Gardens, Grounds and Birds

The gardens at Wern Fawr Manor Farm are extensive and include a walled and a kitchen garden, where we grow as much as we can, organically, for use in our cooking. They were originally designed by Thomas Mawson working for the Madryn Estate. In all the grounds extend to approximately 60 acres, approximately 3 acres of gardens, 3 acres of fields for our sheep, chickens, geese, ducks and 54 acres of woodlands. We hope to make some more walks in the woodlands (nature trails). We are surrounded by open fields, giving stunning views over the diverse countryside. Our aim is to enhance the gardens and woodlands each year, providing even more colour and interest than we have enjoyed during the previous years.

When are the FLOWERS out? - Here is just a small indicator of when things are in bloom in our gardens:

Jan-Mar - Snowdrops start to appear along the drive down to the house towards the end of January. The Camellia bush by the cottage with the same name starts to show spectacular red flowers.

Mar-Apr - The Daffodils are rich golden yellows and pale whites. The Azaleas are fantastic at this time.

Apr-May - A mass of Bluebells - some of the surrounding hills are blue with their colour. Also the Magnolia is out with white flowers, Marguerites (profusion of daisy like flowers) and Peonies (with deep red flowers).

May-Jun - Honeysuckle with its wonderful perfume. Summer Jasmine starting to flower. Some early Roses are also in bloom.

Jun-onwards - The Roses come into their own, the Perennials in the walled garden start to bloom and the colour is something to see. We have added some Dahlias (see pictures above), and they provided a magnificent display in the extended Rose bed which has 35 new Rose bushes planted in it. Don't worry the old ones have been transplanted around Rose Cottage! The border in the walled garden is a sight to behold, during this time.

Birds

We have numerous birds in our 54 acres of woodland and around our extensive grounds, which cover another 6.5 acres. You can regularly see Buzzards swooping in their glory (in fact we rescued a baby Buzzard in the early summer 2002), Sparrow hawks, who prey on our tits, as well as Barn Owls. We were fortunate enough to see a baby one one evening out for its first flying lesson with its Mum, this one is now roosting in the derelict buildings nearby and graces us with its presence every now and again in the evenings, sitting on the cars and putting on the security lights, a joy to watch. We also have Greater Spotted Woodpeckers (you can hear these from the accommodation we provide pecking at trees), Tits of all varieties, Nuthatches, as well as Swallows and House Martins which nest here and reproduce in the summer returning here every year. There is a wealth of bird life not only in our gardens but also on the numerous local walks, so we hope to see keen Ornithologists here to see these marvelous sights and stay with us. There are also two local boat operators that offer bird watching of our coastal birds and sea trips, see www.llanbedrog.info web site for details. We look forward to welcoming you here for your bird watching experience.

Birding Web Sites

The World's Largest Birding Community. 15000 members & 25000+ Photos. Some Birding sites want your money,
Birdforum is totally FREE - click on logo above to access their web site at www.birdforum.net

			FatBirder Web Ring Linking Birders Worldwide Join

A directory of birding links for the UK and Ireland - www.birding.uk.com
We are listed here under Accommodation - Wales

We would like to thank Colleen for putting us on to the www.simplygardenfurniture.co.uk web site, which lists the following to help newcomers to bird watching and to assist veteran birders:

Online Guide to Birds and Bird watching

Bird Watching and Birding Businesses

Bird Watching Resources

The Sport of Birding

National Audubon Society

Top Tips for Bird watching

Birding Basics

Birdsong and Birding Links

Inside Birding

Bird Watching Nature and the Birding Community

Learning About Birds

Bird Watching

General Bird Watching / Ornithology

Birds National Zoo

Basics of Backyard Birding

Bird Watching Basics

Bird Watching Tips

Bird Identification Information Center

Virtual Birding

Bird Identification Tips

Cambridge University Birding Society

British Birding Resources