Younger readers may recall Pan’s People. This issue leads with a page and a half on PANN (People and Nature Network). There’s a report, of course (reports are what the SDNPA does), and a plan to extend “green infrastructure” into the seedy urban areas — aka “coastal communities” — that straggle along the Hampshire and Sussex coast. A cute picture of a baby sand lizard advertises a family event in Petersfield. There are a couple of surveys and a couple of reports of institutional beneficiaries of John Major’s cunning plan to transfer resources from the poor to the not-so-poor (the National Lottery). The cultural material includes an interesting biographical item on the writer Eleanor Farjeon; an advert for a set of rather competent-looking wildlife art postcards by children (if you want a set, you’ll just have to drive to the South Downs Centre in Midhurst); notice of a September exhibition by Gordon Rushmer in Petworth; and news of a downloadable audio version of Sara Clifford’s Cherry Soup. Fewer virtual events but altogether too much material about Petersfield.
The months of June and July have brought a quite exceptional display of growth in our garden at Furzefield.
We have, over the years, planted with bees and butterflies in mind and so far this summer we have recorded butterflies as follows: Brimstone, Comma, Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Green-veined White, Large White, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Small Copper, Small Heath, Small Skipper, Small Tort, Small White, Speckled wood, Silver washed Fritillary, and Wall Brown.
As for birds we average about 29 species each week and I expect many of you will have joined us in getting exciting views of the Red Kite which is fast becoming a regular.
We have found that our insect visitors have greatly increased as a result of letting lawn grow longer to encourage clover etc. It has been a great summer in the ‘veg patch’ but it was quite an effort to keep watering adequately. The downside is a very annoying Roe Deer that keeps eating our rose buds!
Two pages of local butterflies, a page of bees, a safety poster, a wine promotion, a photo competition, SDNPA musical chairs, various reopenings, much virtual activity, and some alarming news about Sussex Archaeological Society.
