July has been a very busy month for us here at Mother Ivey’s Bay.

Everything is growing at pace and we have lots flowering. The Erigeron Agapanthus Salvia, Geranium, Nepita (cat mint) Lavender, Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker) are bursting with colour and we have seen the small but beautifully formed Pyramid Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis). Not to mention Rudbeckia and Hebe’s. If you are staying with us look out for Nature Information Board outside reception, where it lets you know not only what’s flowering but also wildlife sightings over the week.

Work experience

We have had two young people doing work experience with us. They have worked with all departments including as part of the gardening team for a couple of the days.

Laura who was with me for the first week, helped me construct our new bug hotel from recycled materials found around the park. We hope to attract ladybirds, lacewings, hover fly’s, centipedes, bumble bees, devils coach horse beetles and, although not an insect, it may become a home for toads too.

Jack was my helper during the second week.  I certainly needed him when 19 5-6year olds came to visit us from St Merryn School. The children spent the day with us, beach combing and playing on the beach in the morning. In the afternoon they did some wonderful drawings of the flowers and we then showed them our new bug hotel.  The children helped us start putting together a second bug hotel, this time using pebbles (recycled from our Martha’s Orchard site).  The children drew happy faces on them to show the insects it’s a nice place to live!

Claire from the RSPB

The Gardening Club invited Claire from the RSPB to give a talk.  She looks after Trevose Head and the surrounding area and is heavily involved with the conservation of the corn buntings on the headland.  She monitors their numbers and is trying to preserve their habitat.  She is also involved with the re-colonisation of the Cornish chough. Chough have been missing from Cornwall since 1973 but are now back and have at least 10 breeding pairs!!

It was great to hear good news about a Cornish icon.  We are hoping that Claire will come and visit again and maybe next time take us on a tour of the ‘unseen’ headland and the birds and wildlife that live there.