They are out and about.....

The incubated ducklings are now out and about around the ponds - they are largely stick together and rush around (many of them are runner ducks) and are enjoying the sunshine and the ponds. 

We have also had some late mallard ducklings arrive, mum seems to be looking after them well so far.

Finally - look at this beauty.  This duck is one of the 6 six that survived from our own egg collection earlier - he/she is an Appleyard cross and we are delighted to have had some reminder of the lovely Appleyards that the fox robbed us of earlier in the year.  Quite a character!

Wedding Bells for Jinney Ring Gardener

Rachel - our hard working gardener gets married today in Worcester.  Can you believe that she was not going to have flowers for her big day?....  Fortunately no-one here thought that this was "quite right" so arranged for local Hanbuy florist Anna Brian to come an take some of the flowers from our (her) gardens here and make a lovely scented bouquet and button hole for Joe (Groom).  The bouquet was pink and yellow (to match her dress) and had some beautiful roses.  Anna said that it was a delight to cut the flowers yesterday as it was such a fantastic day in the early morning (when it was not too hot for the flowers).

Rachel spends almost every day, even in the winter, out in the gardens with us and is always looking after our well being - we wish her a fantastic wedding day and a great future with Joe.  The only thing is she is now off on honeymoon for 2 weeks and we, and her garden, will miss her!

Garden and Countryside

Last week Jinney Ring Gardener, Rachel, had some help in the gardens from a young works experience chap and his teacher.  He was from central Birmingham and had visited our gardens and fallen in love with them.  Between them all they created a new flower bed at the bottom of the site and planted it up - it looks great and we are very grateful to the team for making the garden better.  Rachel has however asked us Ducks not to "ferret around" in the bark for a bit though - to let the plants settle.   The bed is next to the fence line at the bottom of the overflow carpark, where there is also a new hedge planted - it is a wildlife hedge and has a range of different hedge plants in that are designed to work with the insects and birds.  It will all take a while to get established.

Talking wildlife (apart from me) I am told that the meadow field is particularly lovely at the moment - this is one field away from the Jinney Ring and can be accessed from the footpath through the wood at the end of the site.  Pictures below: 

The owners are holding off cutting for hay until the wild flower seeds have dropped and then the meadow will be well replenished next year.  There are footpaths through the field which take you to the school and the church - a really nice walk!

Life on the pond is pretty good at the moment with great sunshine - the babies are growing fast in the cage on the lawn, but do not yet have their oil glands properly developed, so do not swim well!! - They get waterlogged fast and would sink if not helped out!  Have you ever seen a waterlogged duck - looks very commical! 

As to activities in the Craft Centre - there is lots of "Not the world cup" stuff going on - this Friday (25th June) we are getting ready for a "Mad Hatters Tea Party" which will be in the garden (so we can join in).  Cream teas and Pimms are promised with lots of hats from "the hattery" who are a group of miliners working at the craft centre each Friday (they often come out to see us when they are here).  There is also the chance to see Jamie Olivers new cookware range "Jamie at Home" (3pm - 9pm).

The Jinney Ring also had a stand at the BBC Gardeners World Show last week - I overheard some of the staff saying that it was a good show but hard to resist the smells coming from the food show next door!