Osiers

The evening light at Ferry Meadows was superb today - truly the golden hour when everything was bathed in a honey-coloured glow. The lack of wind provided interesting reflections of trees in the River Nene. The image is a rotated view of reflections of osiers, both recently managed and after two years growth.

The osier beds were planted over 150 years ago. They supplied Peterborough’s thriving basket making industry which operated right up until the 1930s. The osier beds then slipped into decline until being recovered after the Park opened to the public in 1978. Nowadays the willow is regularly coppiced by Nene Park Rangers and Volunteers and used for fencing in the Park. 

My extra shows another wetland tree, alder, which is currently flowering and frames the rich glowing tones of evening sunlight reflecting from the River Nene. This stretch of the river has several springs and seepages, where water emerges from the limestone and flows into the river. These support an interesting flora including marsh marigold and large bittercress, as well as some very old alder trees.