Wildlife & Birdwatching

Our boundary hedges have been made using native species to support native wildlife. We have a designated wildlife area providing shelter for hedgehogs and other mammals. A good supply of nectar & pollen is available most of the year to help increase the diversity of insects with a wide range of suitable plants. We have 2 large ponds, plus a barrel pond and sunken horse trough all water features which attract regular wildlife visitors into the gardens. Material excavated to create the ponds was used to make rockeries and raise the pond surrounds.

PONDLIFE Dragonflies, yellow, red & blue. Pond skaters, frogs, toads, newts (common & crested) etc.

Wildlife has increased again this year with numerous varieties of Butterflies in the Slate Garden well into November.

BIRDS & insects are now controlling all harmful pests on plants, it has taken about six years of no insecticides but this year the balance has been perfect!

• BIRDS spotted regularly in the garden; Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Curlews, Crows, Collared Doves, Chaffinches, Great Tits, Garden Warblers, Greenfinches, Herons, Kestrels, Lapwings, Marsh/Willow tits, Mistlethrushes, Oyster Catchers,Pheasants, Red Kites, Robins, Seagulls, Siskins, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Swallows , Wrens, Wheat Ears, Whimbrel, Woodpeckers, Tawny Owl and there are probably lots more we don’t recognise. 3/3/07 a Peregrine Falcon was spotted. 6/3/08 Canada geese strayed into the neighbouring field. 3/3/09 Waxwings
• BATS We’re not certain which ones but they nest in the eaves of the house and are regularly seen on summer evenings.
• BEES at least twelve different varieties spotted last year.We have a hive of honeybees in the wellbeing garden.
• BUTTERFLIES the slate circle was planted about twelve years ago to attract beneficial insects, this year the variety has been astonishing, one September visitor counted ten different types of moths & butterflies. Others regularly commented on walking through clouds of butterflies and having them land on clothing- (the preferred fashion fabric for butterflies seems to be blue denim)
• SPIDERS Accidentally we seem to have created a habitat for spiders under the slate mulch, fortunately for nervous visitors they stay there unless disturbed.
• HOVERFLIES are attracted by the large areas of poached egg plant (Limanthes ) and then move on to aphid control.
• LADYBIRDS hibernate in Alchemilla mollis and can be seen at any time of the year, also aphid controllers.
• MAMMALS rabbits, hares, stoats, field mice and other fast movers can be seen regularly.