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In praise of our churchyard and its ecological diversity

by Jenny Mant and Debbie Ledsam, April 2025

According to the Church of England, ‘The crisis affecting nature is as great as the climate crisis. Caring for creation means looking after our land for the benefit of nature and people.’

So where better place to start than our own backyard (and front yard); our churchyard?

How many of you noticed the wonderful array of crocuses during late February and early March this year, nestling in the grass at the front of the church? If you did, I am sure you will agree they were spectacular.

Churchyard 2025 crocus

The display got me thinking – what else is lurking in the shadows or sunny corners of our churchyard? So, last month I persuaded our resident expert and gardener, Debbie Ledsam, to give me a tour to find out more. Thirty minutes, I thought, would be enough. Two hours on and Debbie reminded me she had another appointment!
 

How many plants are in our churchyard?

Debbie reckons we have at least 150 different plants and trees (and she is still counting)! What an amazing array. There is a list displayed in church on the Eco-Church board


How did our plants get there?

Some have been planted having been gifted, while others have turned up, blown in by the wind or helped on their way by birds, bees and other insects and animals. What Debbie has learned over the nearly twenty years she has been looking after this lovely space, is that plants tend to choose their favourite places.
 

Does the churchyard need managing and why?

The simple answer is yes! Debbie does a fantastic job, not least because she knows her plants and where they reside. That is no mean feat. Working with our God-created world is the best way to encourage diversity of plants and species, so she takes the approach of letting plants find their place. But she also knows that our churchyard is an oasis in an urban area. Whilst nature can work its magic, there are some thugs out there that outcompete everything. Some plants (Laurel hedging, for example) need pruning from time to time to allow other plants to naturally colonise, whilst in the right place additional planting of native plants can help boost what is already there. If we nurture and care for our plants, we can have many habitats and flowers throughout most of the year.

Churchyard spring 2025

What can you spot in April and beyond?

The churchyard provides an incredible array of habitats. See what you can find in April. Bluebells, grape hyacinths, early violets, and tulips are just a few you will see (check the list above for more!). Get spotting and let Debbie know what you find.


Can you help with our churchyard nurturing occasionally?

There are two churchyard tidy-up days per year, but following my guided tour round the churchyard, Debbie and I agreed that sometimes there is a need for bespoke tasks throughout the year, especially those where we need to remove a few branches from hedges or preparing ground for native planting.

If you would be interested in helping occasionally, please let Debbie know and also watch out for requests in the Messenger (Sunday pew sheet).

Glenys
Hello and welcome to St Andrew's. If you are new, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

Banner group 1140x320A Warm Hello 

No one belongs here more than you.

We look forward to meeting you! Here's some information so that if you're planning a visit you know beforehand what to expect on a Sunday morning.  We have other pages telling you more About Us, our approach to Faith and our Online services.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details below) for our main Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you find a parking space and can settle in before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Plan your journey:
While, unfortunately, St Andrew's does not have its own carpark, there is a council-run pay and display carpark a short distance along St Andrew Street, to the east of the church; there is a £2 flat-rate charge for parking in this carpark on Sundays, Bank and Public Holidays.

This is a useful East Herts Council website page for full details of parking in Hertford.

There are single yellow lines outside the church with parking restrictions, but some 30-minute parking bays are situated on the opposite side of the road for short stays (longer on Sundays).

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There is a disabled toilet towards the back of the church, behind the kitchen.

Our Service

The service will usually begin promptly at 10.30am and will last between 60 and 75 minutes. We enjoy the presence of an excellent choir who help us sing hymns (modern and traditional) as well as provide anthems and special songs through the period of communion. We have a traditional organ but also benefit from music played on the piano and by our band (eg on the Second Sunday of each month when we have an All-Age Service in which our children and young people are fully involved).

Each 10.30am service includes a sermon, prayers and eucharist.

After the service, everyone is invited for coffee and conversation - some like to stay for a quick chat while others remain in the church for a longer time.

Communion

Children and Young People

Children are never too young to come to church. You and your children are very welcome at St Andrew’s. 

We really value worshipping God together as a family, so children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service before being invited to leave for the young people's activities after the first hymn. Junior Church meets in the St Andrew's Centre (our adjoining hall), accessed through the church on Sunday mornings. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy.

The children and young people then return to the main service in time to join the eucharist and, if confirmed, take Holy Communion or, if not, receive a blessing. We offer a little box of raisins to children being blessed at the altar.

There is a Children's Corner in church where you can go at any time. You will find books, toys and drawing materials there.

Toilet and baby-change facilities are located at the back of church, behind the kitchen.

There's more information here: Children and Young People at St Andrew's

Junior Church celebration

Getting Connected


Home Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week. Check out Home Groups on our website and see if there’s one that you could join. Alternatively, speak to a member of the Welcome Team who will give you the information that you need.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. Please contact Phil in the Church Office.

Get in touch with us
If you have any questions, please do get in touch. You'll find our contact details here.

We hope that you will feel at home at our church.

Group photo at the top of the page taken by Tim Pike