April Showers

The garden is now a kaleidoscope, as the tulips planted in October burst into flower.  The rainbow of colour is a delight and close inspection reveals the unique beauty of each stem.  Some have been dwarfed by the late March ice and frost which caught them unawares as they set out on their journey towards spring.  This has given the garden unexpected texture, simply adding an element of surprise.  The resilience of nature in the face of adversity is breathtaking; an inspiration to us all!

Sparrowhawk on the Prowl

The garden is bursting into life!  Every day another beautiful flower unfolds its precious petals and joins the splendour of Valley Garden Paradise.  Today we witnessed an amazing sight, our resident sparrowhawk in pursuit of an agile coal tit feeding on the bird table.  As the sparrowhawk swooped down towards the feeder, the tiny bird sensed his intent and headed for the safety of the holly bush.  He circled the holly three times with the predator in close pursuit, before darting for the safety of the hazel.  It was an incredible sight to see a sparrowhawk pirouetting at such close range!!