My new row of crab apples are a little wonky from the strong winds we had at the beginning of June and desperately in need of some added support which is on my never-ending to do list! I underplanted these with white alliums of which a couple fell culprit to the wrath of snails and in fact most of the allium stems have been completely stripped, so I’ve no idea how they’ve made it through. Here are a few images from the various stages, until quite recently.
The meadow is in its 2nd proper year now and it’s starting to really come together. The yellow rattle and vetch has done brilliantly, white camassias, white clover, campion and many other wild flowers are all finding their feet and creeping through the grass creating a great carpet for the insects and slow worms.
I was recently inspired by Steve, Arne Maynard’s Head Gardener, who wrote beautifully about all the different grasses in the meadow at Allt-y-Bela. When I sat outside in my meadow having breakfast, the light was bright and low which picked out the silhouettes of the most delicate strands of flowering grasses and I had to get a closer look. My favourite one is the very last shot, I’ll have to ask Steve to ID it for me. The grass was alive with growing crickets who have just started practising their high pitched call and no doubt in a week or so it will be quite an orchestra out there!
Hawthorn Cottage 
Outstanding pic of the wild oats, you’re meadow is something I envy!