Cycles

Cutting the Castañarina meadow for hay on Monday

We have just cut the wildflower and castañarina meadows for hay, as part of the annual harvest, and that got me thinking about the cyclical nature of the farm and life in general. Certain things come around every year, in their own season – lambing in spring, then strawberries, cutting hay in early summer (with the collective sigh of relief afterwards), mucking out the stable in summer, chopping firewood in early autumn, the first wild blackberries in the hedgerows, picking apples in autumn, the year-round progression of vegetables in the kitchen garden, and the progression of wildflowers out on the farm. There is never a time when there are no wildflowers to be seen, though some times of the year are more spectacular than others. To celebrate this, here’s a selection of flowers appearing through the year on the farm.

.

Stinking hellebore – January.

Common dog violet – February.

Tuberous comfrey – March.
.

Purple toothwort – April.

Pyrenean germander – May.

Clustered bellflower – June.

Yellow-wort – July.

Carline thistle – August.

Autumn squill – September.

Autumn crocus – October.

Ivy – November.

Mistletoe – December.

.
All photos taken on the hotel farm
.
Entrance written by Huh Taylor.