Caring for Creation | St Peters Church

Churchyard
nature hunt

Our churchyard is full of rich biodiversity,
what can you find?

Revd Sue lead a refurb and refresh of the Garden of Remembrance on Saturday 29th June, what a wonder job they have done.

Roy will be managing it going forward to keep it looking spick and span.

Wildlife in the hot weather

Please provide water in a shallow dish for thirsty birds, mammals and even insects. Placing a small stone in the centre will help any insects that may fall in.

Don't forget the bird bath. Birds need water to bathe to keep their feathers in good condition, so top up your bird bath regularly with fresh, clean water.

Swift Boxes

Working with Men's Sheds and Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, we have installed swift boxes on the north side of the church tower which we hope will attract and protect these birds.

Swifts pair for life and return to the same nest sites year after year. They tend to nest in colonies and have a screaming call which attracts other swifts to a nesting site.

Tall buildings with more than one storey, such as churches and towers, make ideal nesting sites.

Swifts tend to eat the droppings of their young and so there is usually little or no mess beneath a swift nest.

Swift Callers

We have installed a swift caller in the tower to attract the birds to our boxes. Head over to our Facebook page to hear them.

It can take up to 3 years before they start nesting.

Please let us know if you see any birds and take photos if possible.

Grass Cutting

We had our first mow of the year in the main churchyard and the council has been given guidance to ensure we still have some pollinating flowers, and shelter for wildlife.

Vegetable double bubble

There are many vegetables and herbs you can grow indoors using parts of the produce you would throw away and this can save you money the next time you go grocery shopping.

Celery

To grow this healthy snack at home, cut off the base of the celery and leave it in a bowl with a little bit of warm water. Keep the bowl in direct sunlight, and in a week, your celery base will start to grow leaves.

Transplant the celery in soil and watch it grow!

Romaine Lettuce

Similar to celery, keep the base of your romaine lettuce in a bowl with a ½ inch of warm water.

Leave it to sit in direct sunlight, and in a week or two, your lettuce stem will produce fresh, new lettuce leaves for all your great salads.

Transplant your lettuce to soil to continue growing. They should be full grown in three to four weeks. This process works for Bok Choy as well.

Garlic Sprouts

Are those tentacles?! Nope, those long green things growing out your garlic are green shoots. You can put them in a little water, under a lot of sunlight and grow a bunch of garlic sprouts. They are milder in taste than garlic cloves and are great in salads, pasta and as a garnish.