Leopold the black swan has gone!

Today we went to Claremont Gardens as we were looking after the grandchildren because their school had  an Inset day. This year dogs are now allowed in this NT garden whereas previously they could not go there between May and October.

As the children have been there many times we always look out for the black swan called Leopold but….it has been ‘retired’ to the Swannery at Sunbury/Shepperton as apparently it had been vicious to the new ducklings etc and had killed or drowned some. 
We saw this set of cygnets and also six Egyptian geese goslings and some very young coots too.

It was lovely there today and not many people. The children love playing in the far area where they play hide and seek and we usually have a snack,  plus there is a bit of a balancing circuit..planks on old tree trunks. As we have been there so often they recognise some of the trees and plants in different seasons which is good. 

The yellow irises are beginning to come out and some of the very old rhododendrons are still flowering…see extra.