My Happy Place :-)

This is the National Trust property that I volunteer at. I helped put this sign in a few years ago. It’s at the entrance to the lower car park. 

When I was at Colby on Tuesday, I was talking to the Head Gardener about a training scheme I’ve been enrolled on. A big folder came for me in March last year, during the first lockdown. We were going to go through it on Tuesday, but he was busy fixing one of the machines. I said I’d be in today anyway to do the Wildflower Survey, so had time before or after. He said to come in first thing and we’d discuss it.

I went in early and waited, and waited and waited! I’d been waiting 2 hours! I had to go and meet my friend, so we could do the survey. I couldn’t wait any longer.

I wondered over to the Tearooms and met my friend there. She said why don’t we have coffee first, so we did. She very kindly bought mine for me. We finished our drinks and then headed for the Meadow.

To carry out the survey, we have to do 20 samples using a 1 meter square quadrant. In each sample, we write down the percentage of grass and then list the names of the Wildflowers within the quadrant. It took us just over 2 hours to complete the survey today! We saw lots of beautiful 6 Spotted Burnets and a few Meadow Brown butterflies.

Unfortunately the horseflies were out! I got bitten 3 times even though I had my repellent spray on. One of the bites was actually through my top!

There’s an Orchard area in the Walled Garden. It’s enclosed by a Beech hedge. All along the edge there’s Wildflowers. We don’t do a proper survey, but we write down the names of all the species we can see.

I was taking the quadrant back to the workshop when I saw the Head Gardener. He walked across with me and we finally sat down to go through my folder. We wrote down who is going to mentor me for each module and chose 3 modules out of the few optional ones. There’s a few queries over the introduction module, so he’s trying to find out about that. When I’m in next week, we’ll get started on the first proper module. I’m looking forward to it because it’s been over a year since I was enrolled.

There is a lot that I’ll probably already know, but it’ll be good to get it written down and actually have something to show for it! It’s all through the Trust too, so I’m sure it’ll be very good. 

I spent and hour or so in the office going through my folder. Afterwards, I eventually went home. I was starving! Buster was excited to see me and greeted me at the door. We sat on my sofa, him in my seat and me on the edge. He fell asleep and put one paw on my leg. I was really hungry and thirsty and my bum was going numb, but I didn’t want to disturb him haha

Not sure how long I was sat with him, but he eventually woke up. I could finally have some food. I finished my lunch and then had an ice cream. I stood in the kitchen with my Mum telling her about my morning and about my training thing.

We decided to take Buster to Colby. He’s only been once and that was only to the wider estate. He’d never been to the main Woodland Garden. I was there for the second time today! I love it there though, so I don’t care. Buster seemed to enjoy it too :)

After walking around Colby, we went home. We had supper and watched tv. I haven’t stopped yawning! Lol

Tomorrow I’ve got a slightly later start, but still a busy day. 

In my extra blips, you’ll see some of the Wildflowers. Mr. Robin came to say hello whilst my friend was getting the coffees in. That pink Rose smells wonderful! Every time we walk past, we have to have a smell. It’s what a few of us gardeners do haha It smells so good. I love doing the Wildflower Survey! I could identify each one that we saw today. It was great! I’m pretty good anyway, but sometimes I forget. I know that I know it, but sometimes the names just won’t come haha