Public Weekends
Oh well, let's get the gloomy news over first. Although the first few public weekends this spring were fine, the weather suddenly deteriorated to the extent that if it wasn't raining then it was snowing. This naturally affected our attendance figures severely and tested our volunteers endurance likewise, so thanks to all those who either visited or were on duty and who helped us to raise £3,585 for Essex Wildlife Trust.
On the days that the sun was shining, the daffodils were spectacular, and at the time of writing visitors are marvelling at the brilliant colours of the rhododendrons and commenting on the number of foxgloves about to open up. Spirits are never dampened for very long at Warley Place.
Warley Place Visited by Daffodil Experts
Talking of daffodils, we were visited by Kate and Duncan Donald, two renowned daffodil experts, recently and even they went away suitably impressed by the number of old varieties which still survived.
Rather less welcome was a spectacular show of giant hogweed in May, probably due to the damp conditions. We normally allow a few specimens to grow so that visitors can see what they are like, but if their sap touches ones skin it can result in it becoming very photosensitive and blistering quite badly. We have put up warning notices about this by the plants we have spared.
The crocuses were a little less impressive than last year and we are hoping that the completion of the new fence round the east meadow to keep the rabbits out will result in an improvement. We shall see.
It may have been the spell of wet weather in the spring, but for whatever reason the purple toothwort (Lathraea clandestina) looked very good this year and its name had to be spelled out to numerous visitors. (There is a good picture elsewhere on this website, if you are interested). Toothwort is a parasite, lacking chlorophyll, but does no harm to its host – usually the roots of alder, poplar or willow trees. By the time you read this it will have disappeared so don't bother to look for it, but it's normally by the path to the south hide and in the boating lake just before you reach the north hide.
The specialist research group has been checking that tree tags placed ten years ago are not damaging trees and is discovering much in the process, including what is probably a Paul's Scarlet hawthorn in the area just to the west of the path after the stile into the reserve. In the area by the conservatory, which used to be lawn until fairly recently, there is an unusual seedling Prunus.
Volunteer Work Update
Along with the usual maintenance tasks, one of the jobs our volunteers have tackled recently has been to clear out the gorge to enable the original scheme to be imagined more easily. Tackling items such as this requires much thought. Warley Place is a nature reserve, not a park, and keeping the balance between the needs of the wildlife and showing the history of the site to its best advantage is not always straightforward.
Len Dewell's work on restoring the terrace brickwork is proceeding well and we all hope it will be completed this year. The main walls have been finished and the rebuilding of one set of steps is well under way. The other steps will probably be left to show what state they were in before work commenced. We also want to make the ramp a little wider so that two people can walk side by side and see the finished work to its best advantage. It should be well worth waiting (and working) for.
I think everyone knows how hard Jim and Len work to make Warley Place what it is, but it bears repeating. We couldn't do without them.
Heritage Weekend 2009
We hope you will be able to visit the reserve during the heritage weekend, Saturday and Sunday 13th/14th September, when there will be guided walks at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. This year is the 150th anniversary of Ellen Willmott's birth and also the 30th anniversary of the opening of the reserve to the public so it would be nice to see a good turnout.
Thanks
Talking of Ellen Willmott, Bennett's have kindly donated a new plaque to replace the old rather dilapidated one and by the time you read this we will have placed it in position. A strange birthday present, but I'm sure she would have been pleased at the thought.
Finally, sincere thanks must go to Fiona Agassiz who is stepping down as chair of the Warley Place Management Committee after over six years of sterling work. She will be as involved and busy as ever, helping me as I try to fill her shoes and directing her energies in different but just as important directions.
John Cannell
Warley Place News
