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Managing the reserve through the seasons

Working in harmony with nature’s seasonal cycle

The meadow areas at Clandon Wood are managed as traditional hay meadows. This type of farming has almost vanished from the UK and is now so rare that when Clandon Wood was sown in 2013 the total area of English lowland meadow increased by 1%.

In spring the young grass is allowed to grow long – we only mow paths and the edge of vehicle tracks. Around April-May the hedges and trees burst into flower; blackthorn, cherry, hawthorn and elder succeed each other until June. By May the early meadow flowers are in bloom and the uncut grass has built up the energy to flower in June as the many species take turns casting a profusion of colours across the 3-feet high sward. The dry weather in July and August will turn the meadow golden as it dies back and the seeds ripen.

Once the seeds fall the fields are ready to mow. Around August to September they are cut and made into hay and a myriad of birds arrive to feed on the spoils. The ground is turned golden brown with just the trees and neighbouring woods still green around the margins.

By the time the leaves fall the grass is green again and sheep are brought in to graze the fields. They bring diversity to the bareness of winter – closely followed by gaggles of birds picking up food behind them as they graze preferring some plants and places over others to enhance the patchwork effect of the grounds and set the scene for the new year.

Clandon Wood through the seasons

The open spaces at Clandon Wood are managed through the year as traditional hay meadows. This type of land stewardship is now so rare that when Clandon Wood was first sown the total area of English lowland meadow increased by 1%.

What to look out for across Clandon Wood in September:

Flora: Our hedges are heavy with blackberries, elderberries, rosehips, and hawthorn berries. By only trimming one side each year Clandon Wood maximizes this bounty.

Foraging Mammals: Bank voles, field vole and wood mice hunt for fallen nuts and insects among the ground leaf litter in the hedgerow and our grassland corridors. Always with one eye skyward to avoid our kestrels.

Farmland & Woodland Birds: Yellowhammers, linnets, and tits feed heavily in the shrubbery, while early winter thrushes like redwings can occasionally start arriving on field margins later in the month. Pheasant, partridge, jackdaws and crows are feeding in large numbers in the cut meadows.

Insects & Butterflies: Comma and speckled wood butterflies bask along the sunny side of our hedgerow. Micro climates make a huge difference at this time of year. Flowering ivy along hedge trees provides a vital late-season nectar source for ivy blossom pollinators such as bees, hoverflies, and ivy moths.

About tea, cake & company

At Clandon Wood we firmly believe that providing an environment for the bereaved is just as important as it is for those who have passed away. In this regard we hold a number of ‘aftercare’ events throughout the year for those left behind.

These include our monthly tea, cake and company drop ins which provide an opportunity for anyone who has been bereaved to be among and talk to others who share the experience of loss.

Held in our beautiful glass pavilion they take place from 11.30am to 2.30pm on the last Sunday of every month.

Simply drop in - whether or not you have a loved one at Clandon Wood, you will always be warmly welcomed with kindness, consideration and company.