Garden
The Rievaulx Terrace
The Rievaulx Terrace was created about 1749-57 by Thomas Duncombe II, to provide a long view of the medieval abbey ruins in the valley below. Duncombe would bring his guests over from nearby Duncombe Park to enjoy the landscape. As they walked along the curving Terrace, a carefully contrived series of thirteen different views of […]
In the Spring sunshine
The warm spring sunshine inspires gardening doesn’t it? I’ve been out with fork and trowel, proddling the soil and planting up little stone pots (partly in readiness for Scampston Spring Plant Fair) to give fresh, pretty colours to celebrate the change of seasons. I like the textures the optimistic new growth bring to the senses. This […]
Hedgeside
My hedgerow is just beginning to come to life with little buds and fresh green shoots starting to show. I call it my hedge as it is the hedge which holds the gap where my gate hangs, marking the entrance to my workshop. Those who have been to my Open Studio will recognise it, but […]
Potted Cowslip
The hedgerow here is greening, and cowslips push their clusters of curled lush leaves upward in vibrant wrinkly fronds. They’re promising slender delicate stems abundant with pale yellow flowers. Since early times cowslip has been cultivated in the British Isles and was popular in medieval herb gardens – having magical and medicinal properties. Farmers […]
A bit of micro-gardening
Sleety, snowy, windy cold drove me indoors from the workshop early today – I promised myself that I would give the greenhouse a bit of a cleanup this weekend too, but it will have to be tomorrow now. I haven’t abandoned the gardening idea entirely though. These little pots have been sitting empty on a […]
Birds in my Garden
It seemed very quiet during my Big Garden Birdwatch, the Great Tit and Blue Tit were most numerous. A few of my regular visitors didn’t show at all. When making a concentrated effort to watch wildlife, I always think something incredible or unusual will occur – perhaps I will encounter something never before witnessed, or discover a new […]
Big Garden Birdwatch
I love to join in with the Big Garden Birdwatch (in my little garden), and yes, I’m all ready to list my visiting birds on the 24th and 25th January, 2015. Actually there isn’t really much to do in preparation – I do anyway keep my feeders regularly topped up, particularly at this time of year, and […]
A Frost Feathered Happy New Year
I’m so delighted to see this lovely picture! I received it this morning from a customer, who bought my Fledglings sculpture, and this is a view of it in their beautiful garden- with all the little birds ‘frost feathered’. Looks as if we will see out the year all icy and frozen – but a […]
A Big Birdbath
I’ve been making a big Birdbath – certainly big for me, in fact I think it is the largest one I’ve ever carved. At just over 4 feet square, the top took quite a lot of chiseling out. Here I’m making the bowl shape which will be filled with water for the birds to splosh around in and […]
Holly Sprig
There’s a holly growing in the hedgerow at my workshop, it is where the blackbird nested this year and it is usually busy with birds flitting to and fro and disappearing into its thick mass of prickles. A sprig was plucked from it for this scraperboard drawing – and made into a Christmas card (available now in […]