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Cherishing Churchyards Week

I've just discovered that today marks the beginning of 'Cherishing Churchyards Week' (Saturday 7th - Sunday 15th June). I have a small to medium sized churchyard which had been neglected for some time before I became the vicar of my church. The council are legally responsible for maintaining the churchyard but with ever tighter budgets what they can do is limited. As a result, I've tried to improve the state of the churchyard myself. I cut the grass close to the church and then leave the grass a little further away to grow longer with the hope that it will become a wild flower meadow and a haven for wildlife. I cut a couple of paths through the longer grass to make sure its safe for people to walk down and to hopefully make people realise that the grass is deliberately being allowed to grow longer and isn't simply being neglected.

Thought I'd share a few photos and promote the charity 'Caring for God's Acre.'

Would appreciate any advice on how I can increase the number of wild flowers. When and how often should I cut the wild flower meadow? When I do cut the grass, should I immediately clear the area of the cut grass or should it be left for a while? how can I reduce the number of dominate weeds and increase the wild flowers?

Anyway, here's a few photos.

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    That's beautiful Scott.

    If the grass doesn't collapse I'd leave it, orsome of it til everything has seeded. It looks lovely dry later in the season. What have you got to cut it with?

     



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • I have a Mulcher Mower to cut the grass closest to the church and the paths and a strimmer for the longer grass. It take a whole day to cut the whole churchyard.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Scott - I think that's stunning. What a beautiful church. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    That's a lot of strimming. Worth all the effort though.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • yes, it's a very pretty church approx. 800 years old. First mentioned in the Merton Priory Records of 1074. In my first year here we did a big restoration project which we've almost finished - just need to replace the carpets! The Churchyard is a lovely tranquil space in what is now a built up area on the edge of London just inside the M25.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    St Peter's church in Ely has its garden open for the NGS next week Scott. 

    How about yours next yearimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Oh this thread is right up my street, Scott and congratulations for the excellent work you do.

    Churchyards have  a tremendous potential for taking nice photos and you have inspired me to get my camera out and visit one or two.  

  • rosemummyrosemummy Posts: 2,010

    What a lovely church, Scott, good luck with wild flowers, would love to see more photos as it progresses

  • http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c186/DavidKnapper/oldchancel_zps9a67b42f.jpg

     

    This  picture was taken in late evening sunlight when the shadows were long and is of the  oldest building in my town......it's the 12th century church named 'Old Chancel'.

  • David, you said you were going to get your camera out and visit a couple of churches. You certainly didn't let the dust settle! Looks like a lovely church. It would be lovely to have a few more pictures of churches, churchyards and wild flowers to inspire us. I love my garden where I have all my favourite plants but there's something special about the simplicity of a wild flower meadow. Can't beat the natural world! 

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