No Merriness for the Melancholic

As posted recently, the Melancholy Thistle is reputed to make one as 'merry as a cricket' when in a decoction with wine.

Until yesterday there was just one specimen remaining here, the maximum I've ever seen on Blacka. Great efforts had been made during the winter to prepare the ground, e.g. by cutting back bramble to promote these plants normally not found in Sheffield and even cutting down hawthorn.

All to no avail.

This morning the smell told the story. The grass and flowers were all trampled.

The thistle in question was eventually found chopped off half way up the stem.

The cows had done their job, which, we all know, is to trash the natural vegetation. They call it 'conservation grazing'. I call it 'crop and crap'. Perhaps we should try 'conservation trashing'.

Last seen the heroes were gathered around the new access gate and the new bench.

I've not yet checked if some of this has been left on the bench.*

* Checked now and wiped off most of it.