Summer in our Cemetery

One’s garden fever feeling at the beginning of spring settles down in summer when one can begin to see the results of the work done in the previous autumn and the beginning of spring. It is a wonderful feeling of seeing your plants beginning to bloom and for me, especially, discovering different types of bees having a well earned feast.

I have discovered that bees are very fond of purple flowers buzzing around. Unfortunately,human activity and viruses have decreased the number of bees alarmingly over the last 40 years. Therefore, it is so important to make sure that the bees and pollinators survive. Quoting Albert Einstein ‘if the bees disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.’ I would like to emphasise that a square meter of wildflowers in everyone’s garden would make such a difference to bees and other pollinators helping them to survive.

Honey bee honey bees bring
by your charm. Your sweet
warmth from your swarm.
Make us some honey as
sweet as a flower. Pile the
hive full in your golden tower.
Pancakes and muffins, and
French toast. A million ways to
eat it, I think I love your sweet
honey, the most.

Honey bee honey bee, I hope
you will always want to be here.
I will wait for you with my plate
and fork and a smile full of cheer.
I’ll guard and protect you as you
weave and I hope you never ever
want to leave. (Sharon Gulley)

The borders and the graves in the cemetery have looked lovely this year with many different wildflowers. This year I have started a mini meadow at the far right corner where lots of different poppies flowered. I would like to incorporate the large grave close by so the meadow will expand next year. I had a little help from my Ukranian guest for which I am very grateful.

I have also started to develop a wildflower border on the grass verge between Church Way and Graspin Lane. I began by digging up the grass, then planted Marigolds along the front edge and then added various wildflowers although lots more need to be done. I have had lots of encouragement from pedestrians walking past and it is very positive that so many approve of the border. A special thank you to the people who donated plants left on my doorstep and most of them have been planted in the verge.

As usual volunteers would be very welcome to join the friends of the cemetery group.

Enjoy the rest of the summer.
The cemetery lady