Gardening & Wildlife

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Chainsaw Carver Arnie Barton enjoying a rest on his new creation

New Life after the sad loss of Parklands' Redwood

Everyone was saddened when the huge Redwood on the edge of Parklands' Wood was found to be unsafe and had to be felled, But thanks to the artistic chainsaw carving skills of Arnie Barton the massive stump now has a new life as a beautiful woodland throne worthy of Gandalf himself. The carving was funded via a Community Lottery Grant.

The proud carver Arnie Barton

Carving on the rear of the trunk and the tools used

A unique seat in Parklands

Carving on the rear face of the trunk

Splitting The Ash

Friends of Parklands Wood Splitting an Ash

A member of the Friends of Parklands Woods Work Group splitting an ash log, which is to be used for making the oars for the replica Saxon Longship being constructed by the Woodbridge Riverside Trust

Jane Hawthorne

Thank goodness for nature and gardens. The veg patch and my cut flowers were such a joy this summer. And having a beautiful tree to learn and sing under made lockdown suddenly seem rather a precious time, despite previous scribbles on the patio! The rainbow appeared on one of those clap for key workers Thursdays. Out in the wilds of Ufford we don't have anyone to clap to but enjoyed the most perfect rainbow one week instead.

Tamsin Anderson

During the Covid pandemic I have had two NHS Track & Trace Isolation periods.

On both occasions I was able to spend more time with wildlife in the confines of my garden space.

I was almost able to catch up on all those gardening jobs that everyday life previously wouldn’t allow.

Time in the garden for reflection, for relaxation, for well being and for the artistic aspect has come to the fore during the Covid Year of 2020.

I particularly enjoyed the enclosed image of a fine Brimstone Moth , captured on the foliage of my Pear Tree. This moth is generally an nocturnal species and on this occasion I was blessed to enjoy the find in good natural sunlight.

Reflecting further on the image I was able to take stock of the whole frame and what it captured artistically .

It was more than the subject matter of the Brimstone Moth ... I enjoyed the light through the foliage ... the blue sky .. the contrast of the building in the foreground. All in all, a most satisfactory capture in the garden .

Another memorable garden moment for 2020 was more of an audible event.

I was relaxing quietly watching over the pond when suddenly (and a first for my garden) A Sedge Warbler burst into full song before me .

It was such an uplifting event and I captured the melodic song via video on my Apple device (see below). Kevin Rogers

Spring 2020 was wonderful for wild flowers and blossom. I found these examples (Cuckoo Flower and Pussy Willow) on Eyke watermeadows

Jane Cochrane

If there were any positives to take from Lockdown it meant that I was able
to spend more time in my garden space observing more wildlife that I might
otherwise have missed.
One such memorable instance was during the height of the first Lockdown (late April 2020 ). I was relaxing on my garden bench observing the wildlife activities around my pond ... when ... suddenly to my delight, and a first for my East Lane garden, a Sedge Warbler (more associated with reedbed sand scrub ) suddenly burst into full song in the hawthorn beside my pond.
I recorded the song via my Apple Phone Video (see attached link).
Art is often associated with the visual experience but this audio was a treat to behold and savour.
I often wonder if the Sedge Warbler had been present in my garden on other
occasions, but the Lockdown gave me the opportunity to take in its melodic
song in all its splendour.

Kevin Rogers

A Sedge in a Hedge

Ramalina (lichen) and friends on Dunwich Heath

During this ghastly year I have found solace, joy and exercise in Suffolk’s wild places. Our coastal heaths such as Dunwich and Westleton offer big skies, ever changing scenery and wonderful wildlife. I have watched nightingales, red deer and marsh harriers. Latterly I have taken to looking down at the small things as well as up at the more familiar. The amount of life in and on the soil is astounding. Lichens are a wonderful example. A symbiotic coming together of fungi with algae or bacteria, their presence can indicate clean air which is why a profusion of this one in December was both encouraging and very beautiful.

Jeremy Eyres