We are Nature Friendly
Nature & Gardens at the Cottages
We are lucky to be living surrounded by mature gardens where various bulbs, plants and ‘weeds’ have had time to establish drifts. Winter starts the procession with snowdrops which are particularly dense in the paddock and the wooded area at the top of the garden. This year the daffodils put in a very early showing but have yet to get fully underway and delight us with such abundance that would have cheered even William Wordsworth.
Flowers & Wildlife
Spinkled in less trampled areas are hundreds of the delicate blue and white star forms of scilla. As daffodils bow their heads and fade for another year, are attentions are captured by a prolonged display of the flowers and later the seed heads of Queen Anne’s Lace (cow parsley).
The paddock is criss-crossed with mown paths of grass between the three foot high fluffy flower heads. Small people, brave enough to venture down the paths, have a magical time among these tunnels of ‘weeds’.
There are also darker damper corners to enjoy early showing purple and white flowering hellibores. We have started on a sequence of flowering fruit trees and then in early June foxgloves compete with roses for attention. When you visit you are welcome to explore the gardens.
Birds & Mammals
We have seen a Greater Spotted Woodpecker frequently (7am seems to be its breakfast time) who loves the peanuts. Many others are seen in season Tree sparrows, great, blue, coal and long tailed tits, thrush and mistle thrush, siskins, goldfinch,chaffinch,greenfinch, bullfinch, swallow, tawny owl, wrens, collard dove, infrequent sparrow hawk, bats and no doubt plenty of little brown jobs that might or might not be interesting.
We have plenty of grey squirrels, rabbits and a regular visit from a hare. More difficult to spot are the small army of furry sausages – voles in the paddock. No passing barn owls sadly. I am uncertain whether I should be delighted or not when a deer ventured into the garden.
We are also just a short drive to the North York Moors national park, which is home to a wonderful range of flowers and wildlife. Please see the following link for more details.
We provide chairs, binoculars, books for you to borrow or just sit and enjoy at the cottages.