Hereforeshire - 2nd June Visit - Part 1: Hatfield

 

We went to Herefordshire for a few days last week - a visit inbetween family birthdays and to water the plants there.

We arrived on the Wednesday - the weather was lovely but too hot for me.

The Herefordshire Oak in all its summer glory.

The Octopus Tree

The Constable Tree(s)

B has wanted a red hot poker plant for the garden there for ages and I was really lucky to find one for sale at Stockton Bury Gardens.

The sunflowers D grew from seed are slowly growing.

I bought this dahlia at B and Q for £4 - it was meant for the garden but ended up in a pot!

Self Heal growing in the lawn.

Herb pot - the mint is growing well. Unlike home there are no problems with Mint Moth larvae.

D brought a spare tomato plant from home and we bought the chilli pepper for a £1 in in B and Q.

The hollyhock has just started flowering.

After we'd arrived D and I went a walk down to the Hen House to buy some eggs.  

While we were away David completed a jigsaw - it is a John Speed historical county map of Herefordshire.  You can buy prints of this map and I wouldn't mind buying one for the caravan.

We'd brought some strawberries we'd picked at home just before we left and D made a Strawberry polenta cake.

This is one of the hedgehogs at the caravan site. It was out early in the evening although it looked healthy enough. I would imagine they are finding it difficult to find food in this dry weather so we put out some hedgehog food while we were there.  I used the bat detector most nights but unusually I couldn't pick any up or see any.

*D

The site was very quiet even at the weekend which is unusual for a June weekend when the weather is good.  We've heard several rumours about what the new site owners are planning but to be honest I take it with a pinch of salt as it is just people surmising and no-one really knows anything. I do worry though about what might happen in the future.  Our neighbour at home for over 40 years has just moved out which is unsettling. No-one has yet moved into her house and I just hope there are no plans for rebuilding work like we had the other side!  We really do need to get our act together and move ourselves. Although that won't be easy as B and I like totally different types of property and I would like to move to Herefordshire but B wants to stay local.  You can get a lot more for your money in Herefordshire compared to Warwickshire.

On the Thursday D and I did a click and collect at Morrisons, Leominster and called in at B and Q and then in the afternoon we went and had a look around Stockton Bury Gardens which  I'll write about in the next post.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera except for the hedgehog photo taken by D with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would appreciate an email first - thanks).

June Visit to Herefordshire - Part 3: Ledwyche Meadow and Burford House Gardens

 

On the Friday we decided to go and have a look at Ledwyche meadow at Burford House Gardens as June seems to be the month when it looks its best.

Ledwyche Meadow was created for the Millennum and changed what was farmed arable land into a wildflower meadow. It covers around one and a half acres of meadow with a small section of woodland which contains a Beech Dragon Maze.  Over the last few years remedial work has been carried out on the Ledwyche Brook and the meadow only re-opened two years ago.

Initially, the meadow was left to its own devices for a few years and it naturally rewilded with fauna and flora species increasing.  In June 2022 the Marches Meadow Trust helped a survey a small section of the meadow and found 61 species of plant including Teasel, Wild Carrot, Meadow Cranesbill and Ox-eye Daisy. The survey helped to demonstrate how best the manage the site.  It will benefit wildlife in the area as there are larval food plants for insects especially moths and butterflies and flowers provide nectar and seed for birds.

Ox-eye Daisies, Knapweed and Hogweed.

A yellow and black longhorn beetle on Hogweed flowers.

Red campion is still flowering.

Ledwyche Brook which joins the River Teme nearby.

Before we left we had a look round Burford House Gardens - there have been a lot of changes flower wise since we visited in May.  I do love these gardens they are so quiet and peaceful. We didn't see anyone at all and only saw two people in the meadow.

We saw a few butterflies - Large Skipper, Comma, Red Admiral and "whites" which was a lot more than we managed at Ivycroft Gardens where B just glimpsed one Meadow Brown.  This year seems better for bees but butterflies sadly still seem in short supply.

Timothy was relieved he was finally wearing his t-shirt. It was another hot and humid day!

We returned home on Saturday afternoon to be greeted by a chocolate cake D had made for us :)

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).