Snowdrop Weekend at Hill Close Gardens

The weekend before last we drove to Warwick to visit the Snowdrop Event at Hill Close Gardens which I visited for the first time last May.

Hill Close Gardens (or the hidden gardens of Warwick) are a rare example of Victorian detached gardens used by residents of the town who lived above their premises in Warwick town centre and had no room in their small backyards to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers. The gardens date back to the mid 1840's when the owner of Hill Close divided his land into 32 plots and rented them out. Over time the plots were bought by the people who were using them. 16 plots of the original 32 survive until the present day.

The gardens were cultivated until after World War 2 when Warwick District Council started buying up the plots so that they could use the land for housing development and a local Committee was formed to try and fight this. Research revealed the importance of the gardens and the development was thankfully cancelled. A trust was set up to save the gardens for the future and restore them.

If you would like to read more of the history of the gardens and see them in May please see my post here



Timothy came along - sitting in the car and looking forward to the snowdrops :)

Snowdrops by the entrance

Plants for sale and I did buy a snowdrop as we left.

There was a lovely table display and floral arrangements in the Visitor Centre

A walk round the gardens

This is all that is left of a boiler system used to produce pig swill. Pigs were kept on some of the plots in the Second World War and into the 1950's.

As well as Snowdrops there were Primroses, Crocuses, Aconites and Hellebores.

Inside one of the summer houses

The Potting Shed still in use today

Before leaving we had a cup of tea and cake (Pear and Ginger) in the Visitor Centre.

I felt a bit guilty about the cake but, having finally plucked up the courage to read the healthy eating guide from the doctors, I was pleased to note you can have the occasional piece of homemade cake. I've stocked up on ryvitas, cottage cheese, dried fruits, low fat yogurts, malt loaf and olive oil spread and managed to cut chocolate and biscuits out of my diet (for now!!). I'm also cutting down on butter and cheese which is the hardest thing to do.

I also discovered an old recipe which I've been making on and off for nearly 40 years for a picnic fruit loaf which contains no fat.

I've given the recipe below as it really is delicious.


Picnic Fruit Loaf

Makes 2 1lb loaves

Ingredients

450g mixed dried fruit
225g soft light brown sugar
300 ml warm tea (no milk!!!)
1 egg
2 tablespoons marmalade
450g self raising flour

Method

Soak mixed dried fruit with light brown soft sugar in warm tea overnight. (I actually leave it now for at least 24 hours so the fruit plumps up)
Next day (or the day after) stir in egg, marmalade and SR flour. Mix thoroughly. Edit - sorry should have mentioned preheat oven to Gas Mark 3.
Place in 2 1lb load tins (450g) base lined and greased and bake for between 1.5 hours to 1.75 hours. I check after 45 minutes and if the top is browning too much cover the top loosely with foil.
When skewer comes out clean they are cooked.
Cool in tins before turning out.

They freeze well wrapped in foil and will keep up to 4 months.

Slice and butter (or the dreaded olive oil spread!).




All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumic FZ330 bridge camera
(D left his camera in the car)

First Butterfly of 2020

I checked the patio yesterday hoping to see a Drone Fly on the Bergenia but instead I spotted a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) - my first butterfly sighting this year - basking in sunlight on the patio doors.

It then fluttered down onto the Bergenia and started nectaring.

Then more sunbathing on the kitchen window.

Without doubt the highlight of the day if not the week :)


Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera

Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve

B and I paid a visit to Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve earlier this week. It is the headquarters of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the south part of the reserve covers 220 acres with 10 main pools and over 230 species of bird recorded. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) The range of habitats includes open water, streams, reedbeds, grassland, wetland and woodland.

Sir David Attenborough opened the Centre some years ago and D and E who were then little queued to get his autograph and he was so very kind to them.

Memorial Tree

We walked through Hope Wood onto the main part of the reserve.

We then took a path that wends its way round the back of Grebe Pool.

At regular intervals along the path were wood carvings which I haven't seen before.

We then took the path into New Hare Covert

A glimpse of Swallow Pool.

Many of the robins at Brandon Marsh are very tame and this one was no exception.

Coming out of the woodland the path continues with the reserve to one side and a golf course on the other.

Alban's Reedbed

We stopped a while in Wright Hide which overlooks East Marsh Pool. Here we saw Tufted Duck, Mallard, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Black-Headed Gull, Coot, Shelduck, Lapwing, Moorhen and Teal.

Ryton on Dunsmore church in the distance.

Leaving the hide we came across a larged mixed flock which included Goldfinches, Chaffinches and Lesser Redpoll feeding on alder cones. Other people who were watching them also spotted a Siskin and Greenfinch.

Mute Swans on Grebe Pool

As time was getting on we decided not to take the path which continues around East Marsh Pool where there are 4 hides but instead continued to walk by Goose Pool.

This area of the reserve is quite primeval and "swampy".

We then took the path through Horsetail glade. Many years ago at a similar time of year I once saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - one of only three I have seen since my mid twenties. The other two were at Ladywalk NR and at a wood near Fillongley which ever since we have called "Woodpecker Wood".

We then made our way back to the visitor centre.


Alder Cones and Catkins - I also saw male and female flowers on Hazel but my photo was blurred :( B was hurrying me along and muttering about why I always had to take a camera with me and stopping constantly to take photos so I didn't have chance to try and take better pictures!

We did stop off in the tearoom for a cup of tea and cake! I had a piece of a raspberry crumble shortbread which really I shouldn't have (cholosterol!!!) but my excuse was they had stopped serving lunches and cake was all that was available!!!!!!


Map of Brandon Marsh

The reserve has now been massively extended on the other side of Brandon Lane to include Brandon Reach and Piles Coppice so I picked up a map of this area as Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is still developing paths. It looks a good place to explore in the future. It is a mosaic of grassland, scrub, early successional woodland and a mature ancient wood.

A total of 28 species of bird were seen including 13 new for the 2020 year list :)



Last time we visited in Autumn 2018 and we said then we must visit more regularly which sadly we failed to do. This year another resolution to try and go each month.


All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330