Spring explosion!

Last autumn, we got stuck in planting hundreds (yes, HUNDREDS) of daffodil bulbs. It was hard work, but it was completely worth it because they're flowering - and they look spectacular!

So the next time you're passing the meadow, take a seat on one of our new benches and let these bright yellow blooms put a smile on your face.

I hope you like daffodils....

Because the meadow now has hundreds of them! After a great effort from the dedicated meadow volunteers, we added planted three big bags of bulbs in under the grass by the path, so next year we should have hundreds of daffodils to brighten up the spring.

We started by getting used to our shiny new tools, courtesy of our Awards for All grant (thanks Big Lottery!)


Then The Floating Cinema paid us a visit, and everyone got involved with a bit of planting.

Then it was bulbs away for the rest of the afternoon!



A very special thanks to Danny, Chloe and Russell for their hard work and all-round amazingness during the day.

Our first flowers of the year!

This just in: our crocuses are flowering! These beautiful purple blooms opened up over the weekend, and there are new shoots coming up all over the meadow too. Watch this space for more pics soon...

Spring is springing!

It's been a long and cold winter this year. But while we were all rugged up inside, eating roasts and drinking hot toddies, the bulbs we planted in autumn were quietly getting ready for their first spring in Mabley Green.

And with the weather warming up, some of them have started sending up new shoots, and adding a little green to the meadow. Which is a welcome sight for our winter-weary eyes. Better still, pretty soon those green shoots will will turn into bright yellows, vivid purples and deep blues as our bulbs burst into flower. Bring on March!

Mabley Meadow Spring Guide

Thanks to the mammoth effort of our bulb planters in Autumn, it shouldn't be too long before we start seeing some spring shoots. So here's what to look out for, and when:

Crocus
Flowers: February - March

There are loads of different types of Crocuses, they grow quite low to the ground so you might not spot them until the flower. The ones we planted will bloom in early spring - so they'll be the perfect meal for hungry bees waking up after winter.



Daffodil (Narcissus)
Flowers: March-May

When the crocuses finish flowers, it'll be time for the daffodils to take over. We planted a few different varieties in the meadow - so who knows what will come up. There'll be plenty growing next to the path, and quite a few more deeper in the meadow too.



Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa)
Flowers: March-April

This plant loves cold weather, and when it grows on mountainsides, its bright green shoots peep straight out of the snow at the very start of spring. Which is where the name comes from. Then as the snow melts, it produces bright blue flowers to let you know winter is officially over.


Native Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Flowers: April-June

When the conditions are right, bluebells will gradually spread all over a forest floor - carpeting it in blue flowers. We only planted a few as a test, but if they like it in our meadow, one day, we might have our very own bluebell wood in Hackney!



Snakeshead Lily (Fritillaria Meleagris)
Flowers: May-June

These flowers look a bit like a lantern covered in pink and purple checkers. They don't grow very tall though, so you might have to look hard among the grass to see one.




Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum)
Flowers: May-June

The leaves of this plant look a bit like grass. But it blooms, it's spectacular - growing a long cluster of white, star-shaped flowers.



If you see any of our new bulbs in bloom, take a pic and send it to mableymeadow@gmail.com so we can put it on the blog and share it with everyone!