteer plant surveyors, but the aim then was to increase the volunteer numbers to 2,000 so that the wildflowers within 28 important diverse habitats could be monitored. These habitats cover a such a wide and diverse range of plants, from those braving the salt spray on coastal shingle and salt marshes to the hardy upland heathers found defying the elements on heathlands or the little starry saxifrages tucked into rocks on mountain scree. When I went to record the twice-yearly survey, I had grown fairly content with my wildflower recognition skills. I didn’t need to lug too many heavy plant ID books in the rucksack, but then we moved to Brighton! To cut down on travel time my previous plots were given to another volunteer, and I could choose a new area that required surveying nearer to our new home. I selected a square over Saltdean beach which could include the cliffs and the green hilltop above. It was wonderful to have such bracing views, but I felt as though my plant recognition skills had been left behind in the west country. Admittedly, coastal plant species can be more challenging, but I decided to apply for a botany identification course that was run up until last year by Field Studies Council for the NPMS; I felt it was time to get to grips with botany’s nuts and bolts. The course and materials were online, and the flowers were found according to their flowering season, it really was a tonic during lockdown last year and it has helped me improve my botany skills as well as increasing the wonder while I scribble down notes about the wildflowers in our local area. If you would like to know more about the NPMS, Plantlife and our other important Botanical organisations then please see the links below for further information. The NPMS wildflower survey was created with input from Dr. Kevin Walker and Dr. Oliver Pescott along with the BSBI, UKCEH, Plantlife and the JNCC. https://www.npms.org.uk/ National Plant Monitoring Scheme https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk Plantlife with resources to begin your wildflower journey. https://bsbi.org/ Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland https://www.ceh.ac.uk/ This article first appeared on the Brighton & Hove Organic Gardening website, where you will find a blooming profusion of interesting organic gardening tips and other helpful info: https://bhorganicgardeninggroup.org/2021/07/28/wildflower-spotting-and-the-national-plant-monitoring-scheme-npms/

In recent months I have been trying to sketch more, sometimes nature journaling and while drawing I have really come to appreciate the portability and surprises that blend on the paper when using watercolours, either in pencil form or as a small selection of watercolours carried in a tin. Therefore, when I was asked if I would like to join a group of artists for the Brighton and Hove Open Houses this year, with pieces for Paula Fahy's lovely garden, I wanted to keep using watercolours, but realised I would have to find something sturdy to paint on. I eventually decided to use various sized panels of wood and to prime them, I painted the panels with Daniel Smith's gold watercolour ground. The gold background which then reacts like watercolour paper was easy to use and supported the colours. I also hoped that the golden luminosity would help me convey a quiet sanctity for some of the beautiful creatures I regularly see and have included in my series of 'Forget-me-not' wildlife paintings. Here they are, presented in a small greenhouse with home sewn bunting from green and gold painted linen with a brighter metallic, tougher material to help weigh it down in the sea breeze. The watercolours are sealed with a watercolour fixative, to protect them from any humidity or condensation while on show in the little greenhouse. I had been searching for a varnish that could make them completely weatherproof but so far, I have not been able to find any exterior varnish that was non-toxic. This week, which is the international week for nature journaling, I joined a workshop with Emilie Lygren, who gently prompted participants to write about their nature experiences. One of the prompts was to write in seven minutes about something we individually learnt last week. I just had to put words to paper about Belle and Bo, Paula's beautiful cats as they graced their humble greenhouse and my paintings. Here's my workshop poem: ‘The Things I learnt last week poem’. I learnt that I could see shapes and colours like a tapestry of hope, shining gold. They became small pieces of wood carrying faces and eyes with those Forget-Me-Not gazes. Together like a symphony in a small greenhouse, whispering I am here, with the garland of green sage leaves sewn and draped in calm. I learnt last week that I could dream and make it real enough to say: "they can see you,” while visitors smiled and Paula’s cats sat amongst the pebbles gazing too. They purred: “I belong here, in fact I’m the one who makes your pieces beautiful.” In the greenhouse I have also added a small selection of herbs and wildflowers in gold-painted pots, each of these plants, apart from looking lovely have a dual purpose of being good for pollinators and good for us. Sweet Woodruff Galium odoratum, masses of starry white flowers in early summer, you can add a few of them to wine or tea for the scent of summer hay, bees and flies are pollinator visitors and the plant can be used as a moth deterrent. Prefers dappled shade, it is hardy but can be an invasive perennial. Blue Hyssop Hyssops officinalis, lovely blue flowers loved by bees and other pollinators, adds flavours to soups, casseroles and as a garnish. It can deter the cabbage white butterfly. Prefers full sun and can be grown in pots, it is a hardy evergreen. Sweet Rocket Hesperis matronalis, white or purple flowers that are night scented, loved by butterflies and moths, with edible leaves that are tasty in salads. Sheltered but sunny spot suits it best, it is a hardy perennial that can be grown in pots. Ivy Leaved Toadflax Cymbalaria muralis, loves nooks and crannies, especially in walls, it likes a sunny spot, white and light purple snapdragon-like flowers loved by bees especially the wall-nesting solitary bee species which use the small yellow markings as a nectar guide. The leaves are edible with a flavour like watercress, a creeping hardy perennial, good for containers and can also tolerate shade. Verbena Lobsterfest unique salmon-orange-coloured flowers loved by pollinators, becomes semi-trailing and likes pots and prefers full sun but keep well-watered. Catnep Nepeta cataria, a pungent fragrance loved by cats, with the white flowers attractive to bees and butterflies. Young leaves can be used as a flavouring or as a tea. It is also medicinal (but to be taken with qualified advice), any soil in a sunny location, it is a hardy herbaceous perennial, also good in pots. Camomile Chamaemelum nobile, is classified in the wild as a vulnerable plant on the Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great Britain. White daisy-like flowers loved by bees and other pollinators with an apple-like scent, used in teas and also medicinally, an annual that is good growing in lawns and pots but don’t let the plant dry out. Salad Burnett Sanguisorba minor, it has small green and red flower heads that are nectar rich and attract bumble bees, butterflies and other insects. It is also a culinary herb, the leaves have a tasty cucumber flavour and can be used in salads, as a garnish or even in a glass of Pimms. Because it is evergreen you can harvest leaves throughout the year, it is perennial, semi-evergreen, hardy and prefers full sun. If you are an art lover and in the Brighton and Hove area this month of June, I hope you will visit the West Hove trail and the bright and bold, colourful artists showing their wonderful work at No. 40 Leicester Villas, information in the links below. Please don't forget to bring and wear a mask, the house is ventilated and Covid19 safety precautions are being followed. LINKS:https://aoh.org.uk/house/summer2021/number-forty-4/ No. 40 Leicester Villas. https://www.naturejournalingweek.com/program-2021/words Emilie Lygren Words workshop. https://www.naturejournalingweek.com/ Nature Journaling week 1-7th June 2021