Toft 2025 Survey

In 2020 our village in Cambridgeshire collected photographs of people, buildings and nature as it was in that year. The idea was that it would serve as an historical document and the intention is to repeat the exercise every 5 years. I have made a start for 2025 by recording the wild and naturalised flowers in bloom at the start of January and hope to continue through the year, together with insects etc.

Flowering Late or Early - Climate Change?

With the lack of frosts and the generally moist and relatively warm conditions, there are lots of wild flowers open in my Cambridgeshire garden that would normally be dormant such as the Red Campion, Dandelion, Primrose, Knapweed, Chicory (a new self-seeded species this year) and Chickweed plus some naturalised species - Linaria, Alkanet and Corydalis. Various garden perennials are still flowering or are starting early like the Jasmine and Erysium (wallflower) while some annuals such as Cosmos and Marigolds are from this year's seeds.

Lots of Insects in Ivy plants

Lots of different Fly species, Box Bugs,and other Hemiptera, Spiders and Ivy Bees feasting on the late nectar in the Ivy Flowers

Garden in July

 The higher than average rainfall coupled with some sunny warmer days has resulted in very strong plant growth in the garden with many species double their normal height. Largely I have left it unchecked, just cutting and tying back plants to get access round the paths. Here some of the many flowers out at the moment starting with the 'herbaceous borders', through the small meadow area (lovely to get Chicory 'arriving' this year), to the taller growth areas, very tall back hedge with its White Bryony cascading down, the pond and vegetable/fruit areas. It has been a bumper year for Blackcurrants etc