Spring 2006

NOTES
St Birinus Churchyard Conservation Project
Contacts: Linda Francis 01865 407626 linfran@oxfree.com, Denis de Beger 01491 202049 denis.debeger@ntl.world.com

New area opened up

O
ur project to help enhance the churchyard and encourage wildlife is now at the beginning of its fourth year. Since our last news sheet you may have noticed a number of changes around the churchyard.
For the foreseeable future we are no longer able to work along the roadside wall which has been declared unsafe (hence the taped off section). We are therefore turning most of our attention to the north end of the parking area (see map overleaf) Necessary tree surgery here has created exciting potential: This is now a much sunnier area sheltered on three sides by a wall and a high bank. It should make a wonderful spot for plants to attract wildlife. At the moment we are preparing the ground - no easy task! The plastic sheeting we put down in April is to suppress weeds and rampant ivy while we clear sections at a time. We have moved the compost bin to a shady place with less potential, using some of the contents to mulch around it to keep the ever vigorous ivy at bay. Our plan is to create a garden of mostly native shrubs and flowers to attract wildlife, with a path winding through it and perhaps a sitting place. Early days yet, but look out for requests from us from time to time for seeds, seedlings and bulbs as the area takes shape and we are ready to start sowing and planting.

Focus on birds
Starter Homes
We have made and put up six birdboxes under the guidance of local bird expert, Mike Rogers. Look at the map overleaf to see where we have sited four of them around the churchyard. The other two are in the presbytery garden. Last year at least two boxes were used by bluetits. A third had a nest in it but had then unfortunately been abandoned.

Ringing
Last year Mike Rogers ringed a brood of eight bluetits from one of the boxes (the others had fledged before we got to them!) and the records were sent to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) for their national database.

Flower Quiz: Did you know

that many of our native wildflowers have associations with Our Lady? Here are the old names of just some we could add to Berins Garden (we have already put in a few of them) These listed here are all in the Lincoln Cathedral Mary Garden. See overleaf to find the modern names of: (a) Our Ladys Bedstraw; (b) Our Ladys Eyes; (c) Our Ladys Gloves; (d) Our Ladys Keys; (e) Our Ladys Needlework; (f) Our Ladys Seal; (g) Our Ladys Tears; (h) Our Ladys Thimble; (i) The Virgins Flower; (j) Marys Gold; (k) Mary and Joseph.

What next?
As well as checking the boxes, ringing any inhabitants and cleaning the boxes out again before winter we hope to have another birdwatch. Look out for notices in the bulletin if youd like to come along. We have noted seventeen species so far, including a report from Fr John of kingfisher, heron, woodpecker and cuckoo.
If you would like our current bird list or a simple plan of how to make a birdbox for your own garden, you can go to the parish website or contact Linda Francis

On the Web
As you probably know the parish now has a website managed by Clive Bosley. It is growing by the day and well worth checking regularly. Clive is creating a section about Berins Garden where you can find pictures of the project, useful links and further information. We will be updating material from time to time, so do have a look now and then.

To compost or not to compost?...

On the map overleaf you will see where we have made compost bins for your use. Unfortunately we are still finding items in them (plastic, oases etc) that wont rot and we have to fish them out and them put in the black dustbins (also marked on the map). Similarly, we are often finding dead flowers in the black dustbins that could be put in the compost bins. Please help us by remembering to separate rottables from non-rottables and putting them in the right containers. Thankyou!

Why Berins Garden?

For those new to the parish, Berin is the anglicised form of Birinus (hence Berinsfield). As for Garden, it is from the Persian for garden that we derive the word paradise, a fitting aspiration for a peaceful country churchyard and its wildlife. To find out more about Berin or Birinus pick up a pilgrimage leaflet in the church porch or go to the St Birinus Pilgrimage website: stbirinuspilgrimage.co.uk - or better still, join this years pilgrimage on Sunday 2nd July!

www.stbirinus.co.uk

Flower Quiz Answers:

compost bin area to be developed from 2006

St Birinus Churchyard
N
0 5 10 metres

Road

bay of ivy removed May 2003

silver birch*

Parking area

Main road
m

yew hedge

hornbeam* Irish yew

Burial ground

English yew*

St Birinus Church
Gravelled area

hedge

compost bins

English yew*

(a) Our Ladys Bedstraw: Ladys or Yellow Bedstraw, popularly believed to have been the bedding used by Our Lady to line the manger at Bethlehem. Smells of new mown hay (b) Our Ladys Eyes: Forget-me-not (c) Our Ladys Gloves: Foxglove (d) Our Ladys Keys: Cowslip (e) Our Ladys Needlework: London Pride (f) Our Ladys Seal: Solomons Seal (g) Our Ladys Tears: Lily-of-the-Valley, said to have grown where she wept, and was one of the flowers used to decorate the Lady Chapels of churches. It is shown growing in the grass beneath Our Ladys feet in paintings by Jan Van Eyck (h) Our Ladys Thimble: Harebell (i) The Virgins Flower: Periwinkle, perhaps because of its blue, star-like flowers which may have a connection with Stella Maris or Star of the Sea, another name for Our Lady (j) Marys Gold: Marigold, the petals representing the golden rays of glory often shown around the head of Our Lady. The marigold is in flower at all her chief festivals (k) Mary and Joseph: Lungwort, with blue flowers for Mary and red buds for Joseph. If you would like to find out more about Mary Gardens a good starting point for those with internet access is www.mgardens.org. You will find a huge amount of information there on many aspects of plants and their symbolism, especially in relation to Catholic tradition.

d r e v e c o y i v
e

*tree with nestbox

dustbin for non-rottables

Presbytery garden

n
k
m

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How you can help:

There are many ways you can take part. Whether you have some expertise to offer or are a complete beginner, or are not as active these days, or have no spare time, here are just some of the ways you can support the project: donating native plants or seeds as needed lending equipment joining our gardening sessions - good exercise with results for all to enjoy! helping transport items helping to keep a record of the project (photography, notes, surveys etc) donating photocopying paper for our occasional Garden Notes news sheet donating stamps for posting printed news/information to helpers ideas for the new north area ANY OTHER IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS - always welcome! (eg we have had a wonderful offer to organize a barbeque for helpers) If anyone would like to find out more about the project and/or would like to help in any way please contact Linda Francis or Denis de Beger

What next?
As well as the work on the new area and the birdwatch mentioned overleaf we also hope to do the following: A butterfly survey Update the master plan to record any changes and finish plotting the trees Continue our survey of the gravestones to add to the parish records Visit other churchyard conservation projects in the area Look out for bulletin notices to keep you informed

If Eve had had a spade in Paradise and known what to do with it we should not have had all that sad business with the apple Countess von Arnim Elizabeth and her German Garden, 1898