Over the last couple of years neighbours along the public footpath MCA20 (aka the ‘Muddy Path’), which runs from Westward Road to the dead-end of Frome Gardens, have cleared the edges, planted spring bulbs, put in hedging whips, and added bee hotels and nest boxes to enhance the biodiversity.
 |
| Looking South from the end of the ‘Muddy Path’ - November 2025 |
As of November 2025, we now have the go ahead from Stroud District Council to further transform the grassy area at the bottom by the Canal (up to the Oak tree) into a small wild flower meadow. The site matches that of an inlet of the Stroudwater which was most likely a turning place (winding hole) for trows after unloading at Ebley Wharf.
 |
| Overlays of Ordnance Survey maps 1844-88 [1] and 2023 [2] original Ebley Court (pink), Winding Hole (gray), the ‘Muddy Path’ (green) |
Immediately, we will scarify and sow yellow rattle seed, to moderate grass growth, and also over the first year aim to plant a few dwarf crab apples (for spring and autumn splendour, besides food for insects and birds), purchase a bench or two, create a hibernaculum and carry out a single cut in late summer 2026.
 |
| Westward view - November 2025 |
Subsequently, we may add snakes-head fritillary and wild daffodil bulbs and sow a wild flower mix, though buttercups, clover, teasels, wild geranium, and yarrow are already emerging.
 |
| Southwest towards Selsley and Ebley Mill |
There will be opportunities for families to sponsor a bench. Besides which, of course, there will be occasional days for our local Community to get together to create the meadow or survey the fauna and flora, or just enjoy it and celebrate the seasons. All being well, within three years the meadow should be flourishing.
 |
| Planting plan |
All the trees have been adopted:
1 Aubrey and Maeve’s Crab apple - Malus Candymint (2.5x2.5m) 30/11/2025
2 Richard and Teena’s Japanese cherry - Prunus incisa Kojo-no-mai (2.5x2.5m)
3 Jenny and Alba-Luna’s Crab apple - Malus Indian Magic (4x3m)
4 Jesse and Solly’s Dessert apple - Lodgemore Nonpareil (M9 rootstock 2.5x2.5m)
5 Ben and Elly’s Medlar - Royal (3x3m) [available autumn 2026]
6 Lewis, Toby and Wendy’s Japanese apricot - Prunus mume Beni-Chidori (2x2m)
 |
| 30 patches strimmed and scarified on November 19th, ready for sowing yellow rattle seed |
30th November 2025 - an auspiciously sunny day for planting our first tree, Aubrey and Maeve’s crab apple Malus Candymint.
 |
| Beginning to end - Supervisor Mum sets Dad to manual labour Maeve and Aubrey watering in |
 |
| A family team effort |
 |
| treading in - banging in - watering in |
 |
| with Beni-Chidori and Primrose |
and Jenny and Alba-Luna’s Crab apple, Malus Indian Magic
 |
| Smiles all round from Pietro, Chloe and Alba Luna |
 |
| and Jenny and Kev in May 2026 |
18th December - followed by Richard and Teena’s Japanese cherry
 |
| The proud adopters of Prunus incisa Kojo-no-mai |
Winter Solstice, Sunday 21st December
 |
| Everyone is very welcome |
We lit the Yule log at the point the sun stood still
danced around the Yule log to Jaiya’s ‘Yule has Come’, drank mulled apple juice and feasted on mince pies and a chocolate log, and sang Kim Baryluk’s ‘Solstice Carole’ in unison:
 |
| Beni-Chidori with the first blossom at the meadow |
16th February 2026 - Jesse and Solly did a great job planting their one year old dessert apple tree, Lodgemore Nonpareil, with Lewis’ help. (A heritage apple first raised at Lodgemore by Mr Cook in 1808 and then propagated by the nurseryman Mr Clissold, who originally sold it as Clissold’s Seedling).
 |
| Thumbs up from Jesse and a smile from Solly for happy growing |
2nd March 2026 - Richard and Teena’s Japanese cherry bush bursts into glorious blossom, competing with the cherry plum at the end of the back path.
 |
| Cherry plum tree (left) and Japanese cherry bush (right) |
 |
| bugtastic work by Maeve and a Victory for Nature |
Thursday 9th April
 |
| In the Pink - glorious blossom on our two crabapple trees |
 |
| Dove’s-foot cranesbill |
30 of us enjoyed having our picnic in the shade of the oak on a sweltering day:
 |
| with communal, delicious picnic goodies |
 |
| only earned by picking an oak sapling and glueing the leaves to Prickly |
 |
| accompanied by poetry from Christine and Jenny |
 |
| while Nancy supervised the super painting of our sandy Bee Dive |
 |
| with pictures of some of the mining and burrowing bees that might make their homes here |
 |
| and the orchard tree adopters affixed new labels |
with much thanks for the pics to Faye, our amazing event content creator.
26th May
 |
| A stomping success, Yellow rattle in flower |
28th May
 |
| Dragonfly just emerged and flying over the Meadow |
June 21st
 |
| with thanks to Faye and Chloe for the picture/ video record |
Litha, a time of light and life.
18 reasonably early risers paid homage to Sunna at the point of the Solstice, with the sun at its brightest on the longest day of the year.
Undoubtedly, once, a bonfire would have been lit up on Selsley Common and there would have been much feasting. We also made the most of the seasonal abundance, gorging on strawberries, water melon and grapes as well as baked delights, all washed down with elderflower cordial and fruit juice.
We echoed the joy of the season with summery poetry and song (Lesley trying to encourage a degree of harmony amongst us),
and danced around to folk tunes from Dennis, the fantastic Ebley fiddler.
Then some wonderful ukulele strumming by Fi and Jesse as we joined in with ‘the English Country Garden’ and ‘Row, Row, Row your Boat’. To a final rendition of Edward Thomas’ poem ‘Adlestrop’ (written about a train journey on the Cotswold line taken two days after the 1914 summer solstice):
Yes. I remember Adlestrop—
The name, because one afternoon
Of heat the express-train drew up there
Unwontedly. It was late June.
The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.
No one left and no one came
On the bare platform. What I saw
Was Adlestrop—only the name
And willows, willow-herb, and grass,
And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry,
No whit less still and lonely fair
Than the high cloudlets in the sky.
And for that minute a blackbird sang
Close by, and round him, mistier,
Farther and farther, all the birds
Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.
Regular updates of progress will be posted here along with images of the developing meadow.
References
1 https://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp
2 reproduced on the Stroud District Council planning portal
3 image from The American practice abridged, or The family physician: being the scientific system of medicine, 1846
We are really grateful for sponsorship from
 |
| Brimscombe |
for a 2025 Community Award
for a 2026 GNF Award
Thanks for advice and support to:
Lauren Holbrow (SDC Public Spaces Officer)
Rebecca Charley (SDC Strategic Lead for Nature Recovery and Biodiversity)
Dave Mathews (Stroud District Councillor, Cainscross)
Gavin Lindsay (Cainscross Town Councillor)
Tamsin Bent (Stroud Valleys Project)
Craig Horrocks (Gloucestershire County Councillor, Rodborough Division)
