May 2025
A Season in Motion: Planting, Preparing & Possibility
May has brought the full joy of spring into bloom here at Plas Y Maes, with long sun-filled days and warm air signalling that summer is just around the corner. The land is humming with life. Many of the flowering plants in the food garden are now bursting with colour and pollen, offering a vital source of nourishment for our bees, who’ve been especially active under these clear skies.
The sunshine has been plentiful, so watering has become a key part of our daily rhythm. Most of our vegetable plants have now made their way from the nurturing warmth of the polytunnel into the earth. The food section of the polytunnel itself is thriving, with fresh produce already finding its way onto our plates, including baby spinach, kale, and garlic. A few welcome showers this month, paired with the sun, have provided the perfect recipe for both growth and weeds, meaning mowing and weeding have once again become regular companions.
One row of strawberries has been carefully netted to safeguard half of our fruit harvest, while the other row has been left uncovered, a small gift for the local wildlife. We also had a milestone moment this month as we turned our compost and uncovered our very first full section of rich, earthy Plas Y Maes compost. A proud and promising achievement.
This month also saw the exciting beginning of our medicinal garden, now taking shape beside the apiary. A meandering pathway leads through the beds, where plants such as mugwort, valerian, skullcap, motherwort, and calendula are beginning to settle into their new home. Later in the year, we plan to add ginkgo trees and other medicinal varieties. Around the apiary itself, we’ve planted over 250 daisy plants and established a flowering hedge of marshmallow and hypericum, a beautiful future sanctuary for bees and people alike.
Our herb harvests have begun too, and with them, the launch of something special. After drying and preparing our plants, we created our first small batch of Plas Y Maes teas — including 300 “Three Mint” and 200 “Lemon Balm & Sage Flower” teabags, which will be available at this year’s Unearthed Festival. Later this year, we hope to make these teas available to the public, with even more blends to come.
Not all of May was calm sunshine, though. One rainy evening, we spotted something unusual: sparks and flames coming from the overhead electricity wires caught by our neighbour’s hedge line. After a quick report to National Grid, a team arrived a few days later to trim the trees and secure the area. To help them access the affected site, we had to temporarily remove some fencing and even a few trees. A reminder of the unexpected ways in which we work with the land.
In brighter moments, Geo Jam, our beloved geodesic dome, was finally christened with a wonderful evening of live music. Friends gathered inside to enjoy a harmonious jam session, testing the newly installed acoustic panels. The results? A huge success, warm, resonant, and full of potential. Geo Jam has since been carefully dismantled and is now ready for transport to Unearthed Festival, where it will make its public debut.
We’re also incredibly excited to announce the official launch of our new business: Valley Domes. Born from years of hands-on experience, Valley Domes offers beautifully crafted Geodesic Domes, Zome Domes, and Hybrid Dome structures for those seeking unique, nature-connected buildings of their own. Whether for personal retreat spaces, event venues, Saunas or creative studios, our domes are built with care, purpose, and sustainability in mind. You can find out more by following us online or reaching out directly.
With new growth above and below ground, preparations underway, and exciting possibilities ahead, May has truly marked a season in motion.
From all of us, and, of course, the dogs, here at Plas Y Maes, see you next time.
