Kilmersdon Gardeners were treated to an interesting talk at this month’s meeting.

As a botanist and keen gardener, Helena Crouch spends her life surveying the Botanical Diversity of our Churchyards and Cemeteries. On behalf of God’s Acre charity, 18,380 volunteers were involved in mapping 29,000 churchyards.

Helena explained that these areas are a rich source of wildlife and plants.

In some older churchyards, native wild plants have taken up home on the graves and walls too and can become home to a variety of ferns and lichens as well as wildlife.

It was explained how various organisations such as Parish Councils are now taking an interest in these sites and encouraging biodiversity by leaving areas in churchyards with longer grass.

Helena’s talk was well illustrated with slides of our local churchyards, and now it seems that we should view these sites as destinations of botanical interest as beautiful as many gardens. High Littleton, Orchardleigh, Dissenters and Holy Trinity churchyards in Frome are a few where some of the best displays of wild plants can be found.

Our next meeting is on the 10th April when Katherine Kear’s talk will be about the “Elizabethan Still Room”. For more information please contact: www.kilmersdongardeners.org