Last month we were busy pruning the apple trees and cutting willow for our basket makers. Both the RHS and local crafts people come along and choose from the many colours of willow or join in and cut it for themselves. After the hectic pressing season this is a lovely way to relax and reminds us spring is not far away. There are a number of willow basket making/garden struture courses in this area. Wigwam Sam uses our willow for toggles when making the doors of the wigwams.
We have been visited by a Heron fishing almost every day at the bottom pond. Can you spot it?
Lets hope the frogs on the upper pond escape his beady eye.
Now the trees are looking bare - its a good time to see the often overlooked lichens and ferns which are more interesting the closer you view them and indicate clean fresh unpolluted air.
Our froggy friends were back for Valentines Day 2010. They made their first appearance 2009. The upper pond seems to boil over with frogs and tadpoles with their glorious harmonius chorus
March 2010
On the 1st of March the first daffodil was out -late compared to last year. The first wild daffodil was out 19th March. A Longtailed Tit was seen coming out of a garden shed and a female Sparrow Hawk (barred grey underparts) was seen darting between two buildings and across the orchards. The wild primroses are in abundance around the trees so we are beginning to feel Spring has sprung !!
